VASCO
The decision to shift the celebration of the Novena and Feast of St Joseph Vaz from the usual Sanctuary to the site of the old Church of Sancoale has evoked positive response from devotees attending the Novena since Sunday, church authorities have said.
Church authorities said they had made all arrangements for the Novena and Feast at the new site, despite the paucity of time and the manifold hurdles.
"Many devotees expressed their satisfaction at the traffic and other arrangements and felt the new venue was ideal for an event of this magnitude, considering the ample space for the celebration and other related infrastructure, especially parking areas which were adjoining the venue, unlike the past," stated a diocesan press note.
A number of buses arriving from far and wide as devotees participated in the services at the new site and later queuing up to venerate the statue of St Joseph Vaz.
On Monday, the Konkani Mass at 4 pm saw a lot of devotees arrive from the Sanguem deanery as the Mass was allotted to the Sanguem and Pernem Deaneries.
Clint Fernandes, a parishioner from Sanguem Deanery, informed The Goan that they were "very happy with available facilities like parking for buses and other arrangements made for the Novena at the new location."
Florida Mendonca, a resident from Arambol, said they had come to the site and found that there were no space constraints. "People could move around the place without congestion," said Mendonca.
Sancoale Parishioner, Eddie Fernandes, said Christians attending the Novena masses have expressed great happiness and satisfaction with organisers for conducting the Novena and Feast of St Joseph Vaz this year at the Old Church at Rua Escravo de Maria, Sancoale.
"The devotees were very pleased with the elaborate and spacious arrangements at the venue, including the traffic control," said Fernandes.
Another group holds litany at Sancoale Sanctuary
VASCO: In a different celebration in another part of the village, a large group of parishioners from Sancoale and Cortalim assembled outside the Sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz at Sancoale and participated in a litany and Novena in honour of the saint.
According to a local, Carlos Lawrence Goes, their group of parishioners had requested diocesan authorities to continue the Novena and Feast of St Joseph Vaz at the Sanctuary, as had been done for several decades.
"Since diocesan authorities turned down our request and decided to shift religious services to the site of the old Church of Sancoale, our people requested one Mass and Novena daily at the Sanctuary from January 7 till January 16," said Goes.
"As this request was also turned down, a large group of parishioners from Sancoale and Cortalim decided to assemble outside the Sanctuary and participate in a Litany and Novena at 7 pm on weekdays and at 11 am on Sunday," Goes added.
"We will continue with a Litany and Novena at the Sanctuary. We will not attend the feast at the new site, but on the feast day, all our villagers will gather for the 12 pm mass at the home of St Joseph Vaz near the Sanctuary. After that, we will get-together and celebrate the feast here at the Sanctuary," said Goes.
Another resident, Jude Pereira, said people had been working for ages for the Sanctuary and they wanted to keep the tradition alive by offering Novena, litany and rosaries at the Sanctuary. "We feel sad that they had kept their plans to shift the feast site a secret from us. This Sanctuary has never been closed since 1923 and for the first time since then, it is being closed for nine days," said Pereira.
