By Br. Malvino Alfonso OCD
The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman celebrated the Jubilee of Priests on 5th August 2025, marking the Day for the Sanctification of Clergy at the Pastoral Institute, Old Goa.
The highlight of the celebration was the Eucharistic Celebration presided over by His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman. He was joined by Bishop Simião Fernandes, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese, Fr Alfred Vaz, Member of the Committee for the Ongoing formation of Priests, Fr Joaquim Fernandes SVD , Episcopal Vicar for the Religious, Fr Candido Fernandes, Director of Pastoral Institute Old Goa and Convenor of the Committee for the Ongoing formation of priests and several priests who concelebrated the Holy Eucharist.
Delivering a homily on the theme, ‘Called to be holy, sent to serve’ Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão called upon priests to deepen their intimacy with Jesus and to serve the faithful with dedication and care.
“All of us are called to be holy through our Baptism. We need to cherish this call, strive to be holy, and help our people to be holy,” said Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, who is also the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).
Highlighting the sacred nature of the priestly vocation, the Prelate remarked, “Our vocation to Ministerial Priesthood is a sign of God’s special privilege.”
Cardinal Ferrão emphasized that an essential dimension of priestly life is deep intimacy with Jesus. He encouraged priests to serve “with enthusiasm, humility, and love,” becoming living examples of holiness for the faithful.
“When we serve others, we experience happiness and peace, even in the face of challenges and criticism.” Cardinal said.
A talk on ‘Priestly Holiness: A Journey of Hope’ was given by Fr Henry Falcão, Episcopal Vicar for the Central Zone
Fr. Henry, reflected on both the means of sanctification and the potential dangers that can hinder a priest’s path to holiness.
He began by emphasizing that holiness is not an optional virtue for the priest but a fundamental vocation. A priest must be convinced that he is called to be holy — not as an isolated ideal, but as a lived reality in relationship with God and the People of God.
Fr. Falcão reminded that it is often the People of God who sanctify their priests, through their faith, their prayers, and even their struggles. Likewise, the community in which a priest is placed becomes a means of sanctification, shaping him and challenging him toward greater conformity with Christ.
He then turned his attention to several essential means of holiness, including,Chastity, Obedience and Solitude and Silence . Fr Henry requested the priests to be connected with their priest brothers
However, Fr. Falcão also issued a gentle warning about dangers that threaten a priest’s holiness. Chief among them is the neglect of prayer, which leads to spiritual dryness and disconnection. He also cautioned against the temptation to substitute activity for prayer, noting that a busy priest who forgets to pray loses the true source of his strength.
Highlighting that holiness requires balance, he stressed that it involves harmony between prayer, ministry, rest, and personal growth. Holiness, he concluded, is not an end product but an ongoing journey—a journey of hope rooted in grace, perseverance, and the daily ‘yes’ to God’s call.
Bishop Simião Fernandes, Auxiliary Bishop of Goa and Daman, while addressing the priests, urged them to deepen their relationship with Christ, foster fraternity among fellow priests, and nurture a strong devotion to Mother Mary. He also expressed gratitude, on behalf of the Jubilee Committee and the Archbishop, to all who contributed towards making the day meaningful.
Fr Candido Fernandes, Director of the Pastoral Institute, warmly welcomed all those gathered for the occasion. Deacon Aaron D’Souza thanked Cardinal, Bishop, priests, religious and laity for participating in the Eucharistic celebrations and praying for the priests.
Deacon Valancio Fernandes anchored the programme and offered the final vote of thanks.
The event commenced with a An Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament conducted by the deacons of the Archdiocese, who also led the liturgical singing during the Mass.
