OLD GOA
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, president of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and Archbishop of Mumbai, on Wednesday asked the priests in India to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, as men of faith and prayer.
Delivering his keynote address via video on the first day of the four-day XIV National Conference of Diocesan Priests of India (CDPI) at the St Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre, Old Goa, Cardinal Gracias said that Pope Francis always loved the poor and the marginalised.
“The present Pope has made a tremendous impact on the world and the Church. He is a man of faith and prayer. The priests should become men after the heart of Pope Francis, men of faith and prayer,” Cardinal Gracias.
The first day of the national conference began with the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao, Vice-President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).
He based his homily on the theme ‘Jesus the Servant Leader' and focussed on the three characteristics of Jesus as the Servant Leader: humble service, joyful service and merciful service.
Archbishop Ferrao asked the priests to be rooted in Jesus, whose life was a total self-gift of service.
Later in his welcome address, CDPI Patron and Bishop of Warangal Udumala Bala said Christians are proud to be Indians. “We love our mother land and the Church in India,” he said.
In his felicitation address, Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio pointed out that every priest is a prototype of Jesus the Eternal Priest.
He exhorted the priests to move out to the periphery of the society, where they will meet the poor, marginalised and refugees.
Archbishop Felix Anthony Machado also spoke on the occasion. Representing the diocese of Vasai, he spoke to the priests encouraging them to unite and lead the Christian faithful in the way of truth and love. The Word of God and the Holy Eucharist must be the daily bread of every priest.
The first day’s deliberations also included two talks on different themes. Bishop Francis Serrao of Shimoga spoke on ‘Pope Francis, a Pope of the Church of the Poor and for the Poor', while Fr William Urray from the diocese of Ambikapur (Chattisgarh) spoke on ‘Pope Francis “ Pastor Par Excellence in Communicating the Word of God.'
The day concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Dr Henry Falcao, director of St Joseph Vaz Centre.
Speakers from different faiths spoke on the theme ‘Pope Francis “ An Ambassador of Peace in the Nature, Humanity and World.’ The speakers felt that the teachings of Pope Francis on world peace, justice and nature has been accepted by people all over the world.
