By Matters India Reporter
Old Goa: The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman has ordained 13 young men as scores of priests succumbed to Covid-19 in other parts of India.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao recently ordained the 13 deacons at the Church of the Cross of Miracles (Cruz dos Milagris) in Old Goa.
In his homily, Archbishop Filipe Neri urged the new priests to become “the eyes, heart and hands of Jesus in today’s world.”
The archbishop also focused on the “ministerial priesthood” that has to be Christ-centric and as envisaged by Christ, forever configured to him. Empowered by the love of the Father, the priest go out to the furthest peripheries to bear witness to Christ, thorough their proclamation and actions, thus becoming a living icon of Christ in this world, the prelate added.
“Witnesses of Jesus through ministerial priesthood” was the theme of the April 28 ordination.
On May 1 four priest priests were ordained for the missionaries of Pilar.
The ordinations took place in the backdrop of raging coronavirus pandemic that has claimed two bishops and scores of priests in India. The Church in India lost more than 60 priests in April alone.
Goa’s new priests could not offer their thanksgiving Mass as all parishes are closed because of the pandemic.
“We accept the situation as God’s plan. We experience the internal joy of our ordination. We are very happy that we are ordained,” said Father Joephil Dominic Dias from Chandor parish, one of the newly ordained. A post graduate in microbiology, Father Dias has a younger sister.
All 13 new priests had their initial studies at the seminary of Our Lady, Saligao, before proceeding to the Patriarchal Seminary at Rachol for their philosophical and theological studies.
Father Aleixo Menezes with whom the 13 spent seven years says, “I am very happy with these energetic young priests. I wish and hope that they continue to be zealous ministers in the vineyard of the Lord.”
After being ordained to diaconate, they completed the year-long course at the Pastoral Institute at Old- Goa.