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| Fr. Norbert says the Christmas Mass at Holy Cross church, Kurla |
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| Queenie poses in front of her school, Kurla |
When we booked our tickets to Mumbai from Goa way in advance, we just kept hoping all would be well. This time we decided to spend Christmas in Mumbai. Queenie was looking forward to the midnight Mass at Holy Cross church, Kurla which is the parish she used to belong to.
As it happened, we got in late to Kharghar, Navi Mumbai on 24th - though we had taken an afternoon flight from Goa. There was some confusion about where the Uber was supposed to come to pick us up. The cab came to the domestic airport while we were waiting for him at T2 - the international terminal.
After a gruelling time making a battery of Christmas sweets all of December, we swooped down to Mumbai with home-made sweets for almost ten boxes to distribute among family.
But with the just announced restrictions for the pandemic and the night curfew, driving down to Kurla from Kharghar was not feasible.
By the time I got my suit on and we were all dressed with our formals we had just one Mass we could try for. We made it for the 10.15 Mass at Holy Cross church, on Christmas day. It was a momentous occasion. The beautiful sermon was preached by Fr. Norbert. We need to open our doors to welcome the traveller, those needy like Mary and Joseph who had no place to go for Jesus to be born.
Before the Mass I found time to step across to pick up the famous Rameshwar vada pav - since I was hungry by then. I also picked up Vienna cake which is famous, and some chicken rolls for Queenie and Dwayne. In the lane leading up to the church there were numerous people waiting for alms.
After the Mass we visited the family niche in the cemetery and remembered those who had gone before us. After that we went visiting Queenie's family and had a very nice time. Later we headed back for Christmas lunch with aunty Ann and uncle Ossie who stay near us at Kharghar.
I felt happy that Queenie was able to be 'home' for Christmas.
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Pix taken by Brian Mendonca on 25th December 2021. Updated 7th Jan 2022.
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