Media Release

Aldona, Feb 19: The Catechetical Association of St Thomas Church, Aldona, hosted a spiritual concert at the Kala Academy in Goa. The event, themed Bhorvanxeachim Yatrekaram (‘Pilgrims of Hope’), aimed to help children grow in faith while showcasing their hidden talents.

The programme was presided over by Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, while bishop Simão Fernandes, Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, was the guest of honour. The special invitees included Fr Henry Falcão, episcopal vicar for the central zone, Fr Marcelin Rodrigues, director of the diocesan Catechetical Centre, and Fr Mario Leitão, dean of Aldona Deanery.

Speaking on the occasion, Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão urged the gathering to deepen their relationship with Jesus and become Pilgrims of Hope.

“This Spiritual Concert is being held in celebration of the jubilee year. The Church marks the jubilee every 25 years, and last year, on May 9, Pope Francis issued a Bull of Indiction titled Spes non confudit (Hope does not disappoint us). In it, he emphasized that the jubilee should be a time of personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the ‘door’ of our salvation, whom the Church is called to proclaim to all as our hope,” Cardinal Ferrão said.

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, who is also the president of the conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), shared, "This jubilee year presents a God-given opportunity for us to experience Jesus more deeply and to proclaim Him as our hope." He added, "In this spiritual concert, we see how Jesus is the dawn of hope. Many saints, through their lives, became shining stars of hope."

Cardinal Ferrão who is also the president of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conference (FABC), reflected on the lives and missions of St Thomas the Apostle, the patron of Aldona Parish, St Francis Xavier, and St Teresa of Kolkata. He urged the gathering to follow their example and become Pilgrims of Hope. He commended the parish priest, the assistant parish priests, the catechists, catechism students, parents, and all the parishioners for organizing this meaningful spiritual concert.

The event began with the lighting of the lamp, followed by a prayer dance based on the theme. It featured a variety of spiritual and Biblical presentations, including songs, dances, enactments, and performances that unfolded into beautiful spiritual scenes. These were performed by the Sunday School children, the parish choir, and the children's choir, ‘Sweet Voices of St. Thomas’, accompanied by live music. It was conducted by Fr Tomas Lobo.

During the event, Cardinal Ferrão also released a souvenir that served as a meaningful memento, symbolizing the spiritual journey and collective effort of the community in organizing the concert.

The programme was narrated by Euan Ferrão, Aileen Vaz, Rosh D'Cruz, and Emmanuela Colaco. Sandhya Fernandes, catechetical animator of Aldona Parish, welcomed the dignitaries and the gathering and later expressed gratitude to all. The spiritual concert was graced by the presence of Carlos Ferreira, MLA of Aldona constituency, along with priests, nuns, and various other attendees.

The event was organized under the leadership of Fr Tomas Lobo, parish priest of St Thomas Church, Aldona, who is also the episcopal vicar for the north zone. Fr Agnelo Simoes, assistant to the parish priest of Aldona, along with the catechists, parents, and parishioners of Aldona, provided valuable support.