Archbishop of Goa and Daman Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão administers the oath to Fr Ivo Fernandes as the first Parish Priest of the newly elevated Our Lady of Piety Church, Uguem.
SANGUEM
The Chapel of Our Lady of Piety at Uguem in Sanguem was solemnly elevated to a parish church on Tuesday, marking a historic milestone for the Catholic community and fulfilling a long-cherished dream of the faithful after years of sustained efforts.
The newly established Parish of Our Lady of Piety at Uguem becomes the 165th parish in Goa and forms part of the Sanguem Deanery.
The solemn Holy Mass marking the occasion was presided over by the Archbishop of Goa and Daman Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, and was attended by over 20 priests, including several who had served at the chapel over the years, along with a large number of parishioners from the newly elevated parish.
On the occasion, the present chaplain, Fr Ivo Fernandes, SFX, was officially appointed as the first parish priest of the newly elevated Church of Our Lady of Piety, Uguem, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the spiritual journey of the community.
The newly formed church committee took the initiative to honour former chaplains who had served at Uguem and contributed to the spiritual growth of the community.
Those felicitated included Fr Abel Rodrigues, Fr Joaquim Fernandes, Fr Pascoal Fernandes, Fr Milagres Barretto, Fr Agapito D’Cunha and Fr Pio Furtado. The managing committee members of Sociadade Patriotica Dos Baldios Das Novas Conquistas were also presented with a momento on the ocassion.
The ceremony also recognised the contribution of Fr Francisco Carvalho, the first priest from Uguem, who is celebrating the golden jubilee of his priestly life. He was felicitated by Cardinal Ferrão in recognition of his 50 years of priestly service.
A special memento was also presented to the Cardinal on the occasion as a mark of appreciation and gratitude for the elevation of the chapel to parish status.
The elevation follows the formal decree of erection issued by the Archbishop, establishing Uguem as an independent territorial parish and separating it from the Parish of Our Lady of Miracles, Sanguem.
The chapel has a long history dating back to 1828, when its foundation was laid by the Sociedade Patriotica dos Baldios das Novas Conquistas de Uguem. Dedicated to Nossa Senhora de Piedade, or Our Lady of Piety, it has served as an important centre of worship and community life for generations of faithful.
Over the decades, successive chaplains and parishioners worked towards the development of the chapel and the fulfilment of the aspiration for independent parish status. Their efforts helped strengthen the religious and community life of Uguem through pastoral activities, celebrations and the administration of the sacraments.
The elevation is a tribute to the perseverance, prayers and dedication of generations of priests and parishioners who worked towards this long-awaited milestone.
With Fr Ivo Fernandes taking charge as its first parish priest, the newly elevated parish looks forward to a renewed phase of pastoral service and spiritual growth.
