PONDA: A group of 15 pilgrims from Sri Lanka visited Goa from October 2 to 6 to participate in celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St Francis of Assisi at St Anne’s Church, Ponda. Hosted by parish families, the pilgrims participated in Holy Masses, the Transitus Prayer, feast celebrations and cultural programmes. They also visited the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa and the Sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz at Sancoale, honouring the saint revered as the Apostle of Sri Lanka. The highlight was the Global English Holy Mass celebrated on October 4 by Rev Fr Neville Coonghe, founder of the Ladani Movement. On October 5, they joined a beach clean-up at Colva, collecting 14 bags of waste under Drishti’s Sagar Safar initiative.
