30 Children from Padangi Parish in Odisha's Kandhamal District Receive First Holy Communion

Padangi, Odisha, June 13, 2025: Thirty boys and girls from Padangi Parish in Odisha’s Kandhamal district received their First Holy Communion during a solemn celebration held on June 12, 2025, at Sacred Heart Church, Padangi. The event was held in conjunction with the parish’s celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Although the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is officially observed on June 27 this year, the feast was anticipated and celebrated early at the parish to coincide with the First Holy Communion ceremony.

The event drew over 1,000 faithful, including 12 priests and 10 religious sisters, who came together in prayer and joy to witness this significant milestone in the spiritual journey of the young communicants.

The Eucharistic celebration for the day was led by Rev. Fr. Mathew Kallammakal, CM, Provincial of the North Indian Province of the Congregation of the Mission, who expressed deep joy at witnessing the large gathering and the milestone moment for the young communicants. “I am happy to see people gathering in large numbers and 30 boys and girls receiving First Holy Communion during the celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Padangi,” he shared.

Reflecting on the parish's past, Fr. Kallammakal recalled his visit two months after the 2008 Kandhamal riots. “I remember very few people at this parish back then. We prayed at the cemetery and slowly saw people returning to the church. Despite the destruction of churches, homes, and institutions by radicals, the faith of the Christian community of Padangiparish has remained unshaken. Today’s celebration sends a message to the world that the persecuted faithful are growing stronger in their belief in Christ.” Padangi parish was one of the worst-affected areas during the anti-Christian violence of 2008 in Odisha's Kandhamal district.

In his homily, Fr. Pradosh Chandra Nayak, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, emphasised the Christian call to love amid suffering. “Though Christianity is a minority faith nationally, it played a vital role in India’s freedom movement and has contributed to various social and political causes in the country. We may be victims of fanaticism, but we have the Heart of Jesus that invites us to possess love that is patient and kind,” he said.

“Today, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are invited not to envy, not to boast, not to be proud, not to dishonour others, not to be self-seeking, not to be easily angered, not to be delighted in evil but to rejoice with the truth. Love always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres, Fr Nayak added.  

Among the young communicants, Sonali Pradhan, a ninth-grade student, shared, “I am blessed and happy to receive Holy Communion. It deepens my union with Christ, nourishes my soul, and connects me to God’s divine presence.”

The parish priest, Fr. Sebastian Thottamkara, highlighted the significance of the feast, saying, “Celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the patronal feast of our parish, fosters unity, fraternity, and love among our people.”

The vibrant celebrations included candlelit prayers by the communicants, traditional singing and dancing to welcome the clergy and religious, and expressions of deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

By Fr. Purushottam Nayak