by BISMumbai Correspondent

It was a day of profound joy and immense gratitude to God and Mary Help of Christians, as MumbaiSalesians' Deacon Nelson Mudaliar was ordained 'priest' forever at the Shrine of Don Bosco's Madonna at Matung-Mumbai on 19 December 2020. The ordination ceremony part of the solemn Eucharist was presided over by Auxillary Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandes of the Archdiocese of Bombay.

Following all the standard operating procedures [SOPs] as mandated by government directives and as reiterated by the Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the ordination ceremony, was a grace-filled evening of prayer, thanksgiving, and invoking-of-blessings, accompanied by a soul-stirring choir conducted by Brother Bryce Fernandes.

In his homily, Bishop Fernandes, who is the Apostolic Vicar for the Laity, the Family, and the Women's Commissions and coordinates the South Mumbai, Andheri, and Kurla Deaneries of the Archdiocese of Bombay, invited the newly-ordained Father Mudaliar to live his motto: 'To act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with God' [Micah 6:8]. He said, "this is indeed a day of great rejoicing since the ordination of Father Mudaliar is not only for the MumbaiSalesians or the Salesian Congragation, rather it is a gift of God, also to the Archdiocese of Bombay and to the universal Church." He further congratulated the parents of Father Mudaliar for their generosity and allowing Father Mudaliar to follow the call of serving young people the Don Bosco way.

MumbaiSalesians' Provincial Father Savio Silveira thanked Bishop Fernandes and also congratulated Father Nelson Mudaliar and his parents [Paulin and Victor Mudaliar] for the love-offering made to God with commitment and deep-rooted faith. He also added, "this is the 1st Ordination administered by Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandes and this is the 1st Salesian he has ordained; may this ordination of Father Mudaliar stir our hope and renew our spiritual fervour." Father Mudaliar proposed a 'vote of thanks' in lyrical prose, expressing his gratitude to all those who have accompanied him on his journey to the priesthood.

The entire solemn ordination Eucharist was virtually streamed via the MumbaiSalesians' YouTube Channel, serving as a mood-lifter and balm in a fraught world.