KASARGOD, India (UCAN) -- Thomas Crasta was restless as his parish priest knelt before him and washed his feet on March 20, Holy Thursday.

The 56-year-old recovering alcoholic told UCA News his drinking habit had kept him away from Holy Week services for years. "But Jesus touched me this time."

Crasta was among 12 recovering alcoholics his parish in Kollangana, Karnataka state, 2,290 kilometers south of New Delhi, chose to take part in the re-enactment of Jesus washing his disciples' feet at the Last Supper. The ritual is a traditional feature of the Mass of the Lord's Supper on the Thursday before Easter.

Father Vincent D'Souza, who heads St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, told UCA News he decided to involve alcoholics in the Holy Week program after he realized how alcoholism had weakened family relations in his parish. Many alcoholic parishioners stayed away from the Church.

"Most parishioners are poor, and many are engaged in illegal brewing and sale of arrack (locally distilled liquor). In the process, many become alcoholics themselves," the priest explained.

In the past, nearly 60 percent of around 160 Catholic families in the area did not celebrate Christmas, New Year or Easter in the "true spirit," he said, since "often their celebrations got washed away in alcohol."

According to Father D'Souza, parish priests traditionally have washed the feet of only parish leaders and others seen as ideal Catholics. However, all parishioners supported his suggestion to choose the recovering alcoholics for this year's ritual, added the priest of Mangalore diocese.

The recovering alcoholics also "actively participated" in other Holy Week services that began on March 16, Palm Sunday, and ended with Easter the following Sunday.

Their enthusiasm spread to family members. "Our homes are blessed with happiness, peace and joy, and for the first time we celebrated Easter with the entire family," said Lucy Rodrigues, wife of a recovering alcoholic.

The middle-aged woman told UCA News on March 24 that her husband, Hillary, used to give up alcohol during Lent, the 40 days of spiritual preparation ahead of Easter, but would relapse on Easter day. "This time he is not only sober but also closer to Jesus even after Easter," she remarked.

Her husband, one of the "disciples" on Holy Thursday, told UCA News the priest washed not only their feet but "our hearts too." He said, "Now I am very happy and I want to remain closer to my family and Jesus." Hillary recalled Father D'Souza visited the family's home several times last year to "motivate me to join the camp."

The camp he referred to was a weeklong program conducted by the Link De-addiction Centre during the last week of December. After the camp, the parish priest and parish council members followed up with a door-to-door campaign to "catch us and many of us were caught in their net," added Hillary, who now wants to reach out to his friends who are still drinking.

The de-addiction camp and follow-up programs have helped sober up most of the 33 participants, said Neri Wilfred Pinto, a therapist associated with the Link center. According to him, illicit brewing thrives in Kollangana, which lies on the border with Kerala state. "Both the Kerala and Karnataka governments ignore the area," he told UCA News.

A Catholic youth, Joswin D'Souza, told UCA News the recovering alcoholics' participation enlivened his parish's Lenten services and Holy Week ceremonies. "Our homes are experiencing true Easter joy," he said.

END