By Matters India Reporter
Panaji, Jan 25, 2022: The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman has celebrated the Sunday of the Word of God.
During his homily on January 23 at St. Michael Church in Taleigao, local prelate Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferraro reminded the faithful of the importance of their baptismal commitment.
Taleigao is 3 km southwest of Panaji, capital of the western Indian state of Goa.
“When Jesus began his public ministry he said, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me’. In the same way each of us as followers of Jesus are responsible to contribute to wellbeing of the Church, the body of Christ,” he said
The theme of the celebration was: “Enlightened by the Word in the Synodal path.” Speaking on the theme, he said, “Jesus is with us, with his Spirit, in our personal, family and communitarian journey.” The archbishop further urged the faithful to imitate St. Paul in his love for Christ and the living Word.
To make the celebration meaningful Father Mariano D’ Costa, director of the Diocesan Centre for Biblical Apostolate, suggested various ways such as enthroning of the Bible and Lectio Divina in families, Bible quiz on family WhatsApp group, gifting the Bible on various occasions, mini library of good and spiritual literature at home..
In 2020, the Daughters of St. Paul in Goa collaborated with the diocesan center to celebrate Pauline Biblical Year in the Archdiocese with the theme “That the Word of God may speed forward”.
At the conclusion the committee of the Biblical Year consisting of the diocesan center, Pauline nuns and cooperators agreed to take forward the spirit of the Pauline Biblical Year.
In November 2021 the committee started the Enthronement of Bible and Lectio Divina in families at St Sebastian’s Chapel, Fontainhas, with Father Roque D’Costa, the chaplain of the chapel, and found good response from people, Father Mariano said.
The archbishop formally launched the initiative January 23. The Sunday of the Word of God. “The purpose of the enthronement of the Bible and Lectio Divina is to make aware that the Word of God is central to Christian living and to help the faithful to pray with the Bible,” explained Father Mariano.
The diocesan center has prepared the enthronement service in English and Konkani with directions for Lectio Divina, the priest added.
The center will also award a certificate of remembrance to the family of the enthronement of the Bible so that they could remember and enthrone the Bible at least once a year, he said and suggested that every family in the archdiocese take the initiative.
Forty-seven participants who successfully completed the course on “Parables of Jesus” organized by the diocesan center during the Pastoral Year 2021-2022 were awarded diploma certificates. More than 100 people had joined the course, but not all could complete it because of the pandemic.
The other courses offered by the center are Introduction to New Testament and Old Testament, Basics of Bible and Gospels. “More than 100 persons have register for the one-year courses,” the director said.
The Church authorities of Goa Archdiocese must remember the “essence of the Bible” contained in the “Sermon on the Mount” and the “Last Judgement” mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew. These passages do not make the Catholics to become “pious, meek, humble and religious” but enable them to become “more spiritual” and reach out the unreached, render selfless service to the needy and challenge the unjust structures in the Church, society and nation.