Team Herald
NACHINOLA: Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão on Sunday said that devotion through the Chaplet of Mercy is not so difficult, but being merciful to others is a challenging task.
“When we thank God because he is merciful to us, let us become merciful towards others in every moment of our lives”, Cardinal Filipe Neri said while delivering a homily on the theme ‘Let us strengthen our faith; Let us be merciful to others” during the Eucharistic celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday organised by the Divine Mercy Movement of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman at Bom Jesus Church, Nachinola.
Fr Francis X. Fernandes (Parish Priest, Bom Jesus Church, Nachinola), Fr Silvestre D’Souza OCD (President, Divine Mercy Movement), Fr Ashley Alphonso (Spiritual Director, Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol), Fr Alexandre Pereira (Parish Priest, Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Moira), Fr Ivo Dias OCD (Superior, Carmelite Seminary, Mapusa) and Fr Macson Dabre OCD (Director of formation, Carmelite Seminary, Mapusa) were the concelebrants.
Reflecting on the Gospel, Cardinal Ferrão said, “The risen Jesus gives experience of his love to his disciples and strengthen their faith. Peace is the gift of risen Jesus for us.”
“God has chosen us through Baptism, become Children of God and strengthened our faith through the Sacrament of Confirmation, thus becoming the disciples of Jesus and living temples of the Holy Spirit. We have received Holy Spirit to witness our faith through acts of Mercy,” the Archbishop said.
He said, “We are called to be become instrument of forgiveness. We need to forgive others, because Jesus has forgiven us and when we forgive, our prayers are heard.”
The Cardinal appreciated the priests, religious and especially Carmelites along with the executive committee of the Divine Mercy Movement for promoting the Divine Mercy devotion in the Archdiocese for the last six years through the formation 138 Divine Mercy groups in the parishes /chapels.
Deonisia D’Souza, Assistant Animator of the Divine Mercy Group of Nachinola was the liturgical commentator. President of the Divine Mercy Movement Fr Silvestre D’Souza, thanked the gathering.
Parish Priest of Bom Jesus Church, Nachinola expressed his gratitude.
Parishes and religious institutes/houses in the Archdiocese too celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday with the liturgy animated by the Divine Mercy groups in the parishes/ chapels.