Diocesan Pastoral Council Elects Its New Executive Committee
The second quarterly meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC) for the pastoral year 2022-2023 was held on September 25, 2022 at Lar de Estudantes, Altinho, Panjim. The meeting began with Holy Eucharist celebrated by His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão. The members of DPC thanked God for the elevation of His eminence, Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão to the College of Cardinals and for their vocation as lay faithful.
The executive committee of the DPC led the council in felicitating His eminence by presenting a shawl, followed by a memento which highlighted the important moments of the Ordinary consistory of Cardinals held in Rome on August 27, 2022. Thereafter, the election of the new executive committee for the DPC was conducted by secret ballot, in a prayerful atmosphere, allowing the Spirit of God to help make proper choice. The New DPC ExCo hence elected comprises of Moderator: Mr. Deron Rodrigues, Vice Moderator: Mrs. Corina Soares e Fernandes, Secretary: Dr. (Mrs.) Aida Dourado, Jt. Secretary: Mr. Michael Mendonca and Executive Members: Ms. Asha Vaz and Mr. Merwyn Rodrigues. The president of the executive committee is the Archbishop of the diocese, His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão. Besides that the director and executive secretary of the Diocesan Pastoral Secretariat, Rev. Frs. Leonardo de Souza and Leo Lucio Fernandes and Director of Diocesan Centre for Lay Apostolate, Rev. Fr. Jorge Fernandes are the ex-officio members in the Executive committee.
The Archbishop and Cardinal, His Eminence congratulated the newly elected ExCo of the DPC and thanked the outgoing ExCo for their wonderful functioning and reminded that we must never be tired of carrying forward the mission of Christ. As a token of appreciation for their dedicated service, the outgoing ExCo of the DPC was presented souvenir which was a Memory collage of the journey. Each member of the newly elected DPC ExCo was given a lighted candle reminding them the words of Jesus from John 8: 12, “I am the light of the world. … Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”. The meeting concluded after receiving the blessings from His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão.