From: [email protected] To: http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Thousands-queue-up-to-venerate-on-Sunday/81359.html?utm_source=Email%2Bnewsletter&utm_medium=email Thousands queue up to venerate on SundayOLD GOA: Thousands of devotees queued up to kiss and venerate the relics of St Francis Xavier at the Se Cathedral on Sunday.24 Nov, 2014, 11:39PM ISTA- A+Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services0TEAM HERALDOLD GOA: Thousands of devotees queued up to kiss and venerate the relics of St Francis Xavier at the Se Cathedral on Sunday.Being a weekly holiday, all eight masses for the day witnessed large congregations in the pandal specially erected outside the Basilica of Bom Jesus. The masses were celebrated at 6, 7, 8, 9.15 and 11 (English) in the morning, while masses in the evening were celebrated at 4, 5 and 6 (English).The theme for Sunday’s services was “Let’s celebrate the kingdom values of Christ, keeping the needy in mind.” Two masses in different Indian languages, Tamil and Malayalam, were celebrated on Sunday. Both masses had a large congregation of devotees from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In addition, members of the national Marriage Encounter Group also participated in a mass.Besides the Masses, other religious services were also made available to the faithful, who have come from different parts of India and abroad. A number of priests made themselves available to administer the sacrament of Reconciliation to the devotees in the Sacristy of Bom Jesus Basilica.While the inaugural ceremony of the XVII Exposition took place on Saturday, the nine-day novena to St Francis Xavier will begin on November 24 and will go on till December 2, which will culminate with the feast of St Xavier on Dec 3.Meanwhile, the Apostolate of the Inter Religious Dialogue of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman will organise its annual interreligious meet at Old Goa on November 27 at 10.30 am. The theme for this year’s meet is ‘Celebrating co-existence of religious diversity in Goa.’The programme will consist of Bhajans and hymns, a prayer/unity dance and a skit by students. The highlight of the meet will be the sharing of reflections by three prominent speakers of the widely practised faiths in Goa. Brahmidevi will speak on behalf of the Hindus, Ambrin Baig for the Muslims and Maria Helena Souza for the Christians. Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao will preside over the meet and deliver his message.========http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Special-moment-for-those-carrying-St-Xavier-relics-/81360.html?utm_source=Email%2Bnewsletter&utm_medium=email
Special moment for those carrying St Xavier relics24 Nov, 2014, 11:39PM ISTA- A+Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services4MELVYN MISQUITAOLD GOA: It was an honour and rare privilege for the selected few who shouldered the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier during the inaugural ceremony of the XVII Exposition. And 24 hours after that, they were yet to overcome the excitement of the once-in-a-lifetime experience they had on Saturday.For a senior priest, however, this ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience occurred twice within less than an hour, when he had the rare fortune to have held the relics on two occasions during the solemn procession from the Basilica of Bom Jesus to the Se Cathedral.It was also special privilege for a family in Aldona, as a woman and her mother-in-law had the privilege of carrying the relics at the Expositions in 2014 and 2004 respectively.Fr Saturnino Dias, president of the Cathedral Chapter and Director of the Missionary Animation Centre, admitted that he was not scheduled to carry the relics twice. “I thank God and St Francis Xavier for giving me this unique privilege to have carried the relics twice during the solemn procession on Saturday,” said Fr Dias.On the first occasion, Fr Dias was on the right side to carry the crystal urn, as priests brought out the relics from the Basilica at about 12.20 pm. At the main door of the Basilica, they handed it over to members of the Pastoral Parish Council (PPC).“On the first occasion, I was not initially part of the group of priests to carry the relics from inside the Basilica. In fact, I did not even participate in the rehearsal for this event. But after the rehearsal, some senior priests came to me and requested me to carry the relics as a representative of the Cathedral Chapter,” said Fr Dias.“I initially wanted to give this privilege to another canon, but the priests insisted that I should carry the relics as president of the Cathedral Chapter,” he added.On the second occasion, Fr Dias was on the left side of the relics as he along with other canons and members of the exposition committee carried the relics at about 12.45 pm from the main door of the Se Cathedral to the site, where the relics have been placed for veneration.