TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Apostolic Nuncio to India Fr Salvatore Pennacchio recognised the importance of the “ecclesial community of Goa, whose faith is so important in the history of the Church in India” as he unveiled two life size statues of Blessed John Paul II, and Bl Joseph Vaz.
Celebrating an evening Mass with Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao and a close community of people, Fr Pennacchio, who is in the state on the eve of the National Convention of Small Christian Communities to begin Tuesday at Old Goa, called on the people of the state “never to give in to the temptations of hedonistic culture and the appeal of materialistic mentality.”
“I have come among you as Representative of the Bishop of Rome and Shepherd of the Universal Church ~Pope Francis… to share with your Archbishop and priests their concern for missionary proclamation, which has to involve all of you in a serious and well-coordinated service to the cause of the Gospel. You, who are present here today, represent the beloved ecclesial community of Goa, whose faith is so important in the history of the Church in the many testimonies spread everywhere in this territory are eloquent expressions of this faith: churches, works of art, hospitals and schools; all of them make clear references to Christ,” he said.
“Yet today this existence of Christ runs the risk of being emptied of its truth and its deepest content. It risks becoming a horizon that only superficially embraces life. It risks being reduced to a Christianity in which the experience of faith in the Crucified and Risen Jesus fails to illuminate the journey of life,” he said.
“As the Pope’s Representative in India, I bring to you the blessings and greetings of our Holy Father Pope Francis as a sign of his paternal concern and affection for all of you,” he said.
The Nuncio later during the Mass unveiled the two statues that have been set up within the courtyards of the Bishop’s House with Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao saying that with Bl John Paul II scheduled to be canonized a saint by next April.
