Fun-filled Fete held at St. Anthony’s by Michael Ali The annual fete honoring the patron of the parish was held in Karachi on June 15. The day was quite hot but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the patrons or the helpers who thronged the large number of game and food stalls. This year the chief guests were Rev. Fr. Melito Dias, who is to complete his sacerdotal diamond Jubilee in August and Mrs. Norma Fernandes, a teacher par-excellence and the recipient of the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan for her services to education over the past sixty years. They jointly cut the ribbon declaring the fete open amid thunderous applause. In his brief remarks, Fr. Melito Dias thanked the parishioners for their support and mentioned that out of his sixty years as a priest he had spent nearly 20 in this parish. He congratulated the stall holders and helpers who year after year, despite the odds make the fete a roaring success. He asked the Lord to bless them all. In her brief speech, Mrs. Norma Fernandes said she was very happy to grace the occasion and thanked Fr. Mario Rodrigues, Parish Priest and Fr. Noman Arif, Asst. Parish Priest for inviting her. She wished the workers all the best for the future. Colorful bouquets were presented to the honored guests. A short prayer and a minute’s silence were held for all the deceased parishioners who had left for their heavenly abodes since the last fete. The chief guests then visited the various stalls accompanied by the priests of the parish. This year over twenty-seven stalls vied for the patronage of the visitors. Among them were the Novelty, Minute to win it, Ringing the ducks, Nine-pins, Angry birds, Wheel of Fortune Howzzat and Lucky number stalls. Not to be left behind were the food stalls which offered a wide variety of delicacies to suit every palate….from the spicy Biryani, Hot Dogs, Haleem and Masala Dossa to sandwiches, ice cream and cold drinks. Other stalls offered Mehndi, Face-painting, Lucky dips, Thrift shop, Lal Qila and Customized Mugs and T-shirts. A big rush was seen at the stall selling home-made pickles and toffees. The music which comprised of new and old song further enlivened the colorful atmosphere. A souvenir was also brought out to mark the occasion. The annual fete is looked forward to by not only the parishioners of St. Anthony’s but also of other parishes and faiths too who make it a point to attend. This is one of the oldest parish fetes being held on a regular basis in this part of the Catholic world. The fete provides not only an opportunity for the parishioners and member of the community to meet and greet each other but also to work together for a common cause thus forging a strong bond of friendship and cooperation between the workers. The proceeds of this year’s fete besides being used for the usual charitable and educational purpose of the parish, will also be used to offset the construction cost of the new Devine Mercy church at Bhattaiabad which is situated in the old airport area of Karachi and the construction of a school at Gharo, on the National Highway, which is under the Tribal Mission project already being supported by the parish.