VASCO
The Novena and the Feast of St Joseph Vaz, Patron of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, will be celebrated at the usual site of the old Church of Our Lady of Health, Rua Escravo de Maria, Sancoale, from January 7 to 16.Themes for the Novena and the Feast have been drawn taking inspiration from the ongoing Synodal priorities and the theme of the current Pastoral Year and of the Pastoral Letter, “Follow me...” (Mk. 1:17). The general theme is: “Let us truly follow Jesus after the example of St Joseph Vaz” (“Bhagevont Juze Vazachi dekh gheun Jezucho niz pattlav korum-ia”).
The Novena Masses from January 7 to 15 will be celebrated at 5 am (only on Sundays, January 8 and 15), 6 am (at 6.15 am only on Sundays, January 8 and 15), 7.30 am and 9.15 am (deanery-wise ‘Romaria’ Mass). All Masses will be celebrated in Konkani.
In the second half of the day, Masses will be celebrated at 4 pm in Konkani (deanery-wise ‘Romaria’ Mass) and 6 pm in English.
Two additional Masses will be celebrated on January 8 (Sunday) in Malayalam at 10.45 am and in Tamil at 12 noon, and a Mass on January 15 (Sunday) in Hindi at 10.45 am, also an additional Mass.
On the Feast Day (January 16), Masses will be celebrated at 5 am, 6.15 am, 7.30 am, 8:45 am, the Concelebrated Solemn High Mass at 10 am, and a Mass at the Oratory Room of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale, at 12 noon. All Masses will be in Konkani. There will also be Masses at 4 pm in Konkani and 5.30 pm in English (especially meant for working people).
A few selected Masses during each day of the Novena and on the Feast day will be live-streamed for the faithful and devotees and they will also be made available on the YouTube channels of the various electronic media and the Diocesan website.
Each day of the Novena has been dedicated to one (or more) Apostolate/Cause in the Archdiocese, with special prayers being offered for them. The Directors/Heads of the Apostolates/Causes have been urged to concelebrate at/participate in the 7.30 am Mass of the Novena on the respective day dedicated to their Apostolate/Cause, along with their collaborators.
While the annual printed calendars of the Sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale have been made available to the entire Archdiocese, as per the requests, through the services of ‘Friends of St Joseph Vaz’, they will be available also at the venue during the days of the Novena and on the Feast Day.
The Sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale will also be open to pilgrims and devotees for the veneration of the statue of St Joseph Vaz during the days of the Novena and on the Feast day, from 7.30 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm.
