CHRISM MASS REPORT

To a packed audience in the See Cathedral, Old Goa, Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop-Patriarch of Goa and Daman, appealed to live a life so that they can exclaim like St. Paul: It is not I that live; it is Jesus who lives in me.

He was speaking in a homily during the traditional anticipated Chrism Mass, on April 2, 2009. He ws presiding at the concelebration together with the Archbishop Emeritus, Most Rev. Raul Nicolau Gonsalves, the Vicar general of the Archdiocese, Fr. Jose Remedios Fernandes and about 400 priests, diocesan and religious.

 This Mass, normally, is celebrated in the morning of Maundy Thursday; It is, however, for pastoral reasons, anticipated so as to facilitate priests to take part in it and express their unity with the Pastor of the Archdiocese.

Earlier with a flower the Archbishop introduced the new 8 members of the Unum Prebyterium, ordained October last. At the end of the Mass, he felicitated the diocesan priests who, this year celebrated the silver and the golden jubilee of their priestly ordination; they are eight and three, respectively, two of which absent abroad. Also 8 priests who returned to the Father, since the last Chrism Mass, were specially remembered.

As he was speaking in his homily about the ideal of Jesus he specially presented St Paul, commemorated last year on his 2000th birthday and Fr. Edward Sequeira, SVD, as examples. He read extensively in English about his dedication to Christ in the strife torn Kandhamahal region of Orissa. He spoke about his magnanimity towards precisely those who attacked him and beat him mercilessly. He said: “I told them I forgave them, that my wounds are graces for them and that my sufferings may be for their repentance for the evil.

On this occasion, Archbishop released the yearly planner and a Mass Diary for the coming Pastoral Year 2009-2010 for the use of priests and the Christian faithful.

After the traditional Agape, he also blessed and launched a mobile service Healing Touch, a joint venture of Faith Works and Caritas. It is a medical service for the rural areas where there is dearth of medical services.

He also announced that the forthcoming year to commence on June 19, 2009, Feast of sacred Heart of Jesus, would be the year dedicated to Priests in commemoration of 150 years of death of St. John Maria Vianney, who has also been declared as the Patron of all priests. He also announced that equally, in this our diocese, the year has been dedicated to the youth