PANJIM: The new Pastoral Letter of the Pastoral Year 2021-22 by the Archbishop of Archdiocese of Goa and Daman Most Rev Filipe Neri Ferrão was released on Saturday.
This took place at the Cruz dos Milagres Church, Old Goa where the Archbishop presided over the Holy Eucharist on the solemnity of Saint Thomas the Apostle.
The theme chosen for the current Pastoral Year is: “Stay With Us…”“ Amche-xim Rav” (Lk. 24, 29).
The Pastoral Letter addressed to the priests, religious, lay faithful and people of good will in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman is based on the invitation, “Stay With Us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over”, which the two disciples, on their way to Emmaus make to Jesus. Jesus accepts their invitation and goes to dine with them. While breaking the bread, the two disciples recognise the Risen Lord and they are filled with joy. At that very moment, they go back to Jerusalem to bear witness to the Risen Lord.
In his Pastoral Letter, the Archbishop states that the Risen Lord walks with humanity in sickness and pain. “Jesus accompanies us and sets our hearts on fire to live with joy the threefold covenantal relationship: a) Relationship between God and man b) Relationship between man and man c) Relationship between man and creation,” says the Archbishop.
In the first part of the Pastoral Letter, the Archbishop invites every lay faithful, priest, religious and consecrated to once again say to Jesus: “Stay With Us”. The person, the family, the society, the culture which opens its door to Jesus — there He enters; sets ablaze the hearts of men to love God and his neighbour; re-builds broken relationships.
In the second part of the Letter, the Archbishop places before the faithful the following eight pastoral concerns: (1) Upholding human dignity (2) Serving humanity by transcending all differences (3) The necessity of ongoing faith formation and proclamation (4) Collaboration in the mission of the Church (5) Appreciating the beauty of family life and protecting it (6) The need for Priests and Religious to be like Jesus the Good Shepherd (7) Showing abounding love and care to those away from their homeland (8) Becoming protectors and stewards of God’s creation.
Stating that brotherhood and hope are the remedy to heal the wounded humanity, the Archbishop urges all of us to be beacons of Christian hope to the world. The Archbishop prays that the pandemic COVID-19 may teach us to build a world which is more humane, just, fraternal and peaceful.
“The pastoral letters will be primarily distributed with the help of Deans and PPC moderators. They will also be kept for sale in Lighthouse Margao, St Paul’s both in Panjim and Mapusa, Social Communication Centre and in Institute Piedade Diocesan Pastoral Secretariat Office by the end of the next week,” informed Fr Barry Cardozo, Director, Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media (DCSCM), Goa.
