Through Mary to Jesus – was the theme for the Feast of Our Lady of the Mount (Mat Mauli Yatra) - celebrated on Saturday, September 14, 2024, on the Campus of St Teresa Church, Haregaon – culminating with the Feast Mass at 4.30 p.m. celebrated by Bishop Barthol Barretto, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nashik.
In fervent preparation for the September Feast at Haregaon, the Nashik Diocese organizes pilgrimages to St Teresa Church, Haregaon, from various parishes of the Ahmednagar District of the Diocese on nine consecutive Saturdays preceding the Feast. These Devotees of Mother Mary assemble on the grounds of St Teresa Church and School, recite Community prayers and rosaries, celebrate the Eucharist in honour of Our Lady of the Mount and sit down to enjoy an Agape provided by the revered Haregaon Shrine of Our Lady.
Fr Domnic Rosario, Parish Priest and Fr Francis Ohol and Fr Santan Rodrigues, Asst Parish Priests and the members of the Parish Pastoral Council, all collaborate to ensure that the Shrine of St Teresa continues to be a vibrant, inclusive and spiritually nourishing community to be at the joyful service of all the pilgrims – both our Christian devotees as well as People of other Faiths.
Nine beautiful themes, highlighting the virtues of Our Lady on the nine days of the Novena, added to the piety of the devotees who reflected piously on Mary, Full of Grace, the Immaculate Conception, Comforter of the Afflicted, Mother of the Saviour, Gate of Heaven and so on. Priests were specially invited from around the Diocese to celebrate the Novena Mass, to deliver sermons on these themes and to recite the novena prayers along with the faithful who crowd the Church to be enriched in their devotion to Mother Mary.
This Haregaon Mat Mauli Yatra has been celebrated over many generations serving as a sacred alternative to those who cannot make the pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra, Mumbai. Every year, the Haregaon Yatra deepens the bonding of Mary’s children with their loving Mother and enriches the Spiritual Life of the People of Ahmednagar District and beyond.
Anita Nazareth RSCJ, Haregaon