Goans flock to Masses and congregations even spill outside the church during many religious services at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Wembley-London.
Photo Credits: GuioMario Nunes
LONDON
At a time when numbers have been steadily declining among parishioners in Masses and other social activities at parishes in and around London, one parish in Wembley, West London, has seen a remarkable turnaround.
Not only are people flocking to Masses, with congregations even spilling outside the church, but the St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Wembley has also now become a hub for social and cultural activities.
And the Goan community has been credited for much of this transformation from an otherwise quiet and largely dormant parish into one which is abuzz with spiritual and cultural activities all year round.
Goans represent a significant and large community – over 2,000 families and an estimated 75% of all parishioners – at the St Joseph’s RC Church in Wembley, participating in all Parish Masses, parish ministries and various activities and events organised within the Parish.
Migration from Goa to the UK is nothing new and has taken place for several decades and this relocation has meant that towns in London have seen an influx of Goans, some of whom have made Wembley their home of choice. This, in turn, has meant that the Parish of St Joseph’s Church, has preserved the faith of Goans, who had traditionally been closely connected with their religion, thereby promoting the faith for future generations.
Barely two decades ago, there were times when the priest would be compelled to read all readings during Mass, given the limited congregation in the Church.
But with the influx of Goans with Portuguese nationality, the entire scenario has changed. The Goans maintain their habits and traditions by continuing to flock to the church not only for the Sunday service but for weekday services which are also well attended.
Goans in the St Joseph’s Parish lead several parish ministries and parish groups, while also playing a crucial role in assisting the clergy in pastoral affairs.
Such has been the participation in Masses that for the Good Friday service at 3 pm, the church and the adjoining 2 halls were filled to capacity, with the congregation even flowing into the church car park and on the public footpath.
St Joseph’s RC Church at Wembley is one of the Mass centres for the Goan Chaplaincy. The Konkani Mass is celebrated by Fr Patrick D’Souza, Goan Chaplain in London, every first Sunday of the month, followed by a tea/coffee and housie.
All major feasts are celebrated with a Konkani Mass at the St Joseph’s RC Church, including St Francis Xavier’s feast where a large number of Goans participate in the Mass and later gather in the parish hall for a get-together.
The Wembley Goans in collaboration with Fr Patrick organised the Chaplaincy Day in 2019 with free dine and dance social, which was attended by over 450 Goans.
More recently, the Goan community was instrumental in initiating the recent ‘Family Day’ event on August 27, which was a celebration of the many cultural communities within the Parish, which included various Indians from Daman, Kerala, Mangalore, and Andhra Pradesh, as well as other communities from Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Caribbean and Africa.
With the Goan community accounting for a majority of worshippers, the ‘Family Day’ event showcased traditional Goan food and delicacies like Pulao/Sorpotel and Bebinca, while popular Konkani songs were sung by Goans in the Parish.
The ‘Family Day’ event was a huge success and has succeeded in connecting different communities with a common goal of the Catholic faith. Such events have shown that the Goan community comes together as one family united not only in faith but also in love.
A group of Goans present the Mando, Konkani songs and other Goan folk songs at St Joseph’s Family Day, Wembley, on August 27.
Photo: Tanishk Varde
