Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration in honour of our Cardinal-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao
The Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration in honour of our Cardinal-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao was organized on 15th September, 2022, at the Cathedral Church Old Goa, at 4pm. His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao presided over it and Bishop Allwyn Barreto, Bishop of Sindhudurg along with around 300 priests and a 1000 people participated in the Eucharist.
As His eminence approached the Main Gate of the Cathedral he was given a warm welcome with the beats of the traditional brass band. Later on a procession of faithful accompanied the Cardinal Patriarch to the main door of the Church where he was showered with Rose Petals and given a warm welcome by the Parish Priest and all the Canons.
In His homily His Eminence highlighted the dream of the Heavenly Father, Which was shared by His Son Jesus Christ and which is the motto of our Cardinal Patriarch, \”That they may all be one\”. He emphasised that Jesus fulfilled this dream by first being in union with His Father and secondly by His Love and service to the brothers and sisters around him. His Eminence called us to do the same and create a one Human Community United to God with love and service for each other.
Later Congratulatory speeches were given by Bishop Allwyn Barreto, Fr. Amando Valadares on behalf of the priests, Sr. Faria Barretto , Superior General of sisters of Handmaids of Christ on behalf of the religious and Andrea Carasco on behalf of the Laity.
Bishop Allwyn expressed his joy at the Cardinalate of His Eminence and expressed that he is a good, simple, systematic person and a good Theologian. He wished him all the best and expressed his joy to work along with him for the Sindhudurg Diocese, which is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.
His eminence was later felicitated with a shawl and Coat of Arms in the name of the Archdiocese by Vicar General Jose Remedious Fernandes. The Ceremony commentator was Fr. Tomas Lobo the Parish priest of Aldona.
Finally thanking everyone His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao stated that in church there are no privileges and positions of honour but responsibilities of service and that he needs prayers and collaboration from everyone to discharge these responsibilities faithfully for the service of the Universal Church.