Other Activities

Family is God’s greatest gift to humankind. A person without family and its love is incomplete and unsatisfied. Fr. Albano Fernandes, the Director of the Diocesan Family Service Centre, Goa and the team comprising of Fr. Movin Menezes, Fr Daniel Pereira and Fr Edson Fernandes have come up with profound teachings on how to build Happy, Healthy and Holy Families. They call it a ‘Family Mission’. This ‘Family Mission’ was held in St. Francis Xavier Church, Korgao Parish from 24th November to 3rd December 2025 to commemorate the Feast of St. Francis Xavier. On each Novena day, they strongly stressed and gave importance to upholding, protecting and promoting family values. These reflections were based on the Pope Francis’ encyclical, titled ‘Amoris Laetitia’ (Joy of Love). This profound document addresses the pastoral care of families. Keeping this, i.e. ‘the pastoral care of the families’ as an important mission of the Church, the ‘Family Mission’ helped the parishioners to ponder and reflect on the modern challenges faced by them while affirming the traditional teachings of the Church. The themes of the Family Mission meaningfully blended with the pastoral theme of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, which was “Hope Does Not Disappoint Us” (Rom. 5:5). 

Here are some effective aspects which the parishioners benefitted as they actively participated and faithfully celebrated the daily novenas. This feedback is compiled by me after asking the views, comments and observations from the various sectors or stages of people like youth, senior citizen, married couple, etc. 

*Healthy Families*: The Family Mission supported families to grow in faith and build relationships. It focussed on the primary importance of the couples in building marital union based on faithfulness, understanding, forgiveness and prayer. It made every member of the family the responsibilities each one has towards peace, joy and love in the family.

*Family Values*: The Family Mission helped the parishioners to focus on building family values in the midst of various challenges faced in the modern times. The importance was placed on striving to place priority on spiritual preparations for the Sacrament of Marriage rather than on the overly concerns about external preparations, on promoting the culture of life by being faithfully open to procreation of children as the number of children has been seen diminishing in the families and respect and care of the elderly, sick and helpless members of the family.  

*Marriage Enrichment*: The Family Mission brought awareness through sermons and resources which assisted the couples to nurture their relationships. It helped them to be selfless in giving rather than to be selfish and to avoid having any dominating attitude towards each other.

*Parenting Support*: The Family Mission provided the guidance and resources through homilies, guided parents to raise their children in faith. To have strong bond within the members of the family, to be open, transparent & friendly in each other relationships.

*Youth and Children’s Programs*: The Family Mission made the youth and children understand their worth in the society and family. It instructed them to allow the Holy Spirit to guide them and to live joyful, fruitful and meaningful lives. Besides, the activities and events for kids and teens, various exposures in church activities blending with social and peer companions could resolve their conflicts as they grow and learn to grow in faith & love relationships. 

*Community Building*: The Novenas days provided the opportunities for families to connect and build relationships within the parish community. 

The Novena days of spiritual preparation for the Feast included various activities and ministries focused on strengthening the family life and promoting Christian values. Parishioners feedback on the homilies were enriching, sessions were lively which were presented through PowerPoint presentations and comfortably helped the people to understand and grasp the meaning of the God’s Word with the help of the Church’s teachings on family life. All the Priests used the relevant day to day practical examples and stories related during sermons were an eye opening shadow or glimpses as art of awareness and introspection of one’s responsibility towards making ‘family what it is called to be’. 

Many families expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the Parish Priest, Fr. Clifford Castelino, who was instrumental in inviting the DFSC to have the Family Mission in the Parish as the spiritual preparation for the Feast of St. Francis Xavier. The Family Mission was a blessing to the families which challenged them to reflect on what’s happening in their families and to resolve to strengthen their family ties and make their family a happy, healthy and holy family with the grace and inspiration of the holy Family of Nazareth and St. Francis Xavier, the patron of their parish. The parishioners expressed their gratitude to Fr. Albano Fernandes and the team for coming up with such an effective and relevant initiative of conducting the Family Mission in the Parishes of the Archdiocese of Goa. We pray that this ‘Family Mission’ help all our families in the Parish to make their families unto the values of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

Sr. Aida Rodrigues, SFN
St. Francis Xavier, Korgao Parish

The 49^th Annual General Body Meeting of Diocesan Family Service Centre, Goa was held on 15^th September 2024 at 4 p.m. in the Panjim office.

