The Season of Creation 2026 was officially inaugurated at St. Anne’s Church, Ponda, on Tuesday, 1st September 2026, with a solemn Holy Eucharistic Celebration presided over by His Lordship Most Rev. Simiao Purificação Fernandes, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. The opening ceremony marked an important milestone in the 8th Centenary Celebration of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi (1226–2026) at St. Anne’s Church and also launched the parish’s 40 Days of Ecology Action. The Season of Creation 2026 is being celebrated under the theme “Living Waters: From the Sanctuary to the World”, inspired by Ezekiel 47:9: “Everything will live where the river flows.”
Holy Eucharist and Mother Mary’s Novena; The Eucharistic Celebration formed part of the Novena and Mass in honour of Mother Mary, bringing together parishioners, clergy, families, children and well-wishers for an evening of prayer, gratitude and commitment to the care of creation. Concelebrating with the Bishop were Fr. Anthony Carvalho, representing the Diocesan Commission for Ecology (DCE); Fr. Francis Rozario OFM, Parish Priest of St. Anne’s Church; Fr. Carlos Dias,OFM Chaplain of Mount Carmel Chapel; and Fr. Hemant OFM and Fr. Anil OFM.
The presence of the clergy and the faithful gave the opening celebration a distinctly Franciscan character, linking prayer, Eucharist, creation and the responsibility of humanity to care for Our Common Home.
A Homily with a Powerful Ecological Message; In his homily, Bishop Simiao beautifully articulated the ecological message through a simple but powerful story of a hunter and a deer. The deer, while being pursued by the hunter, found refuge beneath a tree. Safe for the moment, it began feeding on the leaves of the very tree that had provided it shelter. Gradually, driven by greed, the deer consumed all the leaves. Having destroyed the protection that had concealed it from the hunter, the deer became exposed and an easy prey.
The story provided a profound reflection on the consequences of human greed. The Bishop drew a parallel between the deer and humanity today, reminding the faithful that human beings, through excessive consumption, greed and irresponsible exploitation of nature, are destroying the very environment that sustains and protects life. The message was particularly appropriate to the Season of Creation: humanity cannot continue to exploit the earth without eventually suffering the consequences of its own actions. The ecological crisis is therefore not merely an environmental issue but also a moral and spiritual responsibility.
“Living Waters” Offered at the Altar; A particularly significant moment during the Offertory was the presentation of waters collected from the rivers, wells, lakes and other water bodies across Ponda Parish. Water from the Khandepar and Durbhat Rivers, together with water from several wells, lakes and other water bodies from different parts of the parish, was brought to the altar and offered to the Lord. The symbolic offering beautifully expressed the theme “Living Waters”, reminding the community that water is a precious gift from God and a source of life for creation. The offering also served as a commitment by the parish community to become custodians of its rivers, wells, lakes, springs and other water resources.
Fellowship in the Spirit of Creation; Following the Eucharistic Celebration, the faithful participated in a fellowship gathering where traditional sweets were served in coconut shells. The simple yet meaningful gesture celebrated the richness of Goa’s traditional culture while also highlighting the ecological value of using natural and locally available materials. The fellowship was warmly appreciated and enjoyed by the faithful.
Opening of the Church Hall and Handover of the Season of Creation Flag; Following the Eucharist and fellowship, Bishop Simiao officially opened the Church Hall, which has become an important centre for the various activities connected with the 8th Centenary and Season of Creation celebrations. The hall will host several programmes, exhibitions, training initiatives, meetings and ecological activities during the Season of Creation and the months ahead.
In a symbolic gesture of responsibility, His Lordship handed over the Season of Creation Theme Flag to Parish Priest Fr. Francis Rozario OFM. The handover represented a commitment to carry forward the Season of Creation programme and ensure that the planned activities are undertaken with the spirit of Laudato Si’ and the Franciscan call to care for creation.
Soft Opening of the Coconut Exhibition
The evening also witnessed the soft opening of the Coconut Exhibition, as part of the World Coconut Day which falls on 2nd September 2026. The opening was to celebrate the coconut tree as a remarkable symbol of Goa’s culture, livelihood and sustainable relationship with creation.
The exhibition began with prayers and blessings over the coconuts brought by parishioners and people from different faith communities. The exhibition presents the extraordinary versatility of the coconut tree—from food products and traditional preparations to handicrafts, household articles, tools and objects associated with different occupations and aspects of daily life.
Particularly noteworthy were the creative exhibits “Best out of Waste” prepared by the catechetical children, who demonstrated how faith formation can be connected with ecology, creativity and appreciation of local traditions. The coconut, often regarded as a “Tree of Life,” provided an appropriate symbol for the Season of Creation, demonstrating how one gift of creation can sustain livelihoods, culture, food, shelter and countless human activities. The coconut exhibition will also serve as a platform for an interfaith dialogue initiative, bringing people of different faith traditions together around the shared responsibility of caring for creation.
Official Website of the 8th Centenary Inaugurated
Another significant highlight of the programme was the inauguration of the official website of the 8th Centenary Celebration of St. Anne’s Church, Ponda. The website will serve as a digital platform to communicate the history, spirituality, programmes, initiatives and activities associated with the 8th Centenary, as well as provide information and updates on the Season of Creation initiatives.
A Parish Journey from Prayer to Action
The opening of the Season of Creation at St. Anne’s Church was more than a ceremonial inauguration. It brought together faith, Eucharist, ecology, culture, community and action. The parish has embarked on a 40-day journey of ecological action inspired by the teachings of Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ and the Franciscan spirituality of care for Our Common Home.
Through its various planned initiatives, St. Anne’s seeks to encourage families, children, young people and the wider community to move from awareness to concrete action in protecting water, forests, biodiversity and the environment. The message of the opening celebration was clear: creation is not merely something to be admired—it is a gift entrusted to humanity and a responsibility to be shared. As the Season of Creation 2026 unfolds, St. Anne’s Church, Ponda hopes that its celebration of “Living Waters: From the Sanctuary to the World” will inspire individuals, families and communities to become living witnesses of ecological conversion.
A Call to the Community
The parish invites everyone to participate in the many programmes being organised throughout the Season of Creation and the 8th Centenary celebrations. The journey that began on 1 September 2026 will continue through prayer, reflection, education, exhibitions, ecological action, fellowship and community participation, culminating in the celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on 4 October 2026. From the sanctuary to the world, may the Living Waters flow—bringing life, hope and renewal to all creation.
“Everything will live where the river flows.” — Ezekiel 47:9
The Season of Creation activities at St. Anne’s Church, Ponda are being organised in collaboration with the Diocesan Commission for Ecology as part of the parish’s 8th Centenary Celebration of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi (1226–2026).
Report by : Kennedy D’Silva
