- 31 August, 2025
Goa, August 31, 2025: The Diocesan Family Service Centre of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, in collaboration with the Christian Family Movement (CFM) and Missionary Families of Christ (MFC), organised the Jubilee of Families at Fr. Agnel Ashram, Verna.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, formally inaugurated the Golden Jubilee Year of the Diocesan Family Service Centre during the celebration of the Jubilee of Families on 31st August 2025. The event was held on the Sunday dedicated to the Family Apostolate.
Cardinal Ferrão presided over the Eucharistic celebration. Fr. Albano Fernandes, Director of the Diocesan Family Service Centre, Fr. Agnelo Gomes, Director of Agnel Educational Complex Verna, Fr. Joaquim Fernandes SVD, Episcopal Vicar for the Religious, and other priests concelebrated the Eucharistic celebration.
Delivering a homily on the theme “Building Families with Love and Understanding: Let Us Become Pilgrims of Hope”, Cardinal Ferrão urged the faithful to shape their homes into families of deep faith, steadfast prayer, and a genuine culture of life.
Stressing the call to live by the traits of Christ’s love, Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), invited families to embody humility, concern, understanding, mercy, and compassion in their daily lives.
Cardinal Ferrão highlighted that the love of Jesus is expressed in humility and service, in concern for others, in understanding, and in merciful compassion. “By sharing, caring, and showing concern towards others, we become pilgrims of hope,” the Cardinal affirmed, calling upon families to experience and radiate the love of Christ. He further emphasised that when families embrace this spirit of humility and mercy, they truly journey together as pilgrims of hope.
In his concluding remarks at the Jubilee of Families, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão reminded the faithful that the Church is on a synodal journey and called on families to become truly synodal families—living in intimacy with Jesus and rooted in Gospel values. He underlined the importance of families living and growing in faith as an essential foundation for Christian life.
The Cardinal commended the dedicated services rendered by the Diocesan Family Service Centre over the past 50 years and gratefully remembered its former Directors for their contributions. He also appealed to the participants to actively collaborate with the Centre in establishing Parish Family Cells in every parish of the Archdiocese, thereby strengthening the mission of the family apostolate.
During the day, a Couple Conference was organised, during which Meflee Braganza, Levin Fernandes, and Jerry D'Sa conducted sessions on the themes “Jesus, Our Hope,” “Renewed search for hope” and “Bearers of Hope” respectively. A few couples shared their testimonies of family life.
Former Director of the Family Service Centre, Fr. Mario Saturnino Dias, who was present on the occasion, was felicitated. The Centre also remembered the other former directors and thanked them for their contribution towards the Family Centre. A highlight of the day’s programme was the release of the Konkani book “Bhorvanxeache Munne: Marie Sangata Kuttumbachi Yatra” (a book on the Rosary in families), authored by Fr. Albano Fernandes, Director of the Diocesan Family Service Centre, and released at the hands of the Cardinal.
The day’s programme began with the recitation of the Rosary and also included praise and worship sessions. The event was anchored by Marlon and Meryl Fernandes. Missionary Families of Christ led the liturgical singing during the Eucharistic celebration. Eight hundred and fifty adults with fifty children participated in the event.
Fr. Albano Fernandes expressed his gratitude to all who contributed to the celebration.
By Bro. Malvino Alfonso
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