Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (mb)
from special correspondent
with additional inputs and pics by Rajtilak Naik
Panaji, Dec 30: A Christmas gathering for special invitees from all faiths, people's representatives, officials etc. was held on Friday in the precincts of Archbishop's House at Altinho here.
Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao addressed the distinguished gathering and gave his Christmas message. Here is the full text of his speech.
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It is with great pleasure and genuine delight that, together with His Grace, Archbishop Raul Gonsalves, my respected Predecessor, I welcome you all to this evening of friendship here at Archbishop’s House, in this festive season of Christmas, a season that calls for the sharing of goodwill, of friendship, of mutual concern, of peace. Thank you very much for accepting our invitation!
The Feast of Christmas celebrates the Birth of Jesus Christ, which took place over two thousand years ago. Christians all over the world believe that the birth of Christ signals an historical descent of the divine reality into human history, for we believe that, at that first Christmas, God took human form and was named Jesus and that this uniquely holy birth elevated human dignity to its highest level.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao addressing the gathering during the Christmas celebration at Bishop House at Altinho, Panaji on Friday. Also seen are chief minister Digambar Kamat, Bishop Emeritus Raul Gonsalves, Ms Asha Kamat, chief cecretary J P Singh and others
The meaning of Christ’s birth for humanity today is well expressed in the following words that I quote from an important document endorsed by the Pope and by nearly two thousand bishops who had gathered from all over the world for the Second Vatican Council in the nineteen sixties. It says: “By his birth, Jesus Christ has in a certain way united himself with every human person.” The document is titled ‘Church in the Modern World.’ This identification between God and the human person means, on the one hand, that whatever service we render to human beings we render to God.
On the other hand, it means that whenever and wherever human persons are degraded, there God is insulted. The mission of Jesus Christ in the world is, therefore, the protection and the development of the whole human person and of every human person in society, irrespective of sex, caste, class or religion. The Church exists in the world precisely to continue this mission.
So, not only anthropologically are we all members of one human family, but also theologically, we are members of God’s family on earth, for the Universal Lord and Creator became our Brother at Bethlehem, two thousand years ago. Therefore, we have to treat one another and care for one another as family members. It is for the whole human family that, for almost a month before Christmas, the Church kept praying: “Come, Lord Jesus, bring Peace to our earth.”
The Christmas celebration function proceedings in front of the Archbishop's House at Altinho, Panaji
In 1963, Pope John XXIII wrote an Encyclical Letter to the global family of humankind and titled it ‘Peace on Earth.’ The Letter made such a universal impact that it was discussed in the United Nations. But the horrors of successive wars in different parts of the globe drowned the hopes for peace that this great man had verbalized. However, what Pope John XXIII dreamed will never die. The seemingly impossible dream of a world that enjoys abiding peace lives forever in the hearts of the ‘hoi polloi,’ the majority of the people who constitute the human family of this world and who depend on good and wise governance to achieve this goal.
The Pope articulated simple but comprehensive guidelines for bringing peace on earth. We must work, he said, for a society founded on truth, built up on justice, with love as its crown, and freedom as its environment.
Peace in society for the entire human family is both a process and a goal. It is at once an ongoing work, in which we all must participate and collaborate, and a final point at which we hope to arrive. Peacemaking is the mission of the Church, which continues the mission of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. The question I would like all of us to ask ourselves today is: ‘How can we work together, in this tiny State of Goa, to bring about a society of peace, founded on truth, built up on justice, with love as its crown and freedom as its environment?’
The esteemed gathering
A society founded on truth means that we must break the codes of suspicion that have crept up between different religions, different political groups, between civil society and the State and even between the Church and the State. In fact, the Church often seems to work independently of, parallel to and even in opposition to the government’s decisions and actions.
But has the position and, more pointedly, the intention of the Church been always understood? On the other side, we do understand that the Government often has to face the delicate situation of listening to dissenting voices and sifting out the difference between contentious rebels and genuine prophets or - if I may call them - ‘truth-workers.’ Truth-telling, in practice, involves that what is said is understood as truth and therefore it must be said in a language that everyone can understand; it finally must come from someone who is credible and trustworthy.
All of us here are people with a heavy social responsibility on our shoulders: the Government, to begin with, the public authorities and the Church. The people look up to us for orientation, guidance and good governance. We owe it to the people to create safe and hospitable spaces where truth can be spoken and heard and lies can be laid bare and overcome. They must know that we mean what we say when we tell them that we are with them and for them. Can we create such spaces of trust and truthfulness, beginning right here?
