By John Malvino Alfonso
Old Goa, Dec 4, 2021: The Church exists only to spread Christ’s message of love, peace and freedom, but some misunderstand it as a ploy to convert others, a Catholic bishop bemoaned at the celebration of Saint Francis Xavier’s feast in Old Goa.
“Saint Francis Xavier left his sinful life and accepted holy life. He left everything after his conversion to proclaim the Gospel to the world,” said Emeritus Bishop Alex Dias of Port Blair in his homily during the feast day Mass December 3 in the Se Cathedral of Old Goa.
Among those present were Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Minister for Waste Management Michael Lobo along with legislators Alex Reginald Laurenco, Glen Ticlo, Joshua D’Souza, Vijay Sardessai, Luizinho Faleiro, Francis Silveira.
Several government officials attended the Mass with the theme, “Stay with us Lord- to live Communion, Participation and Mission like St. Francis Xavier.”
Goa is now ruled by a coalition led by Bharatiya Janata Party or Indian people’s party.
Bishop Dias pointed out that the Catholic Church is involved educational, social work, healthcare and all such ministries. “All this is to evangelize, to spread the message of Jesus,” he explained.
The bishop noted that Saint Francis Xavier was after worldly glory in his youthful days, but his purpose in life became proclamation of the Christ’s message after his conversion during his university studies in Paris.
The prelate then appealed thousands assembled for the Mass to love the Word of God and give the same to the other.
Speaking on the occasion, Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão of Goa-Daman urged those in authority to refrain from illegal acts that threaten Old Goa’s religious and heritage sanctity.
The Goa archbishop warned that illegal interventions “even by the legitimate stakeholders” in Old Goa could have serious consequences for the place that could lose its World Heritage status.
The archbishop also expressed the Church’s solidarity with people of various fathers, who have been protest against illegal constructions near heritage site.
The archdiocese prepared for the feast with novena November 24. Each day of the novena was dedicated for the intention of all the archdiocesan center, commissions and other bodies. A day was set apart to pray for priests, sisters and religious brothers working in the archdiocese.
Masses were held in English, Hindi, Konkani, Malayalam, Portuguese and Tamil during the novena days.
An inter-religious prayer meet was organised on one of the novena days.
The Prelate is correct. The Church’s prime concern is to serve the people by which evangelization will become a fact. It does not mean baptizing all as mistook by some politicians and making a great hue and cry. Love all and serve all especially the poor and the needy, the really down-trodden section of citizens. Healthcare, education and the like are the main activities the Church is engaged in. Conversion is the main accusation these politicians always raise against the Church. A true believer in Christianity may be baptized if he comes forward and demand it. No forceful conversion.
K J George