PENNSYLVANIA
For the past 10 years, the St Francis Xavier (SFX) Novena Group of Pennsylvania has been enhancing Catholic faith through prayer, service and promoting Goan culture.
The group comprises of 15 Catholic families of Goan and Mangalorean descent, from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and functions under the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Fr David Fernandes of the Archdiocese leads the group in prayer which involves monthly Rosary and Novena to St Francis Xavier and culminates in the celebration of the St Francis Xavier feast in December. An outdoor picnic for members, in the summer with mass, is another annual event.
OUTREACH
Charitable ventures of the SFX Novena Group of Pennsylvania are diverse and involve organisations and individuals in the US and Goa.
Over the years, the group has offered financial and mentorship support to many students of low economic means. Recipients include high school students, now pursuing higher secondary education, a medical school student soon to graduate, students pursuing their master's degree and several others.
With the burden of paying for their school fees lifted from their shoulders, students can focus on their studies with the goal of becoming financially independent.
The group also provides support to organisations in Goa such as orphanages, institutions for special needs as well as homes for the elderly with assistance of groceries, supplies etc.
Closer to home, the group supports the sisters of Missionaries of Charity as they help needy individuals and families in greater Philadelphia area. This is done through groceries, food baskets at Easter, cooked meals and a Christmas gift drive for children.
CULTURE
Keeping the Goan culture alive through food, music and language is an important aspect of the group’s activities.
Each year, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia celebrates the Cultural Heritage Mass with communities from all over the world that call Philadelphia their home.
Through the years, this group has participated in this Mass taking various roles, contributing our Goan culture through music and readings in Konkani.
The monthly Novena gatherings include hymns in Konkani followed by a pot luck dinner that includes traditional Goan cuisine.
The SFX Feast Mass includes hymns both in English and Konkani. The social that follows includes Goan culinary delicacies, dancing to some nostalgic Goan music as well as performance of traditional Goan dances.
