18 Oct 2021  |   06:53am IST

Synodal journey begins with inaugural mass at Se Cathedral

Synodal journey begins with inaugural mass at Se Cathedral

Team Herald

PANJIM: To celebrate the beginning of the Synodal journey, inaugural mass was held on at Se Cathedral in Old Goa on Sunday. 

The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Filipe Neri Ferrao at 9:30 am. The synodal journey unfolds itself in three phases of consultation: the diocesan, the continental and the universal level, before culminating the 16th ordinary general assembly of the synods of Bishops in October 2023 in Rome. 

In his message, the Archbishop highlighted that journeying together in the first millennium was the ordinary way in which the Church acted as the people of God. The second Vatican council helped the Church to rediscover her real nature as a community of believers in which all the members shared a true equality with regard to the dignity and to the activity common to all the faithful for the building of the body of Christ. 

The Archbishop said, “It was good to bring to our mind three biblical images of the Church that highlighted the reality of the Church as communion: The people of God, the Body of Christ and the temple of the Spirit. The question that is in front of us is how this journeying together is happening today in the day to day life of our Church and what steps the Holy Spirit is inviting us to take in order to grow genuinely in our journeying together.” 

The Archbishop said, “We need to encounter one another, listen to each other “not just with our ears but with our heart” and discover together what God wants to say to us at this particular time as well as the direction in which he wants to lead us, as a community of the disciples of Jesus our Lord.”

The Mass ended at 11.30 am. Fr. Simiao Fernandes thanked all those who helped in making the inaugural mass a success. Those who participated in the mass included representatives of priests, nuns, lay people including elderly, youth, persons with disabilities (PwD), migrants and others, symbolising dignity for all. A booklet regarding the Synod was also released.

It may be recalled that the Pope presided over in a solemn opening of the synod on October 10 at the Vatican. The theme of this synodal journey is "For a Synodal Church- Communion, Participation and Mission."

Pope Francis suggested that it is time for the Church to know about the journey she has made since the second Vatican council and to find out from that experience what it is that can help her to live communion, achieve participation and open herself to the mission that lies before her in the third millennium.

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar