PANAJI
The Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), the social work wing of the Archdiocese of Goa, issues its customary Election Advisory before major elections, and this time, it appealed to the Catholic community to vote after ‘prayerful discernment’ ahead of the February 14 elections.
Following the CSJP advisory, priests and religious congregations in the State have been holding prayers in Churches and even presentations on social media, to conscientise people about elections and their duty to cast votes.
“A special ‘Prayer for Elections’, issued by the CSJP and circulated by the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media (DCSCM), is being recited after daily Mass in every Parish,” said Fr Barry Cardozo, director of DCSCM.
Caranzalem Parish Priest Fr Pio Almeida said his parish has conducted a day-long Silent Adoration from Wednesday to Friday to pray for the State as it prepares for the assembly elections.
“The Silent Adoration is being conducted from 8.45 am to 7 pm from Wednesday to Thursday and from 8 am to 7 pm on Friday. Besides, the Rosary is recited before the 6.45 am Mass till the date of the elections. God bless all of us, our State and citizens,” said Fr Almeida.
Panaji Parish Priest Fr Walter de Sa said he added a special petition to the ‘Prayers of the Faithful’ at all Sunday Masses in the Panaji Parish from the time the elections were announced.
“During our homilies, we have been conscientising people about elections and their duty to cast votes as per the Social Doctrine of the Church. Of late, we have been reciting a prayer specially composed for the elections at every Mass,” said Fr de Sa.
Fr Gabriel Coutinho, Parish Priest at the Our Lady of Rosary Church in Navelim, said his parish has planned a full-day adoration from 8.45 am to 6 pm on February 11. Various wards and groups in the parish will be conducting these prayer services for about 45 minutes.
Chicalim Parish Priest Fr Bolmax Pereira said adoration services are also being conducted at his parish ahead of the elections.
In Agonda, Parish Priest Fr Patrick Luis will conduct a special prayer service on Friday.
Besides parishes, priests from religious congregations have also been involved in prayers and organising various presentations to educate voters ahead of the elections.
Fr Roland Coelho, Provincial of the Goa Jesuits, said the ‘Collaborative Learning Cafe’, an initiative of the Jesuits in Goa, organised online sessions with different political parties in the State.
“Speakers of various parties were provided opportunities to share -- without interruptions/heckling -- their vision and dream for Goa. This was followed by very interesting Q&A with participants,” said Fr Coelho.
Fr Nelson Lobo, OFM Cap, has taken to social media in a big way to conscientise the Catholic community ahead of the elections.
He has been posting his thoughts on his ‘Wondering Guru’ series on social media.
“I have been presenting my honest point of view in the interest of Goa and Goans. No hidden agenda to target anyone. Like many others, I am also a frustrated Goan wanting to see some good in our administration,” states Fr Lobo in one of his posts on ‘Wondering Guru’.
Fr Lobo has also been posting special videos on YouTube with a focus on elections and in one such video states: “All of us are hoping for a change, for good leaders and a new government. But change depends on God's blessings and our prayers... We need to approach this election through prayer. Let's give God the first place in our election process. We shall vote but let us allow God to decide the leaders for us.”
