Team Herald
OLD GOA: The feast of St Francis Xavier was celebrated with pomp and gaiety at Old Goa on Monday with thousands of devotees from different walks of life attending the feast.
Bishop of Udipi Gerard Lobo was the main celebrant for the High Mass, along with other co-celebrants, Bishop Filipe Neri Ferrao Goa, Bishop Allwyn Barreto, Sindhudurg and Bishop Alex Dias of Port Blair, besides other priests.
In his homily, Bishop Gerard stressed on St Xavier’s life and focused on the theme of the feast ‘The love of Christ urges us on’ and said St Xavier’s parents raised their child with Christian values with love of God, but when he was 17 years of age, he went to Paris University for higher education and his mind filled with worldly ambitions, of name and fame, it was at this time St Ignatius de Loyola, his fellow student entered into his life with the words of Lord Jesus ‘What will it profit if man gains the whole world and loses his soul.’ Initially these words fell on deaf ears but gradually he was inspired to pursue Spiritual greatness.
He asked the faithful to share the love of Christ with others, through liturgy and catechism formation of youth and families, and emphasised that help to the poor and needy constituted our mission,
The feast mass was also attended by TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, MLAs Govind Gaude, Pandurang Madaikar, Churchill Alemao, Reginaldo Lourenco, Glen Ticlo, ex-MP, Eduardo Faleiro, CEO of Churchill Brothers Valanka Alemao, tiatrist Prince Jacob, besides other dignitaries.
After the High Mass CCRTV,(Channel of God’s Love) was unveiled by Bishop Gerard Lobo, Bishop Felipe Neri Ferrao, Bishop Alex Dias, Bishop Allwyn Barreto and others. Thereafter, Prince Jacob also sang a song.
