Highway to Heaven with the Infant Jesus
The Annual Feast of the Infant Jesus was celebrated with deep devotion and spiritual joy at Pushpashrama on January 04, 2026. The celebration brought together a large number of faithful in an atmosphere of prayer, Eucharistic worship, and joyful fellowship. The celebration began on January 01, 2026 with the hoisting of the flag by Rev. Fr. Wilfred Rodrigues, OCD, marking the official inauguration of the feast. This was followed by a three-day Triduum, during which the faithful prepared themselves spiritually through prayer, reflection, and devotion to the Infant Jesus.

The theme of the feast, “Eucharist: A Highway to Heaven,” inspired by St. Carlo Acutis, invited the faithful to rediscover the central place of the Eucharist in Christian life. St. Carlo’s powerful witness — especially his testimony that “the Eucharist is my highway to heaven” — encouraged everyone to deepen their love for Jesus truly present in the Eucharist and to allow the Sacrament to guide their daily journey of faith, hope, and holiness.

The festal day was marked by Holy Masses celebrated in different languages, enabling the participation of the diverse faith community: Malayalam: Fr. Jomesh Malola, V.C.; English: Fr. Rathan D’ Almeida, OCD; Konkani: Fr. Archibald Gonsalves, OCD; Tamil: Fr. S. Anbu, MOC; Kannada: Fr. Patrick Johannes Rao, Diocese of Chikkamagalore.

The spiritual highlight of the celebration was the solemn evening festal Holy Eucharist in Kannada, presided over by Rev. Fr. Stany from the Diocese of Shimoga. A large gathering of devotees participated in the Eucharistic celebration, offering prayers of thanksgiving to the Infant Jesus for the blessings received.

The Teru procession was the central highlight of the feast. Devotees participated in large numbers, singing hymns and adoring the Infant Jesus, making the procession a vibrant public expression of faith and gratitude. After the Eucharistic celebrations, the faithful took part in annasantarpane fostering a spirit of unity and fraternity.

At the conclusion of the celebrations, the Rector, Rev. Fr. Oswald Crasta, OCD, on behalf of the Pushpashrama community, expressed heartfelt gratitude to all for their generous support and cooperation, which contributed to the meaningful celebration of the feast. The celebrations concluded prayerfully with the lowering of the festal flag, marking the end of the Annual Feast. The feast proved to be a spiritually enriching experience, renewing faith and deepening devotion to Infant Jesus, who leads His faithful along the Eucharistic path, the true highway to heaven.