Cardinal Ferrao the chairperson of DFSC while addressing the members reminded that each family needs to build their faith on the following three pillars as we prepare spiritually for the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St. Francis Xavier and the Jubilee Year 2025. The pillars are Prayer, Word of God and Eucharist.

He has also requested each family to read and meditate on the issues raised in the Bull of Indiction (SPES NON CONFUNDIT – HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT…..Rom 5:5) issued by the Holy Father in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025 and be a part of the journey of Faith in rectifying the same.

The 4th world day for grandparents and the elderly was celebrated at Our Lady of Hope Church, Candolim on 28th July 2024 in collaboration with the (DFSC) Diocesan Family Service Centre-Goa. On this great occasion the parish installed their Parish family service cell during the Holy Mass.

The day began with a soulful Eucharistic celebration at 8.30 am attended by a large number of parishioners. Fr. Nelson Rodrigues (SAC) Director of Palloti house Assagao, was the main celebrant , co-celebrated by Fr. Ryan Estibeiro the Parish Priest of our Lady of hope church. The homily by Fr. Nelson gave a deep insight in their callings as grandparents, parents and the grandchildren too, for them to be more loving to each other in the family life. No other day better then this one was to install and make them aware of the importance of Parish Family Service cell in the parish amidst innumerable challenges in the present time. A total of 15 couples young and old took oath on that day. The festivities continued with a cultural programme prepared by the Cathecatical Association of the parish that included raising of toast by a grandchild, welcome song by tiny tots, dance of olden golden goan songs, traditional mando dance, puppet show etc. displaying their love
and affection for their grandparents with a beautiful memories to build and expressing their love for their grandparents.

The indoor hall was adorned with nostalgic décor which included olden days goan traditional vessels, (purument) storage items for rains, breads, kakonn, boll to name it few. Surely our grandparents were mesmerized by it since they remembered their childhood. Snacks were served for all. The event included few spot prizes for the grandparents and individual gifts for them too. Mr. Vernon Fernandes secretary of DFSC graced the occasion with his few words of gratitude on behalf of Fr. Albano Fernandes, Director of DFSC, towards the PP. Fr. Ryan and Asst. PP. Fr. Milagres for their full support to celebrate this Day in the parish. It was a successful day indeed with a great participation of 120 grandparents from the parish. It all ended at 12 noon with everyone departing with a smile on their face.

The Diocesan Family Service Centre in collaboration with St. Anthony Church, Galgibaga celebrated the Family Apostolate Sunday on 5^th November 2023. Fr. Albano Fernandes, Director Family Service centre, Goa was the main celebrant at the Parish mass at 8.00 am which was well attended by the Parishioners. In his homily, he thanked God and appreciated the blessing of having good families in our Archdiocese and stressed upon striving to make every family a Happy, Healthy and Holy family keeping before our eyes the icon of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Reflecting on day’s readings, he said that good values, forgiveness and humility in our families are very essential. After the homily a prayer was made for the families and Holy water was sprinkled on the congregation. Before the final blessings, three families from the parish who had four children were given a certificate of ‘Parental Glory’ for being open to life. Fr. Santana Fernandes, the Parish Priest who concelebrated at the Mass welcomed Fr. Albano Fernandes and thanked him for choosing his Parish to celebrate the Family Apostolate Sunday as they celebrated 200 years of faith journey in the footsteps of St. Anthony. Deacon John Fernandes assisted him at the Eucharist.