The chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, Nossa Senhora de Lourdes in Portuguese, is located on a hilly plateau in Calizor ward in Moira. It has no resident priest at present; but the Catholics here try to arrange for a priest to celebrate the Eucharist on Sundays.
ORIGINDEVELOPMENTS
The balcony of the chapel was constructed on February 11, 1970; the expenses of which were met by Pedro Leao De Melo and his family, who celebrated the feast that year. Inserted into chapel wall is a white marble stone with the following words inscribed: Lourdes Saebinniche Porbechea ugddasak ho balkanv (Zache khors 4 ozar) bettoitat Porob Kornar Shri Pedro Leao De Melo ani tachi Famil, 11-2-1970.
The grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the chapel compound was constructed on February 1, 1953, and its expenses were met through public subscription.
On the occasion of the Chapel’s Platinum jubilee, the president of the Chapel Committee, Antonio Nazare, decided to install the statue of St Bernadette, to whom Our Lady had appeared on several occasions, in the chapel, which was donated by Michael Nazareth. A white marble stone inserted in the chapel wall states this fact – To commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Lourdes chapel. The statue of Bernadette is installed and blessed by his Grace the Patriarch Raul N Gonsalves. 1989.
With more and more Catholic families settling in this part of the village, it was difficult to accommodate them in the present chapel; hence the need was felt to extend it. At the meeting of the Chapel Committee held on January 13, 2002, it was decided unanimously to extend the chapel or construct an adequate accommodation.
The initial idea to extend it from the front was unacceptable to all. It was then decided to construct a new wing on the left side of the chapel. The foundation stone for it was blessed on February 11, 2002, by then auxiliary bishop Filipe Neri Ferrao. A black marble stone inserted into the wall states this fact: Rt. Rev. Msgr. Felipe Neri Ferrao, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Goa & Daman, Blessed the Foundation stone of the left side Wing of the chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes, on 11th February 2002.
Architect Leonel Costa designed the left wing and the cost of Rs 6 lakh was met by organising various programmes such as tiatrs, housie and hampers. The then chaplain, Fr Antonio Xavier D’ Souza inaugurated it on February 11, 2003. The black marble stone inserted into the left side of the new Wing has these words - Chapel of Lourdes, left side Wing inaugurated by Fr Antonio Xavier D’ Souza on 11th February 2003. Behind the main altar enclosed in glass is the statue of the patroness.
FEAST
The feast of the chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, is celebrated with great enthusiasm and deep devotion by the catholic population of these wards, on February 11.
Prior to it is the Maddi and the 9-day thematic Novena, which are held in the evenings. After the Feast Day High Mass is a Pursanv in the compound, followed by the blessing of the faithful. After the evening Mass in the church, the faithful come in a candlelit procession to the Church and gather at the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. The priest then delivers a homily from here. This is followed by the hamper draw and the housie.
(The writer is Superior at Casa Professa, Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa)
