BIS Mumbai
BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 3537
VISITATION FEAST CELEBRATED AT RAM NAGAR, YERWADA
By: Br. Michael Gaikwad sdb
YERWADA-PUNE, JUNE 20, 2013: Our Lady of Light Zone, Ram Nagar, Sacred Heart Parish Yerwada, 
celebrated the Feast of the Visitation of Mother Mary to Elizabeth and also the twenty fourth anniversary of the Grotto of Our Lady of Light Zone, on June 01 2013, at their zonal grotto. It was a day of great importance and grace as it affirms the devotion Catholics profess to Mother Mary.
The celebrations began with a prayerful procession of our blessed Mother from the grotto at Ram Nagar, to Laxmi Nagar, Jai Jawan Nagar and back. The beautiful statue of our Lady dressed in blue was carried on a boat well decorated by the devotees. People prayed the rosary all along the way and Mother Mary was greeted with flowers and garlands at every crossroad. The intentions of each decade were for each area the procession was passing through. Many people from other faiths too, greeted Our Lady to seek her blessings.
After the procession the people gathered for the Holy Eucharist at the Grotto of Our Lady of Light that was 
presided by Rt. Rev. Bishop Thomas Dabre and concelebrated by Fr. Anton D'souza sdb, the parish priest of Sacred Heart Church. Bishop said that he was very glad to be at Ram Nagar, and was willing to come to celebrate the Eucharist as he would like to be referred to as a 'Devotee of Mary.'
In the homily Bishop stressed on reaching out to others in our joy and sharing in other's sorrows in moments of grief. Placing Mother Mary as an example Bishop Thomas urged the faithful to reach out to our neighbours and friends at all times. Eucharist ended with Bishop Thomas Dabre promising the people of Our Lady of Light Zone he would come next year in May 2014 for their Silver Jubilee celebrations.
One initiative undertaken by the Our Lady of Light Zone council member Mr Cyril Ashirwadam, which was commended by Bishop Thomas Dabre is that after the Eucharist as a symbol of unity he arranged all children of different faiths like Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Catholic to come and cut a cake.
After the felicitation of Bishop Thomas Dabre and all guests, Bishop Thomas Dabre and Fr. Anton D'souza sdb, 
inaugurated a chapel that was built by the area PMC leader Mr. Sanjay Bhosale. Bishop Thomas Dabre was very appreciative of the kind gesture of Mr. Sanjay Bhosale. During the felicitation Mr. Anil Rathod a social worker of Ram Nagar was present. The zone received a lot of support from Mr John Paul who is the President of Pune Christian Group.
People then had a fellowship meal together and carried the blessings of Our Lady to their homes. May our lady of Light illumine the way of life for each of her devotees. All the responsibilities were executed in precision due to the hard work of different groups in the zone, namely the Children's group, Youth Group, Core Group, Senior Citizens' Group, and all volunteers, even individuals of other faith from Ram Nagar.
The generosity of all benefactors and well-wishers is a sign that God does care for us through the instrumentality of all these people. This feast has brought us closer to Jesus, through Our Blessed Mother Mary.