The Konkani Choir during Mass at the St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Adelaide.
ADELAIDE
The Feast of St Francis Xavier was celebrated by the Adelaide Goan Community on November 30, it being the closest weekend to the actual feast day.
The highlight was the Mass in Konkani, celebrated by Fr Lancy D'Silva CSC. The chaplain of the Konkani Community of Adelaide, Fr Santhosh Nazareth was unable to preside due to being indisposed.
Notably, the feast was a joint celebration by both the Goan and Mangalorean communities, Konkani being the common and binding thread. Many Mangaloreans acknowledge that their roots lie in Goa and even their principal feast, the Monthi Fest originated in Goa.
Fr Lancy, who spent nearly a decade serving in Goa and who was instrumental in setting up the seminary of the The Fathers of Holy Cross at Nuvem, recounted the life of St Francis Xavier in his homily.
St Francis Xavier's zeal to make Christ and His gift of eternal life known to the nations was very consonant with the theme for the ongoing Exposition at Old Goa “Xubvortomanache Porgottnnar Ami” (We are proclaimers of the Gospel).
He narrated a personal account of his visit to Goa recently along with his mother and how in an extraordinary way, an unknown person he was to meet at the Basilica at Old Goa, was present right in front of him. He attributed this to be a gift of God.
The Konkani choir led by the Goan Community coordinator Blaise Fernandes infused a devotional fervour in the congregation with hymns from both Goan and Mangalorean origin.
In the vote of thanks, Blaise emphasised the need to maintain worship in the mother tongue while also connecting back to the faith and the mother land.
Priyanka Mascarenhas and Ashwith D'Souza did a commendable job with the liturgy and mobilising community participation. A short pre-Mass video on the life of St Francis Xavier by Adelina Fernandes captured the essence of his mission to India and South East Asia, which was unequivocally the person and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A special occasion of the presentation of their newborn daughter at the Mass by Nikhil and Rensha Pais was also held during the Mass.
Savio Pinto Assagao and Derrick Nazareth, Moira during dinner at the hall of the St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Adelaide.
After the Mass, a festive dinner was held with Chef Greg Abranches, ancestrally from Pirna in Goa, cooking up traditional Goan delicacies including Xacuti and Vindalho. Xavier Paul kept the mood festive with his compering and members of the community presented praise and worship as well as popular songs.
Shanice Noronha and Flora Soans accompanied by Blaise Fernandes brought in the Christmas spirit with a medley of carols. A few community members went out of the way to provide the food and refreshments and volunteered in a way very worthy of mention. Bryan and Angelica Fernandez, veteran archdiocese volunteers were present with their unflinching support.
The Goan community at dinner in the hall of the St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Adelaide.
On December 3, the Feast was celebrated at the St Francis Xavier Cathedral Adelaide in English again by Fr Lancy D’Silva CSC, Dean of the Cathedral and Administrator of the Adelaide Cathedral parish. Fr Dean Marin, Vicar General delivered the homily.
The ‘Sam Francisku Xaviera’ hymn was sung in Konkani at the end of the Mass which gave it a Goan touch. A wonderful dinner was organised after the Mass by Agnello Fernandes, originally from Carmona, and his team.