“I certainly cannot explain this unique privilege and I can only attribute it to divine intervention for this experience,” said a grateful Fr Dias.For Lourdes M Vaz of Old Goa, it was an ‘ethereal’ experience. “When I was informed about the privilege of carrying the Sacred Relics, I was thrilled. It is one of the rarest of the rare moments of one’s life. When I actually held the relics, an ethereal feeling of peace and serenity descended upon me,” recalled Vaz.Gail Misquita of Aldona also had the privilege of carrying the relics as member of the exposition committee, during the last stop in the Se Cathedral. “While I carried the casket on my left shoulder, I got to touch the casket with my right hand and it was a special experience for me,” said Misquita. Incidentally, her mother-in-law, Silvia Misquita, had had the privilege of carrying the relics during the exposition in 2004.The experience was equally special for Fr Tomas Lobo, parish priest of Alto-Porvorim.“Since my childhood, St Francis Xavier has been my favourite Saint whose blessings I regularly seek. Thankfully, I have always experienced the providential care at the intercession of my beloved Saint. I felt blessed by God to have carried the relics of someone very close to my heart. It was God’s favour and St Francis Xavier’s gift,” said Fr Lobo. ======= http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Indian-Christian-Art-finds-space-at-the-Exposition/81453.html?utm_source=Email%2Bnewsletter&utm_medium=email Indian Christian Art finds space at the Exposition26 Nov, 2014, 12:20AM ISTA- A+Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services0 For the next few weeks Angelo da Fonseca, Angela Trindade, Alfred Thomas, Sr Claire and Sr Genevieve will vie for attention at the Archiepiscopal Palace Chapel, Old Goa. They are all Indian artistes who depicted Christian themes and the chapel, once brimming with art, paintings, sculptures and architecture will, for the next few weeks, be home to 33 of their selected works.Inaugurating the exhibition of Indian Christian Art, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Rev Filipe Neri Ferrão said that the use of the Indian art served as a form that helped non-Christian Indians to connect with the gospel and the gospel message through an easily understandable medium of art thus making the artists true evangelizers, like St Francis Xavier. “It’s nice to see these artists who tried in their own way to share the medium of Indian art, in one place. I think it appeals to followers and that was their main motive. They wanted to share through a medium the people of this land would be able to grasp better,” Rev Ferrão told Herald. The exhibition is aimed at promoting the idea of Christianity through the Indian medium, and will remain open till January 4, 2015, the closing day of the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier. During the Exposition of 2004, the chapel, located behind Se Cathedral, had hosted another exhibition that had brought artists from across the country to interpret through their art, gospel stories and passages sent to them in advance. Almost 84 percent of the entries were from non-Christians, a fact that Archbishop Ferrão said promoted inter-religious dialogue. Fr Paul Kattukaran, co-ordinator, Art-i, (an organization aimed at promoting visual art with special focus on Christian art) said this year’s idea came as an extension of the last. “There is a lot of world Christian Art that people know of. Why not let people see the Indian Christian Art,” he said, pointing to the main exhibit, an Angelo da Fonseca painting titled ‘My Guru’.“This painting to me depicts Christ as guru. We understand a priest to be a holy man, like a sanysai who is one that leads a simple life and is oriented to contemplation while a Christian is oriented to the world as a giver. This portrait of the Indian Christ is the starting point of a combination of Indian contemplation with the Christian compassion,” said Fr Kattukaran. The exhibition came about as a result of efforts by the Archdiocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage, Fundação Oriente, De Nobili College, Pune, Xavier Center of Historical Research, Goa and the wife of Angelo Fonseca, Ivy da Fonseca. =======http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Imbibe-St-Xavier%E2%80%99s-values-in-your-lives-Archbishop-exhorts-laity/81454.html Imbibe St Xavier’s values in your lives, Archbishop exhorts laityArchbishop Ferrao will travel to Sri Lanka for canonization of Bl Joseph Vaz; Says feast two days after canonization will be opportunity to get to know the new Saint better26 Nov, 2014, 12:20AM ISTA- A+Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services0DIANA [email protected] GOA: Describing the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier as ‘a moment of God’s grace’, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Rev Filipe Neri Ferrão speaking to Herald said, “It is a moment to have a deeper experience of our faith drawing inspiration from the likes St Francis Xavier and to deepen our commitment to share his life. He gave up a bright career once he encountered Jesus, came to the East and faced obstacles. I think the secret is the fire in his heart.”Archbishop Ferrao said that the pilgrims come and venerate the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier to experience the joy of Jesus and to be messengers in the world.Speaking exclusively to Herald on Tuesday, Rev Ferrao said he would be going to Sri Lanka in January for the Canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz for which many lay Catholics are also going.