Archdiocesan Chrism Mass Celebrated at Old Goa
The annual Chrism Mass of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao and priests from all over the Archdiocese, at Se Cathedral Church, Old Goa at 10am on 30th, March 2023. The main objective of the Chrism Mass is to express more clearly the presbyterial communion of the priests with their Bishop.
The Holy oils, the Oil of the Catechumens (Oleum Catechumenorum), the Oil of the Sick (Oleum Infirmorum), and the Holy Chrism Oil (Sacrum Chrisma), which are very important in the life of Catholics, are also blessed in this mass.
The Chrism mass is important because in this mass the Bishop expresses his bond with the Priests and all the faithful. The priests in their turn resolve to discharge their duties faithfully. The Bishop then asks for prayers from priests and faithful to help him reflect the life of Christ. This unique celebration unites the Bishop, all the Priests working in the Archdiocese and the lay faithful.
His Eminence Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao, in his homily highlighted that we need to have an intimate experience of the Lord inorder to bring people closer to Him. He further pointed out that having a deep experience means doing away with our sinful behaviour and conforming to the Gospel values. He reminded the priests of their pastoral duties and invited the people to participate in faith formation programmes, opportunities for dialogue and other pastoral activities that help in getting everyone closer to God.
The Chrism mass ended with the releasing of Pastoral Diary for the coming Year at the hands of Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao. The Pastoral Diary which has the Schedule for Major events in the Archdiocese has been prepared under the direction of the Pastoral Secretariat of the Archdiocese.