TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
OLD GOA: Addressing the 7,000 delegates at the first ever convention of Small Christian Communities (SCC), Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India said that SCCs had the power to transform the Church as well as the community.
“SCCs are the primary locus and means of national integration, ushering in truth, honesty, justice, human rights and dignity, good governance, eco-care and eco-justice in our society,” he said delivering the homily during the solemn mass concluding the event.
The three day convention brought bishops, priests, nuns, religious and laity together for discussions of experiences and understanding of the power of SCCs. The first and last day of the event that was held under a pandal erected at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa saw the coming together of around 7,000 people while the second day involved delegates visiting various deaneries and parishes around Goa.
During the last statement of the convention, Fr Vijay Thomas, secretary of the National Service Team for SCCs summed up the purpose of the entire convention and the need for more such events.
“SCCs occupy a central way, a new way. The Church in India intends to promote SCCs as a home and a tool for the communion for the 21st century. It is in these communities that the true fellowship of a community is experienced. It is not enough to attend mass, but we need to let the celebration transform us in the entire community,” Fr Thomas said.
A month-long training programme was being chalked out, Fr Thomas said, calling upon diocesan coordinators as well as priests and the religious to avail of it.
Earlier the faithful participated in a procession to mark the celebrations of the convention. The gathering of 75 bishops as well as priests, nuns and laity from all parts of the country took a pledge to promote SCCs and renew the Church of India.
Bishop Thomas Dabre from Pune, Rev Raphel Thatil, the Auxiliary Bishop of Trichur and Elvin Colaco from Mumbai, a member of the National Service Team also made presentations relating to SCCs.
