PANAJI
Exhorting the community in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman to uphold human dignity and to show abounding love and care to those away from their homeland, Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão has also appealed to the faithful to become protectors and stewards of God’s creation.
Archbishop Ferrão stated that brotherhood and hope are the remedy to heal the wounded humanity, while appealing to people to be beacons of Christian hope to the world.
He also prayed that the pandemic Covid-19 may teach everyone to build a world which is more humane, just, fraternal and peaceful.
These pastoral exhortations were revealed by Archbishop Ferrão in his new Pastoral Letter of the Pastoral Year 2021-22, which he released on the solemnity of Saint Thomas, Apostle, at the Cruz dos Milagres Church, Old Goa on Saturday.
The theme chosen for the current Pastoral Year is: “Stay with us...” (Amche-xim Rav)
In his Pastoral Letter addressed to the Priests, Religious, Lay Faithful and People of Good Will in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, Archbishop Ferrão said Jesus walks with humanity in sickness and pain and accompanies people to live with joy the threefold covenantal relationship: Relationship between God and man, relationship between man and man, and relationship between man and creation.
In the first part of the Pastoral Letter, the Archbishop has invited every lay faithful, priest, religious and consecrated to once again say to Jesus: “Stay with us”.
“The person, the family, the society, the culture which opens its door to Jesus - there He enters; sets ablaze the hearts of men to love God and his neighbour; re-builds broken relationships,” stated Archbishop Ferrão.
In the second part of the Pastoral Letter, the archbishop places before the faithful eight pastoral concerns: Upholding human dignity, Serving humanity by transcending all differences, the necessity of ongoing faith formation and proclamation, collaboration in the mission of the Church, appreciating the beauty of family life and protecting it, the need for priests and religious to be like Jesus the Good Shepherd, showing abounding love and care to those away from their homeland and becoming protectors and stewards of God’s creation.
The Pastoral Letter will be primarily distributed with the help of deans and moderators of Parish Pastoral Councils in the archdiocese.
They will also be kept for sale in Light House (Margao), St Paul's (Panaji and Mapusa), the Diocesan Centre for Social Communication (Bishop’s House) and the Diocesan Pastoral Secretariat office at Institute Piedade (Panaji) by the end of the next week.
