Calangute — In a first of its kind devotion, the parish of Our Lady of Hope Church, Candolim, installed 800 statues of St Jose Vaz in the houses of its parishioners, on his 364th birth anniversary on April 21.
Bishop Allwyn Barreto of Sindhudurg diocese was the main celebrant at the Mass which was held at 4:30 pm at the Candolim church. The statues were blessed by His Grace in the presence of parishioners and priests of Candolim and taken to their respective homes by parishioners, reported Herald Goa.
The parishioners of Saligao, Reis Magos are also gearing up to install the statues of St Jose Vaz in the Calangute deanery. The decision to install the statues was taken during one of the deanery priests’ meeting to celebrate the day by installing statues at the parishioners’ homes.
Fr Rumualdo Robin Rodrigues, parish priest of Our Lady of Hope Church, Candolim, is overjoyed with the decision of the parishioners and hoped it would motivate other parishes in the diocese to install the statues of St Jose Vaz in their homes.