MISSION EXPOSURE PROGRAM AT DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI
On the 21st of January 2023, the Pastoralites comprising of 5 priests and 6 deacons along with Fr Miguel Pereira travelled to the farthest end of our archdiocese, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, as part of our Mission Exposure Program.
We resided in the Pastoral Institute (Dapada) the day we arrived and under the able guidance of Fr Ben Rodrigues (sfx) we went to the different parishes two by two (a priest and deacon) just as in the Gospel when Jesus sends his apostles two by two before him. (Mark 6:7)
The 6 groups went to the village parish of Madhuban, Khanvel, Shelti, Chinsda, Sindoni and Dudhani. Each group had a unique and memorable experience as we lived in the village along with the people. We visited the villages during the day, had lunch in the house that offered us shelter and shared bakar (bread) with the family members. In the evening we gathered in a small chapel or a house to celebrate the Holy Eucharist.
The mass was in Marathi and in some places in Gujarati. The people would enter the place of worship barefooted and then neatly seat on the mats cross-legged for the entire celebration. Their music is soulful, decorated with the cymbal, dhol and other instruments.
We stayed in the villages for four days and then returned to the Pastoral Institute. The following day we went to all the parishes each group showing us around their parish. We also travelled to Silvassa and Daman meeting the priests and spending time with them.
I feel enriched by this experience. The work done by the priests of the various congregations like Pilar, Franciscans, SVD, Fransalians and others is immense along with the sisters who support them equally, especially in the pastoral ministry. It was a proud moment to meet our diocesan priests Frs. Francis, Selwino and Sem. Elidio in Chinsda.
In this short time that we travelled to the various parishes we greatly experienced the generosity of the people and the priests too. They would share whatever they had and welcomed us with a warm embrace. I learnt a valuable lesson of giving and sharing in my time I spent there.
I believe as diocesan priests we are blessed to have our very own mission station in our Archdiocese. It would be a blessing if we could volunteer our service and our time to go to this mission area and spend a few months with the people sharing our talents, and rich faith experiences with them. I am sure we will all return more humble, more enriched and experience the missionary ministry of Jesus firsthand. We thank God, director and staff of the Pastoral Institute and all the people and religious of Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli for this mission exposure program.
Report by Fr. Melito D Costa