The Liturgy Committee of the Archdiocese of Bombay held a Graduation Day ceremony for 50 participants of its Advanced Liturgy Ministry Course 2025–2026 on March 8 in Mumbai, western India.
The event took place at the center of the Daughters of St Paul in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai.
Auxiliary Bishop Stephen Fernandes presided over the ceremony and distributed certificates to 50 students from various parishes across the archdiocese who completed the advanced formation program in liturgical ministry.
The graduation marked the culmination of months of spiritual and academic formation aimed at helping clergy, religious, and laypeople deepen their understanding of the Church’s liturgy and strengthen their service in parish ministries.
In his keynote address, Fr. Omar Fernandes, Assistant Director , Diocesan Youth Centre, said the graduation represented more than an academic achievement.
“This moment is not merely an academic milestone for the graduates but a celebration of the Church’s continuing effort to deepen the understanding and celebration of the sacred liturgy in our communities,” he said.
Fr. Fernandes emphasized that the liturgy is the living prayer of the Church and that studying it more deeply transforms the way Catholics participate in worship.
“Once you study liturgy seriously, you never attend Mass in quite the same way again. You begin to notice everything,” he said.
Several graduates shared how the program enriched their faith and ministry.
Effie Monterio said the course helped her discover the richness of the Eucharistic prayers, the structure of the rites, and the historical depth of the Syro-Malabar Qurbana tradition.
Another participant, Vicky, described the journey from the basic liturgy course to the advanced program as deeply enriching.
“The basic course only scratched the surface. The deeper we went, the more we discovered layers of meaning in the liturgy,” he said.
“Adina Sharma, 22, the youngest participant in the 2025–2026 academic year, said the program transformed her understanding of worship.
“Through this course, the liturgy came alive for me. What was once familiar became meaningful. I realized that every prayer, gesture, posture, and moment of silence in the Mass has a purpose,” she said.
The Archdiocese of Bombay conducts certificate courses in liturgy under the guidance of Fr. Savio De Sales, Director of the Diocesan Liturgy Centre. The formation programs aim to help clergy, religious, and laypeople deepen their knowledge of the Church’s liturgy and assist in preparing parish celebrations.
Classes are held every second Sunday at the archdiocesan pastoral center in Bandra, allowing participants who work during the week to attend.
Over nine months, priests and lay experts in liturgy served as resource persons for the program. Thirteen facilitators conducted sessions for the Basic Liturgy Ministry course, while twelve led sessions for the Advanced Liturgy Ministry program.
The courses covered topics such as the structure of the Mass, the Paschal Mystery, the liturgical year, sacraments and sacramentals, signs and symbols in worship, liturgical music, and the preparation of parish liturgical celebrations.
During the ceremony, students also presented a short skit highlighting unity, devotion, and the joy of serving the Church. Bishop Fernandes encouraged the graduates to continue serving their parish communities with renewed faith and commitment.
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