the goan I network
PANAJI
Even as Goa’s Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao lifted the religious obligation of attending mass, including on Sundays, as a measure to help the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the laity currently in the midst of the solemn Lenten season continued to attend services in several churches.
Although some religious orders including the Pilar Monestary have suspended all public religious services indefinitely responding to the circular issued by Ferrao, several parishes continued with celebrating mass with a significant number of people attending the services.
Most churches, however, cut down the number of masses held to a skeletal few and uncertain of whether the civil authorities would enforce the ‘Janata Curfew’ from 7 am to 9 pm on Sunday, Churches sent out messages on social media informing that Sunday’s Mass will be held on Saturday evening itself.
Ferrao, perhaps a first in the recent history of Goa’s Catholic church, dispensed the laity from the obligation of participating in Mass on Sundays and the other holy days of obligation as a measure to check the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 which has caused panic across the globe.
The Archbishop also advised people not to go for daily mass “unless strictly necessary” and only if fully fit. He also prohibited the traditional Lenten rituals such as the ‘Way of the Cross’, the traditional Santos Passos held in Goan parishes, processions, penitential services and retreats.
On Saturday the first day after Ferrao issued the circular and also communicated his advice not to attend mass via a widely circulated video message, the Catholic faithful struggled with their staunch beliefs to obey the instructions to the contrary.
Meanwhile, parishes across the State are making efforts to employ technology so the faithful can follow the rites from their homes instead of having to come to the churches. Several churches are arranging live-streaming of masses besides uploading video-recorded masses on YouTube.
