TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
OLD GOA: The 400 years celebration of Our Lady of Merces Church, Merces, concluded on Sunday with Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao exhorting the faithful to lead a prayerful life so that they become witnesses of Christ to the world.
Delivering the homily at the special mass held as part of the concluding ceremony of the 400 years celebration, Archbishop Ferrao focused on family life by stating that a family should pray together, which will help them lead a meaningful life and also help in spreading the Word of God among the community, through their actions.
After the conclusion of the mass, Archbishop Ferrao felicitated priests hailing from the village ~ Fr Auxemio Monteiro, Fr Edwin Alleluia Diniz, Fr Francisco Caldeira, Fr Bazilo Monteiro, Fr Salvador Fernandes, Fr Bennet Araujo, Fr Pio Furtado, Fr Edson Fernandes, Fr Savio Costa, Fr Roxy Fernandes, Fr Abel Fernandes, Fr Jude Antao, Fr Alexander de Braganca, Fr Jose Rodrigues, Fr Socorro Braganca, Fr Cirilo Rodriguese, Fr Joaquim Da Costa and Fr Domingos Gonsalves.
The Bishop also felicitated nuns from the village including Sr Pramila Joao, Sr Artimizia Monteiro, Sr Luiza Botelho, Sr Adula Mendes, Sr Samantha Gonsalves, Sr Nelcy D’Souza, Sr Succour Fernandes, Sr Jannet de Araujo, Sr Lucy Ann Martins and Sr Joanita Margarida Fernandes.
Also felicitated were the staff of the Church and included Noel Xavier, Denisio D’Souza, Jose Fernandes, Flavia Fernandes, Apostles of the Holy Family, Gracy Pillai, Bernandin Mascarenhas, Saheeda, Malini Kankonkar, Prabhavati Amonkar and Mario Rodrigues. The staff of Novem Pavl was also felicitated and included Menino Dias, Evaristo Fernandes, Orson Rodrigues, Josephine Esteves, Alex Fernandes, Robert Rodrigues, Mathew de Souza, Caetano Fernandes, Michael Vaz, Nina de Sousa, Clara Fernandes, Seby Joao and Jack D’Souza.
The committee formed for the 400 years celebration programmes was also felicitated. The Church website was also inaugurated on the occasion and a book ‘Pandro’ a collection of poems by Andre Joao Fernandes was released by Archbishop Ferrao in the presence of Yusuf Shaikh, Ashok Chodankar, Fr Caldeira and Sister Mary Jane.
