John Malvino Alfonso, OCD
SANCOALE
Nearly 25,000 Catholics from all over Goa were on their feet in the wee hours of Sunday to the Old Sancoale Church, as a part of Archdiocesan Walking Pilgrimage (Bhavarthachi Yatra) for the second consecutive year on the First Sunday of the Lent.
Goa Velha, Mandur, Verna, Cansaulim and Vasco were the five centres which were identified, from where the faithful began the Walking Pilgrimage at 3 am. There were also sub-centres to take care of the pilgrims. Speaking on the adoration conducted before the Eucharist, Fr Vaz said the faithful walked with Jesus and for Jesus, and when they come at the venue, thay see Jesus an experience him.
The walking pilgrims reached the destination, the Old Sancoale Chuch before 6.15 am, covering nearly
10 kms. Around 25,000 faithful from 19 deaneries and from all parishes and chapels of the Archdiocese of Goa participated in the Walking Pilgrimage.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão presided over the Eucharistic celebration at the old church site in Sancoale.
“Make Jesus the centre of life, give first place to Jesus through prayer, reading and reflecting on the Word of God and the celebrations of the sacraments and thus put on the mind of Jesus to become a Good Samaritan to the others,” said Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão.
Archbishop Ferrão was delivering a homily on the theme, ‘Jesus, walked in the desert’, for the Eucharistic celebration. Fr Alfred Vaz (Convenor of the Committee formed for the Walking Pilgrimage), Fr Manuel Dias, (Rector, St Joseph Vaz Sanctuary, Sancoale), Fr Louis Alvares, (Parish Priest of Our Lady of Health Church, Sancoale), Fr Socorro Colaco (Prefect of Discipline at the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol), Fr Mario Carvalho (Assistant to the Parish Priest of Goa Velha Church), Fr Siran Rebello SAC, (Parish Priest of St Sebastian’s Church, Tormas), Fr Ubaldo Fernandes, (Parish Priest of Our lady of Guadalupe Church), Fr Francisco Dias (Parish Priest of St. Joseph’s Church, Shiroda) and 115 priests concelebrated the Mass.
Reflecting on the life and mission of Jesus, Archbishop Ferrão said, “Jesus showed us way to face temptation. Sufferings and difficulties in life are not hurdles to those who live in faith. But it is an opportunity given by God to deepen our faith,” he said and explained this through the experience of a deaf woman who participated in the Walking Pilgrimage last year by taking the help of her neighbour.
He appealed to the faithful to accept challenges like to think of the others, to be humble, to use their talents for the good of the others, to care for the others, to be moderate in celebrations like birthday, first Holy Communion, Sacrament of Confirmation, weddings, feasts etc, to share with others, to be truthful etc.
Archbishop Ferrão recalled the efforts of St Joseph Vaz, Patron of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, who was on his feet to give Christ to others.
The faithful also had an opportunity to put down their petitions on a paper. Archbishop raised those petitions up to God though a special prayer.
The Aldona Parish Choir led the liturgical singing at the Mass, while Fr Afonso Mendonca, Director of Diocesan Centre for Liturgy, animated the liturgy.
Three hundred volunteers from the Diocesan Youth Centre led by Fr Savio D’souza, the Sancoale Parish, St Luke’s Medical Guild, Catholic Nurses Guild and many others offered their services.
The Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament was conducted before the Eucharistic celebration by Fr Mario Costa, Parish Priest of St. John the Baptist Church, Carambolim, along with his parishioners.
The Walking Pilgrimage was organised by the Archdiocese in Sancoale because the son of the soil (Sancoale) St Joseph Vaz, during his Spiritual journey in Sri Lanka, walked and shared the message of Christ to the less fortunate.
A special Way of the Cross was held in all parishes and chapels of the Archdiocese as a preparation for the Walking Pilgrimage on the first Friday of the Lent season. Fasting and prayers were also offered for the success of the event.
