VASCO
It was a rare display of forgiveness and service at St Francis Xavier Church, Chicalim, when Parish Priest Fr Bolmax Pereira on Maundy Thursday washed the feet of a man who had abused and insulted him in the village barely a month earlier.
As part of the Maundy Thursday services in the Church, a group of persons had been invited to take part in the rite of the washing of feet by Fr Pereira, to enact Jesus’ final act of service for his disciples by washing their feet.
“Among them was a man who was denounced all over as a villain who had offended me as parish priest last month,” said Fr Pereira, while explaining the purpose of washing his feet on Maundy Thursday.
“After this incident, there was uproar in the village and on social media. About 5-6 Konkani songs were even released to condemn the act.”
Fr Pereira recalled that as the parish entered the Holy Week, they prayed for forgiveness and a better political situation in the State at Masses.
“Confessions were held during this time and as a priest, I felt the need to forgive. I sent an invitation to him by WhatsApp message on Tuesday to be one of the ‘apostles’ and to have his feet washed on Maundy Thursday.”
“Fortunately, he responded on Wednesday accepting the invitation and I could wash his feet. My gesture of Christian charity was love in action towards those who may not love you and like you. It was a great joy within me to invite and wash his feet. Peace flowed on both sides,” said Fr Pereira.
“There was forgiveness and we celebrated a meaningful Maundy Thursday in our parish this year,” said Fr Pereira.
The confrontation had taken place on March 6, when Stefanie Lucas was elected unopposed as panch of Chicalim panchayat. Lucas had refused to endorse any political party for her victory, maintaining that her candidature was independent, as a youth initiative by the Chicalim Youth Farmers Club (CYFC).
According to locals, Lucas’ position did not go well with some persons, who trespassed into her residence the same evening of her victory and started abusing Lucas and her parents.
The residents said Lucas in panic contacted Fr Pereira, who is also mentor of CYFC, and Fr Pereira along with some CFYC members rushed to her house at Matvem to protect her.
They claimed that Fr Pereira’s arrival at the house angered some persons, who pounced on Fr Pereira and started abusing and insulting him.
Videos of the abuses and insults on Fr Pereira at the residence of Lucas went viral on social media, sparking off anger among residents of Chicalim, Dabolim and St Jacinto Island, who are also parishioners of St Francis Xavier Church, Chicalim, and they extended their solidarity to Fr Pereira.
The Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), the social work wing of the Archdiocese of Goa, had also condemned the verbal assault and unruly behaviour against Fr Pereira by some miscreants allegedly having allegiance to a local politician.
