VASCO: Archives and Archaeology Minister Vijai Sardessai on Thursday inspected and held a review meeting at the new venue of the feast of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale.
On the occasion, the minister assured that he would request the PWD Minister to delay the Cortalim road closure till the feast is over.
Extending all help to the villagers to organise the feast at the new place, the minister said that the issue of allowing or disallowing the feast or mass at the Sanctuary is an internal issue of the Church organisation. Therefore, he said, the government has no reason to interfere.
Sardessai said that, last year, the government helped the people, in whatever way possible, to celebrated the feast of the only Goan Saint, St Joseph Vaz. “I will raise the issue of the road closure at the meeting with PWD minister tomorrow and will demand to keep the closure plan on hold until the feast on January 16 is over,” the minister said.
The novenas of the feast of St Joseph Vaz will begin on January 7 and the feast will be celebrated on January 16.
When asked to comment on the opposition for holding the feast and mass at the Sanctuary site, the minister said, “The Church has an organization which has the Archbishop as the head of the organization. For the issue of the feast place the Democracy doesn’t apply here. The government has no reason to interfere in the Catholic religion and the decisions of their Catholic organisations. The decision of the Church is final for the Christians and we will take that decision as final because the Government recognizes the Church Organisation as the final decision maker.”
The Minister said that this is the feast of the only Goan saint, St. Joseph Vaz and the closure of Cortalim road will affect the people dearly. He said that he will request the Government to consider closure if any only after the 16th of January.
During the visit of the minister, the following church officials were present: Fr Anthony Fernandes (executive secretary, Diocesan Pastoral Secretariat), Fr Noel D’Costa (financial administrator Diocesan, Pastoral Secretariat and Procurator of Archdiocese of Goa), Fr. Valerian Vaz (ex-financial administrator of Diocesan Pastoral Secretariat), Fr Luis Alvares (Sancoale parish priest), Fr Manuel Vaz (rector of St Joseph Vaz Sanctuary).
The following government officials accompanied the minister: Blossom Medeira (director of Archives and Archaeology), Agnelo Fernandes (additional Collector, South Goa), DySP Prabodh Shirwaikar, Verna PI Ninad Deulkar and others.
