PANAJI
As many as 769 participants will be awarded diploma certificates after completing Bible courses which was conducted by the Diocesan Centre for Biblical Apostolate (DCBA) in five parishes and a religious monastery in the State.
The objectives of the course were to promote meditative reading of the Bible individually and in families, create awareness among the faithful about the purpose of revelation, help the faithful pray with the Bible, assist them in discovering the liberating power of the Word of God, and foster the development of a prophetic community within the Church.
The main theme covered during the courses was the New Testament. In addition to lectures by resource persons, participants engaged in group studies and answered two questionnaires.
The resource persons included Fr Simião Fernandes (Director of the Pastoral Institute in Old Goa), Fr Aron Magalhães (Assistant Director of St Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre, Old Goa), Fr Onasis D’Cruz (Assistant Director of St Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre, Old Goa) and Fr Mariano D’Costa (Director of the Diocesan Centre for Biblical Apostolate).
The courses took place at various parishes, including St Anthony Church (Panchwadi), Our Lady Mother of God Church (Saligão), St Stephen’s Church (Santo Estevao), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (Arambol), St Francis Xavier’s Church (Bhatpal) and Carmelite Monastery (Margao). These courses were held in the evenings throughout the week in different locations during the pastoral year.
Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão presided over the Eucharistic Celebration of the Diploma Ceremony at St Anthony’s Church, Panchavadi. Fr Lucio Dias (Episcopal Vicar for the South Zone) and Fr Denis Fernandes (Episcopal Vicar for the North Zone), also led Eucharistic celebrations on the Diploma Day at the Carmelite Monastery, Margao and at Saligão Church, respectively.
Fr Mariano D’Costa served as the main celebrant for the Eucharistic celebration for the Diploma ceremony at St Stephen’s Church, Santo Estevao. The diploma ceremony is yet to be held in Bhatpal and Arambol.
Fr Mariano D’Costa noted the remarkable dedication of participants to the sessions despite the challenges of committing to weekly two-hour gatherings. He observed a profound hunger for the Word of God among the laity, evident in their faithful attendance and heartfelt engagement with the material. He shared testimonials from course attendees, recounting experiences of strengthened faith, resolved doubts, and even instances of divine intervention in healing broken relationships.
“Many have emerged from the courses as devoted followers of Jesus, living their lives illuminated by the teachings of Scripture, fostering deep spiritual growth,” Fr D’Costa said.
Fr D’Costa expressed his appreciation for the support and guidance provided by Cardinal Ferrão and conveyed a heartfelt gratitude for his leadership in advancing the mission of Biblical education within the Archdiocese.
