Fr Lucio exhorts faithful to pray for peace
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Parishioners condemned the cowardly act of miscreants in damaging and lifting away the statues, including the statue of patron St Joseph from the St Joseph Chapel, Banda, even as the shocking incident echoed in the parishes of Assolna and Cuncolim during the Sunday Mass.
Parish Priest of Regina Martyrum Church, Assolna and Episcopal Vicar, South Goa Fr Lucio Dias joined the Parishioners of St Joseph Chapel, Banda in condemning Saturday desecration incident as he celebrated the Holy Mass at the Chapel on Sunday morning.
In his homily, Fr Lucio joined the parishioners in condemning the incident in the strongest possible terms, but at the same time exhorted the faithful to join in the prayers for peace. “While we condemn the incident, let us all join hands and pray for peace and the courage in true Christian life”, Fr Lucio said in his homily.
While the Sunday Mass was perhaps celebrated for the first time in the St Joseph Chapel sans the statue of the patron saint and other statues, which were lifted away from the altar by the miscreants, Fr Lucio reminded the faithful that though they are pained and disturbed over the sad incident, the absence of the statues should not distract them from belief in Goa and Lord Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, the shocking and cowardly incident echoed in the neighbouring Churches of Assolna and Cuncolim. At Cuncolim, parish priest of Our Lady of Health Church, Fr Manuel Fernandes said that people should be alert, saying that the incident can even be the handiwork of certain religious sects, who do not believe in idols and statues.
“The cowardly act may not have been committed by people from other communities, but may be by our own religious sects which are against statues and idols”, Fr Manuel said in his Sunday homily.
At the Assolna Church too, the parishioners were informed about the desecration incident.
