TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
TIVIM: Archbishop-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao will elevate the Chapel dedicated to St Francis Xavier at Duler-Mapusa to the status of a Church on March 29.
The concelebrated mass will be celebrated at 5 pm, when the Archbishop through his decree will elevate the Chapel to the status of a Church.
Incidentally, the chapel also houses the ‘Seminary Niwas’ for boys preparing for priesthood.
Addressing a news conference, Chaplain Fr Caetano Fernandes along with Anthony Carrasco, a senior villager, said the construction of the chapel first began in 1886 at a place mentioned in the old records as ‘Besanvanchi Mud’di’ or a place of blessings.
“There was dense terrain covered with bushes here and with wild animals. As the then chapel was in a very bad state, it did not have a chaplain staying for over 6 months.”
“In June 1919, Fr Faustino D’Souza who was appointed as the assistant Parish Priest of St Diogo Church was given the additional responsibility as chaplain of this chapel,” informed Carrasco.
“The Chapel dedicated to St Francis Xavier has always been under the jurisdiction of St Jerome Church of Mapusa. For administering any sacraments here, we needed the approval of the parish priest of St Jerome Church,” informed Fr Fernandes.
“There are various formalities to be completed for any chapel to be elevated to the status of a church and all these formalities have been completed. Besides, various aspects have been looked into for the last several years ever since there was a demand to elevate the chapel to that of a church,” informed Fr Fernandes.
He said it would be a matter of pride and joy for all parishioners affiliated to the chapel to witness their chapel formally and canonically be elevated into a church.
“This was a long-awaited dream and I had even mentioned about it during the 125 year celebrations of this chapel three years ago. After its elevation, this St Francis Xavier Church will be a second church in Mapusa, completely independent from the St Jerome Church, and with its own parish priest who will be able to cater in a better way to the spiritual needs of the parishioners,” added Fr Fernandes.
