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JMJ

                                                                                  January 21, 2008

The Wedding of dear Godson RUSSEL Mascarenhas, (Canada) and  ANITA (Patnam)  on 17th January 2008 at St. Thomas  Church, Virapandianpatnam.

      By  God’s grace, the wedding was very grand and memorable one also being  the last wedding in Fabi Maini’s family. I had the chance and privilege to take the Bridegroom to the Altar, followed by Rajam with Thali tray.  The Wedding was also very simple as desired by dear Russel, without  bestman, and no bridesmaid. The little flower girl Chrisma (name of  Holy Oil which is used only during Easter Midnight Mass) was the  daughter of Mr. Rajeendran eldest son of Fredric Mascarenhas and little  page boy was the son of Ranesh Mascarenhas. All 3 sons of Fredric including Rajini who is working in Singapore,   Russel's  brothers: Merril, Clifford, and Jude and Russel's sister Vinette from  Canada and  Mrs.  Atputha Rani (daughter of Mr. Velichore P.  Rayan) and others raised to the occasion and very much in action  during wedding.

 The VIPS were Annan and Maini and Mr. and  Mrs. Arul Rayen and Mary maini. Russel’s sister Mrs. Vinette and  Russel’s brother Jude came from Canada with their dear Mum Fabiola.  Russel’s eldest brother Merril and Clifford came from Colombo and close  relatives and friends   from different parts  of India graced the happy occasion. Hats off to Frederic and Hema and  their team for organising everything so well for the grand success of  the wedding. Praise the Lord. Frederic and I were classmates in Patnam  upto 4th standard in 1949. Barnabas Mascarenhas was senior to  me.

      On previous day, on 16th evening, we all enjoyed  very good dinner at Kalyana Pandapam.

      The Chief Celebrant of the Wedding Mass was Fr. Jerosin  Kattar, PP of Our Lady of Snows, Tuticorin. The  Mass  was concelebrated by our Patnam PP Fr. Sahayam, PP of Kombuthurai, Fr.  Stephen Gomez and assistant PP. Lali stole the show, with her choir  group in the Church. My youngest sister Sr. Glory was also in the choir.  Thali  was tied by dear Vinette and assisted by Rajam. Annan and Mr. Rex  Victoria were the attesting witnesses. The Church was fully packed by  our relatives including from Chennai,  Tuticorin, Madurai, Trichy, Coimbatore,  etc.  Immediately after Wedding Mass, and after taking family group photos, by professional photographer/video cameraman  Kennedy, bride and  groom received blessing from Ma/big sister Mrs. Elizabeth Augustine  inside the Church.

      I was taken up with a beautiful picture of Bride and Groom in front of  “Carmel Mahalal” Kalyana Mandapam where the Wedding Reception took  place, followed by very tasty lunch. Rajesh Mascarenhas was the MC. The  Groom and Bride lighted the “Kuthu Vilakku” in keeping up the  tradition. Annan and Maini accompanied  the new couple to cut  the cake.  Arul  Annan gave an inspiring welcoming speech. Merril spoke very well about his youngest brother Russel. Mr. Rex Victoria spoke about Bride’s family. I had the chance to say few words in Tamil also as Godfather to  Russel. I mentioned out of my 17 Godchildren, Russel is "Pathra maathu  thanga" Godson. He is very religious and simple person. He speaks French fluently. I said R stands for Reliable, a valuable Resource in  the family: U stands for Understanding, S for Spiritual, Sincere,   Special, Super. E for Efficient, Extra ordinary and Russel lives to achieve Eternal Life like his Dad. L stands for Loving and he is

a very lovable person.

 I was happy to say about his  dear Dad, Mr. Alphonse annan. He was the Proprietor of Lanka Traders,  Dryfish shop in Colombo and Russel’s grandfather Mr. Rajendra Mascarenhas  was one of the Partners of famous dryfish Merchants M/s. S.V.A. KAGOO  group. And that elder brother of Rajendra Mascarenhas, (dear dad of  Alphonse Annan) Mr. Santhapa Mascarenhas and Mrs. Bipina Kattar acca  were my Godparents. In conclusion and as advice to the Bride and Groom,  I read the same reading in Tamil, I read during Annan and Maini’s  Golden Jubilee Mass on 28th October 2007:  Taken  from the letter of St. Paul to the Clossians 3:12-17. “Put on love,  which binds everything together in perfect harmony”. Put on, as God’s  chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness,  meekness and patience, forbearing one another and if one has a  complaint against another, forgiving each other as the Lord has  forgiven you, so that you also must forgive. And above all these put on  love,

 which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And the let  the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were  called in the one body…

      I liked very much all the selected music  played at Wedding house. I was happy to meet some of my old classmates in Patnam, Mr. Ignatius Poopalayrayen, (Dad of Fr. Ferrington, in  Tanzania), Doyal Fernando, Gilbert Rodrigo, Winifred Morais and others.  Raj Macranhas, (youngest son of my Godparents) who was senior to me,  was very much there.

      After many years, I had the pleasure to meet Mr.and Mrs.  Justin Miranda whose house is just opposite  to the Wedding house. I had the chance to meet, in laws of Geethan Rayen in Chennai Mr. and Mrs. Mathew Gomez, together with my cousins Mr. Joyce Fernando, Helen and Mr. Giles Fernando  from Bangalore and Chennai.

  It was great, all who came for the Wedding Reception, were presented with a beautiful gift box containing "Food/fruit container" with printed words" With thanks from Russel and Anita 17.1.2007. Rajam already pepared "thayeer" as soon as we returned from Patnam. It came perfect and I enjoyed it at today's lunch.

      A big thanks to everyone who prayed for the grand success of the wedding of dear Russel  and  Anita  and  your blessings to the couple.

      Praise the Lord.

      Justin Kattar in JMJ