By Matters India Reporter
Panaji, Feb 28, 2022: Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa-Daman has urged people in his archdiocese to celebrate the 400th year of Saint Francis Xavier’s canonization.
Saint Francis Xavier was undoubtedly one of the greatest evangelizers the Catholic Church, earning him the title of the Patron of the Missions, the archbishop said in a circular.
“Having been canonized on March 12, 1622, the current year of 2022 marks the fourth centenary of his canonization. Remembering the event with gratitude to the Lord Almighty, the Church in this archdiocese rejoices in this great gift from God to the Church and from the Church to the world.”
The archbishop praised the “The outstanding contribution made by our Saint to the life of the Church, particularly to her mission of evangelization,” and said “it is a constant call to our local Church to renew her commitment to the Gospel and to its dissemination.”
Explaining how the Church is taking forward the evangelization process St Francis began in Goa, he said, “In fact, over the years, the Church in this archdiocese has been taking significant steps in this direction, culminating them in the celebration of the Goa Diocesan Synod in the year 2002.”
Presently, under the inspiration of our beloved Holy Father, we are all engaged in a soul-searching Synodal Journey or ‘walking together’ towards a Church that
has a vision of Communion and Participation oriented to Mission, the archbishop explained.
The Church in Goa will express her joy and gratitude by joining the Jesuits in Goa in celebrating the great Gift on March 12 with a Mass at Bom Jesu Basilica, Old Goa.
The faithful are invited to gather in their parishes that day to thank God for the gift of Saint Francis Xavier to the archdiocese and to the world, the circular said.
The Catholic Hierarchy always tends to “bask in the past glories”. How many Cardinals, Arch/bishops, priests, nuns and laity are “really following the exemplary life of St. Francis Xavier”? This is a million-dollar question.