News: John Malvino Alfonso OCD

Pics: Glenn Almeida and Veli Fernandes

Sancoale, Mar 11: Catholics across Goa took part in walking pilgrimage (Bhavarthachi Yatra) to Sancoale Old Church on the First Sunday of the Lent on Sunday, March 10.

St Joseph Vaz wrote a letter of bondage at this old Church of Sancoale. Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, who presided over the Eucharist at the Old Church Sancoale, appealed around 23,000 faithful gathered to experience Jesus and show concern towards the poor, needy and the marginalised. Fr Alfred Vaz, convener of the committee formed for walking pilgrimage, Fr Louis Alvares, parish priest of Our Lady of Health Church, Sancoale, Fr Manuel Dias, rector of St Joseph Vaz Sanctuary, Sancoale, Fr Leonardo P D’souza, Episcopal vicar for Central Zone, Fr Lucio Dias, Episcopal vicar for the South Zone, Fr Tony D’souza, Episcopal for religious, Fr Mathew Fernandes, provincial of Goa province of Pilar Fathers, Fr Simiao Fernandes, director, Pastoral Institute, Old Goa, Fr Donato Rodrigues of patriarchal seminary of Rachol, Fr Sertorio Rodrigues, parish priest of Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, Assolna, Fr Camilo Dias, assistant to parish priest of St Andrew’s Church, Vasco, Fr Mark Furtado, OCD of Carmelite Monastery, Margao ( Religious) and 135 priests concelebrated.

“Jesus was always on the way. He walked the way of suffering,” Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao said in a homily on the theme of the first Sunday of the Lent. “Man does not live on the bread alone,” while reminding the faithful that the journey of faith begins on the day of Baptism. Explaining the triple challenge before the followers of Jesus, archbishop said that the faithful need to walk their journey with Jesus. “We need to strengthen our faith in Jesus, trust in Him, confirmed to the image of Jesus, give up our sinful habits, detach from worldly things to walk with Jesus,” he clarified. “Jesus was tempted, but he overcame the temptations, taking the help of Word of God and fasting,” he said further. Stating the second challenge, the archbishop said that Jesus built not buildings, but families and communities and requested to build with Jesus specially broken people, families and communities by accepting humility and through prayers. He requested the faithful to show love of Jesus to the other by accepting the others as they are. He also depicted the life of St Joseph Vaz, patron of the archdiocese of Goa and Daman, who made Jesus as the centre of his
life through accepting the way of Jesus, building families and communities and serving the poor and the needy.

Sancoale parish choir led the liturgical singing. Fr Afonso Mendonca, director of Diocesan Centre for Liturgy, animated the liturgy. Fr Alfred Vaz, Convenor of the committee formed for Walking Pilgrimage rendered the vote of thanks. As many as 300 volunteers from Diocesan Youth Centre, Benaulim deanery and Sancoale parish volunteered their services. St Luke Medical Guild and Catholic Nurses Guild were of a great help.

The walking pilgrimage was organised by the archdiocese of Goa Daman to understand the value of suffering, to spread the joy of being Christian, to gain God’s grace in difficulties and also an occasion for personal conversion. It is organised in Sancoale because son of the soil (Sancoale) St Joseph Vaz, during his spiritual journey in Sri Lanka, he walked sharing the message of Christ to the less fortunate. It was an opportunity given by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, for the church in Goa to walk with Christ, who first walked to the Calvary for all. Six venues across Goa were identified. Goa Velha, Mandur, Quelossim, Verna, Cansaulim and Vasco were the six centers which were identified from which faithful began the walking pilgrimage at 3.00 am. Faithful reached the destination, Sancoale Old Chuch before 6.30 am by covering 9 km. Around 23,000 faithful from 19 deaneries and from all the parishes and chapels of the archdiocese of Goa participated in the walking pilgrimage.

The faithful also had an opportunity to put down their petitions on a paper. The archbishop raised those petitions up to God though a special prayer.

A special way of the cross was held in all the parishes and chapel of the archdiocese as a preparation for the walking pilgrimage. Fasting and prayers were also offered for the success of the event from Ash Wednesday to Saturday. Faithful also participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a preparation of the pilgrimage. A special logo was designed by Abishai Mascarenhas from Ambora with a Cross on the logo to identify the image of the Cross of St Joseph Vaz, the feet represent the pilgrimage.