MAPUSA
On the morning of Good Friday, the message to the flock was loud and clear: to remain alert against any government enacted laws and government organizations that go against society and environment, and to attend meetings including gram sabhas which are for the welfare of society.
The early morning Way of the Cross at the Mapusa Church had ample of references to the government and a direction to the political discourse in the State in an attempt to “guide” its flock.
“When there’s an attack on our environment and when government enacts unwarranted laws, many people pretend and look the other way. Why does it have to be this way?” a volunteer read from a prepared text in chaste Konkani at one of 14 stations of the Way of the Cross in Mapusa Church.
The theme of the Way of the Cross was on family and showing familial concern to every human on earth and was ratified by Fr Kenneth Teles, Director of Diocesan Family Service Centre at Panaji.
“Whenever hills and trees are cut, ponds and rivers are polluted and land-filling is carried out in fields and marshy areas, our earth is destroyed. Many a times, we see and hear about this but we fail to express our concern,” the volunteer read further.
A large congregation comprising government officers and prominent citizens had gathered for the early morning service that began at 7 am at the church compound of the Our Lady of Miracles Church, Mapusa. The parish priest and the two assistant parish priests were also present on the occasion.
“Every family has to take the trouble to acknowledge its social responsibility and attempt to spread the information about government schemes to the deserving,” another volunteer read at the next station of the cross.
“A family has not only to remain alert to see that government laws and organizations do not work against the society and the environment but also work to support those laws and organizations that protect and spread the rights and responsibilities of families,” the volunteer read further from the prepared text.
Ideally, a society has to shoulder the responsibility to look after an individual’s welfare. To do this, the government has to take the initiative to support and encourage families, the church text said.
“Conversely, every family looks only after its interest and the government does what best suits it,” the text further said.
In yet another station, the volunteer exhorted the laity to come together either in the church or at gram sabhas or even at meetings held for the welfare of the society to fulfill one’s social responsibility. “We fail to take part in activities by saying politics has become dirty and that the government is not concerned about us. By failing to discuss such issues in the family and refusing to participate towards the welfare of the families and society we are doing a great injustice to mankind,” the text said.
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We cannot ignore social, political focus: Fr Gomes
MAPUSA: Mapusa Assistant Parish Priest Fr Luis Gomes claimed that the shepherd's role in the church was not limited in spreading only the spiritual message, but also explaining the social and political focus of the message while leading the flock.
“When we communicate a spiritual message, we cannot ignore the social and political significance of the message,” explained Fr Gomes. “When we announce the harbinger of goodness in the world, we also need to denounce the evil that’s happening around,” he added, hinting that all was not well in the State and in the nation in general.
Caritas Goa Director Fr Maverick Fernandes acknowledged that the Mapusa Church had picked up the particular theme from many such themes released by various associations attached to the church.
“There were several themes, based on which the Way of the Cross was conducted all across the State. Mapusa Church found this theme relevant and like it, several other parishes may have also chosen the same theme,” said Fr Fernandes.