“We will have the feast on January 16. This will be the first feast of Joseph Vaz as a saint. This year it will definitely be bigger and we will make it participatory trying to get all the deaneries to come. Two deaneries will come every day during the novenas. I’m sure the feast, that will come two days after his canonization, will be a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know him better and to emulate him in our life, because he was a man ahead of his time. He too was a man of fire like St Francis Xavier, but who spread the fire in a different way: in simplicity and hardship.”The Archbishop recalled what the Archbishop of Kandy had said two decades ago after the beatification of Bl Joseph Vaz. “Myself, Archbishop Raul (Gonsalves) and other lay people went to celebrate mass in Kandy, where Joseph Vaz died, and the Archbishop of Kandy said that had it not been for this son of Goa and India, there would not have been a Catholic on the island. Vaz was the only priest for 10 years in Sri Lanka and he walked the length and breadth of the island barefoot doing most of his work during the night to evade capture,” the Archbishop said. ========http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/YOUR-GUIDE-TO-THE-EXPOSITION/81437.html?utm_source=Email%2Bnewsletter&utm_medium=email YOUR GUIDE TO THE EXPOSITION26 Nov, 2014, 11:48PM ISTA- A+Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services0TRANSPORT FACILITIESFerries will leave Panjim ferry point at 9.30 am, 11.00 am, 1.30 pm and 3.00 pm to reach at Old Goa at 10.30 am, 12.00 pm, 2.30 pm and 6.00 pm SHUTTLE SERVICES BUSESKTC’s shuttle services will leave from Margao, Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa starting at 5.00 am every day at a frequency of 10 minutes to reach Old Goa for masses starting from 6.00 am onwards. Last departure from Old Goa will be at 7.00pm. SHUTTLE RING SERVICES KTC will operate Free Shuttle Ring Services from Ella Farm and Pinto Garage to Police Station Road from 6.00 am to 8.00 pm. Six Mini Buses will move on the route with a continuous frequency. HOP ON – HOP OFF TOURSHop on – Hop Off Tours will be available from 9.30 am till 6.15 pm every day. Children below 12 yrs will be charged Rs. 25 and Adults Rs. 50.Places covered: St. Cajetan Church, Monte Chapel, Church of Miraculous Cross, St. Augustine TowerTAXISMetered taxi Service with Women Drivers will be available at the EXPO office. ARRANGEMENT FOR OLD / SICK / DIFFERENTLY ABLEDSpecial arrangements for Veneration of relics for the Old, Sick and the Differently Abled. Wheelchair Service with Volunteer Assistance can be availed from the EXPO Office. FACILITIES FOR TRAVEL AND TOURISMA tourism information kiosk is setup at the EXPO Office and assistance for inter-state bus and train bookings as well as airline bookings will be provided. MEDICAL AND FIRST AIDTwo fully equipped 108 Ambulances are stationed in the EXPO Zone round the clock.A dispensary with three beds and a doctor on call is available. EMERGENCYPolice: 100Fire Emergency: 101Medical / First Aid: 108 VENERATION OF THE SACRED RELICSAt Se Cathedral Church from 6.00am to 7.00pm MASS TIMINGS24th Nov to 2nd Dec : 6.00 am, 7.15 am, 8.15 am, 9.30 am, 10.45 am, 3.45 pm, 5.15 pm, 6.15 pm.3rd Dec: 4.00 am, 5.00 am, 6.00 am, 7.00 am, 8.00 am, 9.00 am.Feast Mass 10.30 am4th Dec to 3rd Jan 6.00 am, 7.00 am, 4.00 pm, 5.00 pm, 6.00 pmClosing Ceremony Solemn Pontifical Mass at 9.30 am on 4th Jan. OTHER LANGUAGE MASSES26 Nov 11.45 am, Marathi28 Nov 11.45 am, French29 Nov 11.45 am Portuguese30 Nov 11.45 am Tamil30 Nov 12.45 pm Malayalam30 Nov 2.30 pm Hindi1 Dec 11.45 am Marathi2 Dec 11.45 am Kannada2 Dec 12.45 pm Portuguese3 Dec 3.00 pm Spanish SPECIAL INTENTION MASSES29 Nov for childless couples6 Dec for unemployed13 Dec for candidates appearing for public examinations20 Dec for peace in the WorldCONFESSIONSAll days of the Exposition at Sacristy of Bom Jesus Basilica. ACCOMODATIONAt St. Michael Pilgrimage Centre, Near Jetty.St. Cajetan Pilgrimage Centre, Near Ferry to Diwar.St. Catherine Pilgrimage Centre, Near Se Cathedral.St. Xavier Pilgrimage Centre, Near Panchayat Office 1) Max number of days of stay in the pilgrim accommodation per person: 2 nights and 3 days.2) Facilities provided: Beds, Mattress, Toilets and Bathrooms.3) Mess Facilities include breakfast, lunch & dinner.All the above facilities are provided at Rs. 150/person/day. ========Official website of the Exposition http://sfxexposition2014.com/ Mass timmings:http://sfxexposition2014.com/st%20francis-xavier-exposition-2014-masses-services.html#N1 Accomodation at Pilgrim centres:http://sfxexposition2014.com/st%20francis-xavier-exposition-2014-acco.html The Theme & Logo for this Exposition:http://sfxexposition2014.com/st%20francis-xavier-exposition-2014-theme.html History - St Francis Xavier -The Patron of the Missions:http://sfxexposition2014.com/st%20francis-xavier-exposition-2014-histo.html =========
