Team Herald
PANJIM: Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, in a unique ceremony installed six new Cannons to the Chapter of Canons of See Cathedral, Old Goa. This Chapter of Canons was established by the Apostolic See in 1534 by the Bull “Aequum Reputamus” and thus is now 485 years old. The ceremony was held at See Cathedral, Old Goa, on November 24.
The six new canons are Fr Herculano Correia from Velim, Fr Amandio Valadares from Majorda, Fr Valeriano Vaz from Velsao, Fr Lucio Dias from Cansaulim, Fr Alfred Vas from Majorda and Fr Rosario Oliveira from Tilamola.
The Chapter of Canons was a Consultative Body to the Bishop and would take over the administration of the diocese during the period of its vacancy. The other important obligation of this Body was to celebrate the more solemn liturgical services in the cathedral.
After the Vatican II, the roles of this Body were changed. It has only one main role now, which is to celebrate the more solemn liturgical services in the Cathedral. The other original function of being a consultative Body to the bishop is taken over by a new Body, known in the Code of canon law, as College of Consultors.
The Cathedral Chapter of Canons is defined in the Code of Canon law as a college of priests whose role is to celebrate the more solemn liturgical functions in a cathedral church.
This body has its own statutes approved by the Diocesan Bishop. These statutes cannot be changed or abrogated except with the approval of the diocesan Bishop.
After the ceremony the canons were given an ornamental plant as a memento to remind them about their role of being a kind of a catalyst in promoting the spiritual life of the church.
