PANAJI: The archdiocese of Goa and Daman through its Council for Social Justice and peace has sent out special prayers to all churches to be recited by its faithful during the Eucharist celebration in the days leading up to the February 4 polls.
Besides its prayer seeking to “choose leaders who fight uphold justice and walk in the ways of your truth”, it has for the first time sent a set of nine prayers to be recited for each of the nine days leading up to the poll day, asking faithful to pray for betterment of humanity, for the upliftment of the poor, to be active citizens and to vote for the most suitable candidate on poll day.
“The main reason for sending out prayers is to engage the faithful in praying for a free and fair election,” said director of the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, Fr Olavo Caiado, while adding that “it is also in line with the Church’s duty to guide the faithful to exercise their right responsibly”.
On the eve of the elections, a special three-hour prayer service, ‘Prayer for Goa’, is being organized at Carmelite Monastery in Margao,reported The Times of India.
“While various groups are expressing their angst and near hopelessness and helplessness at the erosion of values in the social and political fabric of Goa, we’re convinced that divine intervention can save this land and its people,” said Savio Fernandes, managing trustee of the Help & Help Charitable Trust that is organizing the prayer service.