MARGAO, SEPT 10
The National Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul will hold the Pan-Asia Congress (PANASCO VII) from September 13-17 in Goa at the Ravindra bhavan, Margao.
Addressing a press conference, President of the Council V M J Balaswamy said around 350 Vincentians from 27 countries are expected to attend the Congress. The theme of the Congress is Justice and Peace will embrace, he added.
The Pan-Asia Congress is being held for the fist time in India, in Goa. The Society of St Vincent de Paul is an international lay organization of the Catholic Church which aims at providing a means whereby its members can practice Christianity by loving their neighbour in the person of the poor and the needy, irrespective of caste or religion. It emphasizes on a person-to-person contact and to see in the poor the face of suffering Christ.
Founded in Paris in 1833 by a group of young men, led by Frederic Ozanam, a student of Law and was named after St Vincent de Paul, whose life had been devoted to helping the underprivileged, the organization today is spread over 147 countries of the world.
“In India, it had its birth in 1853 in Pondicherry, but the Society was officially started in 1863 with the aggregation of some Conferences in Bombay. Today, India has 6543 Conferences helping out the needy through the thousands of its members spread around the country”, he added.
Presently, there are over 150 Conferences in various parishes of the State.
The Society has various projects in Goa, outstanding among which are two Homes for the Aged: the Arc of Hope run by the Conference of O.L. of Good Hope at Candolim, having 28 inmates and the Dr Alfredo Antao Home at Chandor run by the Conferences of Holy Spirit, Margao and O L of Belem, Chandor having 19 inmates.
Besides, the Society has a school for special children at Curtorim, recognized by the Education Department with 18 children and a Day Care Centre for Senior Citizens, where medical camps, counseling facilities, medical check ups and free distribution of vegetable seeds are being carried out regularly – a KG school at Velsao, a Medical Aid Centre at Chinchinim and a moving school at Saligao.
