Archbishop of Goa and Daman Felipe Neri Ferrao celebrates the High Mass along with con-celebrant Bishop Emeritus of Port Blair Alex Dias on the occasion of St Francis Xavier’s feast at the Bom Jesus Basilica, Old Goa on Thursday.
OLD GOA
In a powerful clarion call which is bound to rattle the State government and galvanise further public action to safeguard the environment, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao on Thursday came out strongly against projects which are detrimental to the environment.
He further exhorted the faithful to raise their voice against such projects and not remain mute spectators.
Delivering his homily at the High Mass at the feast of St Francis Xavier at the Bom Jesus Basilica in Old Goa, Archbishop Ferrao said, “the Earth is our common home and it is our responsibility to protect it.”
When we see that there are situations in which the good of the planet is endangered, where the interests of the poor are not taken care of, when the environment is likely to be polluted, inter-generational equity is not being enhanced and preserved, it is our responsibility as disciples of Jesus to raise our prophetic voice.”
“We cannot say ‘we do not care’. As disciples of Jesus and devotees of St Francis Xavier who raised his voice against the evils of society of his times, it is our bounden duty to stand for the values of the Gospel,” said Archbishop Ferrao.
“May life of St Francis Xavier inspire us all to be courageous witnesses of Jesus in all times and all places,” he said.
Though the archbishop did not specifically target the State government, his message was clearly aimed at the controversial projects pushed by it, which has generated state-wide agitations.
Bishop Emeritus of Port Blair Alex Dias and Vicar General Fr Jose Remedios Fernandes were the co-celebrants along with other priests.
This year due to the pandemic, only a select few were invited to physically partake in the High Mass. Among those present were several politicians including Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Babu Kavlekar, PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar, Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo, Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, St Andre MLA Francis Silveira, St Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardessai, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and others.
Reach out to those affected by Covid: Archbishop
OLD GOA: Focusing his attention on those who have suffered on account of the Covid pandemic, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao appealed to people to reach out to them.
“There are many poor people around us and especially during these Covid times, so many of our brothers and sisters are facing difficulties.”
“Some are sick, some have lost their jobs, some are experiencing poverty. It is the responsibility of everybody to reach out to them,” said Archbishop Ferrao, during his homily at the High Mass at the Bom Jesus Basilica in Old Goa.
