Pre-Synodal Meeting of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman
Over 400 people from all over Goa and Daman, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, participated in the Pre-Synodal Meeting of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. held on 18th and 19th March 2022. This meeting is part of the process for the Synod of Bishops to be held in 2023, at Rome.
This was a unique kind of meeting which was a culmination of the consultative process initiated in the Archdiocese, wherein Catholics and even people from other denominations and faiths were consulted to evaluate the functioning of the Church and its faithful. People were asked for suggestions and to critically analyse the functioning of the Church. The data collected was then collated and brought before these representatives who participated in the meeting. The collated information was further discussed and a final document and vision statement was arrived at. The vision statement read as: \” Born of God, we are called to journey together as one Human family, united in Love , committed to take responsibility with Christ and His Church to draw each other and the whole of creation back to the heart of God.\”
(Konkani )- \” Deva thaun zolmol'leam amkam ek monis kuttumb koxem sangatim cholun, mogachea ekcharan, Krista ani tache Povitr Sobhe borabor zobabdari vollkunk, eka-mekak ani akh'ke rochnek Devachea kallzak zhoddun gheunk\”
In His address Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao said that the dream of Jesus for his Church was that there may be communion amongst us and that this may help us in our mission. Communion has to be rooted in the trinity and this rootedness should help us to be in communion with each other, thus leading us to the service of each other. He explained that the second Vatican council highlighted that the Church as a mystery of Communion, People of God and Community of the Disciples of Jesus. He envisaged that we are all equal in the community. While quoting Pope St. John Paul II he said that we need \”to make the Church home and school of Communion.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, Bishop Alex Dias (bishop emeritus of the diocese of Port Blair), Priests , Nuns, representatives from lay faithful, migrants, people of other denominations and faith, differently abled, seminarians, youth, children etc. participated in this meeting through Panel sharings, Group discussions, presentations and so on.
Earlier when the meeting begun, Mrs Gail Misquita (Co-Convenor) welcomed the gathering while Fr. Simiao Fernandes ( Convenor) explained the process that took place till date and briefed about the aim and schedule of the Meeting.
The meeting constituted of sharing of the collated data that was collected from the Archdiocese, followed by group discussions. Faithfull from Daman, Dadar and Nagar-Haveli also presented their way of life through a stage presentation. A poster presentation of how you would like to see the Church, was held by Diocesan Catechetical Centre all over Goa for Catechism Children and the best posters were presented during the Meeting.The youth perspective was also presented on the stage by the Diocesan Youth Centre.
Basically the Archdiocese tried to involve Christians from all walks of life, even migrants and differently-abled, people from other denominations and faith, in making this evaluation a fruitful one. Finally as Fr. Simiao Fernandes put it in his vote of thanks, the process of listening, evaluating, and learning and walking together will continue in our Archdiocese. He thanked everyone, right from Parishes of Goa and Daman to his close collaborators and the Archbishop for contributing towards the success of the Pre-Synodal meet.