A society built up on justice: This is possible only when the truth is established. Otherwise, there is the risk of revenge or even of revolt. Justice demands that wrongdoing is punished and the dignity and the rights of the victims are restored. Justice demands that the basic needs and the common good of all the members of society are secured: simple basic needs such as supply of clean water, adequate health care, proper educational facilities, good roads, etc. Justice demands that institutions and social processes are re-oriented for peace. Pope Paul VI has rightly said that “justice is another name for peace.”
Christmas carols presented by 'Namah'
What has happened yesterday in the neighbouring country of Pakistan is a sad reminder of how unscrupulously peace can be destroyed and justice can be trampled underfoot by forces that work to destabilize the foundations of a harmonious society. How can we then all collaborate to set up social structures, not only for peacemaking, where peace has been broken, but also for maintaining and enhancing peace - for peacekeeping?
A society that has love as its crown: This means that conflict must be replaced by understanding and dialogue. We need interreligious dialogue, so that religions contribute to peace rather than to conflict. Every religion preaches love, not violence. Nevertheless, we find sometimes the worst of conflicts, hatreds, persecutions and massacres being perpetrated in the name of religion. Is it really religions that teach us to engage in such anti-social and peace-destroying activities? Is it not rather some political systems that cause communal passions to flare up, transforming them into pliable instruments of hatred and violence upon innocent victims, while the perpetrators go free and, indeed, quite happy that their vicious intents and political mileage have been achieved?
In my official visits to our various parishes or churches in our Archdiocese - I have been able to conduct so far 120 such Pastoral Visits - I have had the joy of taking part in interreligious meetings or assemblies in almost every parish and I have found out how our simple people – our aam admi, if you will – of various religious backgrounds are amenable and positively willing to join hands and work together for peace and harmony in our little State. And yet, we have the hydra of communalism raising its ugly head every now and then in our beloved Goa!
If, on the one hand, interreligious dialogue is the need of the hour, we need also, side by side, a dialogue of life, where we enter into the joys and sorrows, griefs and anxieties of one another and learn to be constantly supportive and in solidarity with one another, as members of one human family, irrespective of religion, class, sex or culture. How can we, Government, Church and people of goodwill do this together in our State?
The Bishop House at Altinho, Panaji
A society with freedom as its environment is the ideal of every true democracy. We take pride in being the largest democracy in the world and our Constitution has articulated for us the God-given gift of freedom. We proclaim to the four winds that freedom is the birthright of every Indian. How ready you and I are to sacrifice ourselves and our selfish interests so that our common citizens – and particularly those who are victimized and oppressed – may enjoy the peaceful possession of this birthright?
It is only in an atmosphere of freedom from fear and coercion that we can dialogue, trust and make peace with one another. How do we then ensure freedom as the environment of our people and society? The government and the public authorities are challenged to do this in society; my collaborators and I are challenged to do the same within the Church. Let us try, in the healthiest of spirits, to outdo one another in the achievement of this goal!
I shall end with the assurance that we have given consistently on this meaningful occasion in these last three years, namely, that the Church in Goa will be only too glad to offer her collaboration in the building of a supportive society that sincerely and genuinely promotes the dignity of the human person, religious and cultural harmony as well as peace and justice for everyone - a society that, above all, would safeguard, for generations to come, our genuine Goan identity and typical traditions.
This collaboration of the Church has not always been understood by all as such. What we would like to assure you and every concerned citizen is that, in all that we do and say, we are, in truth, trying to be of genuine help. And we hope to meet with better understanding from those who watch us.
Once again, I wholeheartedly thank the Hon. Chief Minister, Mr. Kamat, Mrs. Kamat, all the authorities in the Government and our distinguished guests for accepting our invitation and making time to be with us this evening. We wish and pray that God Almighty may give you and your families a New Year filled with His choicest blessings and inspire us all to serve our people with greater dedication and good will, so that we can promote an environment that is truly conducive to abiding peace and justice. A very Happy New Year of 2008 to you all!
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Other news in pics
Residents of Verem, Betim once again blocked the main road over the issue of irregural and muddy water supply in the area
Chief minister Digambar Kamat is seen briefing the media over the security level in the state during a press conference at his residence at Altinho,Panaji. Also seen are home minister Ravi Naik, toursim minister Francisco Pacheco and chief secretary J P Singh
Contract security personnel held a Morcha at Panaji. The security personnels are protesting against the appointment of new non-Goan security personnels in their place in various departments in the state including the Goa Assembly
Rajtilak Naik
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