After Mumbai-based Catholics asked for Marathi services at the decennial exposition of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa next month, the Archdiocese of Goa has announced a mass in the language during the festival for the first time.
FPJ had reported the demands by the city's Catholics for Marathi religious services. The annual feast day of St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa, is one of the most important religious festivals in Goa. The exposition of the saint's four centuries-old mortal remains will be held between November 21 and January 5, 2025, at the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Masses are scheduled in Konkani, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Kannada, and Portuguese. Mumbai groups like the Watchdog Foundation and the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat wrote to the archbishop to say there were no services in Marathi. However, many Catholics from Maharashtra attend the festival.
On Wednesday, Father Henry Falcao, Convenor, Exposition Committee, informed the Mumbai groups that a Marathi mass will be celebrated on November 30 at 12.45pm. "People traveling from Mumbai, Vasai, and other Marathi-speaking areas have always been doing this and this year too it is possible. We have rectified the mistake of not including the above date on the digital poster and have included it on the printed copy of the same," said Falcao in a letter to Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation.
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Falcao said Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao, who was traveling to Rome, forwarded him the email written by Mumbai groups. He said that besides the regular masses in Konkani and English, there are two-time slots reserved for services in other languages, and pilgrims coming from other states of India can book these for a mass in their language.
Gleason Barretto of the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat said they have also received communication from the Archbishop of Goa. "Thanks for conceding to our demands by approving one Marathi mass during the Exposition. MGPs demand for more Marathi masses has been sent with an action plan to be released in a week," said Barretto.
Melwyn Fernandes, Secretary of the Association of Concerned Christians, said, "We are very happy that the demand of Marathi language mass for Goa St Xavier's exposition is fulfilled. Catholic clergymen listen to their flocks' voices."
