VASCO
The Novena and the Feast of St Joseph Vaz will be celebrated with the congregation at the usual site of the old Church of Our Lady of Health, Rua Escravo de Maria, Sancoale, from January 7 to January 16.The celebrations will take place with half the usual physical capacity.
According to Fr Manuel Dias, Rector at the Sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale, the Novena Masses in Konkani from January 7 to 15 will be at 5 am (only on Sunday, January 9), 6 am, 7.30 and 9.15 (Deanery-wise ‘Romaria’ Mass) and 4 pm (Deanery-wise ‘Romaria’ Mass). The 6 pm Mass will be in English.
Two additional Masses on January 9 will be celebrated in Malayalam (10.45 am) and Tamil (12.15 pm).
Masses on the Feast day (January 16) will be celebrated at 5 am, 6.15 am, 7.30 am and 8.30 am, while the Concelebrated Solemn High Mass will be at 10 am, to be presided over by the Bishop of Sindhudurg Alwyn Barreto. In the evening, Feast Masses will be celebrated in Konkani (4 pm) and in English (5.30 pm).
Considering the Covid-19 pandemic, the usual 12 pm Mass on the Feast day at the Oratory Room of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale has been dropped on account of the usual overcrowding at this Mass.
A few selected Masses during each day of the Novena and on the Feast day will be live-streamed on YouTube channels of the respective electronic media, the Diocesan website, CCRTV and GCTV.
During the days of the Novena and on the Feast day, the Sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale will be open to pilgrims and devotees for veneration of the statue of St Joseph Vaz from 7.30 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm.
The general theme of the Novena and Feast is “Having experienced You deeply, stay with us, Jesus, that we may be joyful witnesses through the example of St Joseph Vaz”.
