Circular Letter
To the Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful of this Archdiocese
and to all People of Good Will
A Call to Prayer
Dearly Beloved,
At this time when a growing number of people across the world are confronted with the Corona Virus pandemic, our beloved Pope Francis, the Pastor of the Catholic Church worldwide, has sent out a call to everyone to come together and join in prayer. Pope Francis has invited “all the Heads of Churches and the leaders of all the Christian Communities, together with all the Christians of the various Confessions” throughout the world, to call upon the Most High, Almighty God, reciting together, at one given time, the prayer that Jesus Himself taught us: the OUR FATHER. The time chosen is noontime (in the Vatican) of the 25th of March, 2020, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. At this hour we are all urged to pray the Our Father, with one voice and one heart, and offer it for our ailing world. The given moment corresponds to 16:30 hrs. Indian Standard Time.
I make this call my own and invite all our Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful, indeed all those who pray the Our Father in Goa, to pause in silent prayer on the 25th (Wednesday) a few minutes before 16:30 hrs. and, as the hour clocks in, to prayerfully recite the Our Father, preferably along with the other members of the family or community. Members of the other faiths are also invited to join us in prayer.
The Holy Father has also announced that on Friday, 27th March, he will spend time in prayer before the empty St. Peter’s Square, starting at 18:00 hrs. He has invited us, his flock, to participate spiritually, through the means of communication, in the ceremony, which will include the Liturgy of the Word, Prayer of Supplication and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. This will be followed by a special Apostolic Blessing Urbi et Orbi — “to the City of Rome and the world” — with the possibility of us attaining a plenary indulgence.
I therefore call upon all of you to join our Holy Father in prayer at 22:30 hrs. Indian Standard Time on the 27th of March. May the Lord listen to the united prayer of his children and send them his help and protection at this hour of uncertainty.
Archbishop’s House, Panjim, Goa, 24th March, 2020.
( + Filipe Neri Ferrão)
Archbishop of Goa and Daman