PANJIM: The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman will organise its annual Walking Pilgrimage to Sancoale on March 6.
Event Convenor Fr Ligorinho D’Costa said that as Christians are about to enter the season of Lent, the annual Walking Pilgrimage once again comes with the perfect opportunity to prepare for an enriching spiritual renewal.
In the past years, the experiences shared, have only motivated the Archdiocese all the more to carry on with this practise and this year too, guided by Archbishop Most Rev Filipe Neri Ferrao, we plan to have it on the first Sunday of the Lent, i.e. March 6.
Fr Ligorinho said, “In this Pastoral Year we are urged to invite the Lord to stay with us on our journey. The Christian call stresses that life on earth is a journey of struggles and successes till we reach our final destination i.e. to rest in the arms of God. Lent is a season of grace which invites us to work on our shortcomings. Annual Diocesan Lenten Walking Pilgrimage is being organised in this spirit. We are also celebrating the 400 years of St Francis Xavier’s Sainthood, who himself was a great pilgrim.”
“This journey is also stressed in the ongoing process of Synod of Bishops 2021-2023 to be held in Rome. It is an opportunity to remind us that we walk as a community to prepare ourselves to experience the joy of Easter here on earth. The walking sacrifice could also be offered to pray for peace in the world, especially in Russia and Ukraine,” he added.
According to Fr Ligorinho, due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Walking Pilgrimage this year will be in the following format:
Family level
At the family level we advise families to recite the Rosary of Our Lady, St Joseph, Divine Mercy and other pious prayers, reflect on Bible passages related to pilgrimage e.g. Journey of Abraham, Our Lady’s visit to Elizabeth and the Passion narrative from the Gospel of St John.
Read the life of Saints. Meditatively pray and reflect on the 14 Stations of the Cross, some acts of service, a visit to the sick, the old and the lonely, meditatively pray and reflect on the 14 Stations of the Cross with the neighbours, if the situation permits, have a meal together with your family members or family could share some service-oriented touching experiences among the members.
Parish Level
Let’s prepare ourselves with a good confession. As a ward, community, let us walk from our house to the parish with a spirit of penance and as we walk, let us recite the Rosary and reflect on the life and suffering of Christ.
Sancoale
(Old Church)
Representatives from each parish will walk to the old Sancoale Church. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic only a restricted number of people who have registered their names with their parishes will be allowed to walk to the venue and join in the celebrations.
For those who cannot participate physically, the event will be made available by Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, Goa on the Diocesan Youtube channel, CCRTV, GCTV and some other Youtube channels.
