India: Cardinal Ferrão Calls the Church in Goa and Daman to Carry Forward the Fruits of the Jubilee Year

As the Year of the Ordinary Jubilee 2025 drew to a close in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, southwest India, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman and President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CCBI), speaking to Radio Veritas Asia, described the Holy Year as “a gift of grace” that has deeply touched the lives of the faithful.

Reflecting on the journey of the Jubilee, Cardinal Ferrão said it was “an invitation to pause, to return to the Lord and to rediscover the joy of walking together as pilgrims of hope.” He acknowledged that many entered the Jubilee carrying personal struggles, unanswered questions, and hidden wounds, yet emerged with renewed assurance of God’s nearness. “You leave this Jubilee reminded that you are not alone, that the Lord walks with you, and that His mercy is always greater than our sin,” said the prelate.

The Cardinal expressed deep gratitude to all who contributed to making the Jubilee a lived experience across parishes and institutions. Thanking priests, deacons, religious, lay leaders, and young people, he noted that much of the service rendered during the Holy Year took place quietly and without recognition. “You showed us that faith is lived most authentically in daily life, in rectories, convents, homes, workplaces, schools, and neighbourhoods,” he observed, adding that such fidelity “has strengthened the Church more than you will ever realize.”

Addressing the future of parish life, the Cardinal underlined that a Jubilee is never meant to be a “once-and-done” event. “Its spirit really comes alive when it reshapes everyday parish life,” he said.

Five Ways to Keep the Spirit of the Jubilee Alive in Parish Life

Explaining how the grace of the Jubilee should continue shaping everyday parish life, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão said that the spirit of the Holy Year must be carried forward in concrete and visible ways.

He noted, first, that mercy must become a lived experience in parish communities. Recalling that the Jubilee strongly emphasized God’s mercy, he said parish life should continue to reflect this by welcoming those who feel distant from the Church, fostering a culture of forgiveness, and ensuring that the Sacrament of Reconciliation remains accessible and gently encouraged.

Secondly, the Cardinal stressed the need for parishes to stay close to the poor and the forgotten. He pointed out that Jubilee years have always carried a strong social dimension and said this can be sustained by strengthening charitable ministries, collaborating with local service organisations, and helping parishioners understand that service is not an optional extra, but an essential expression of faith.

The Cardinal further underlined the importance of deepening prayer, not merely increasing activity. He observed that many rediscovered the value of prayer during the Jubilee and encouraged parishes to build on this renewal through regular Eucharistic Adoration, Scripture-sharing groups, and simple prayer gatherings that help people learn to pray in daily life and not only within church walls.

Speaking about communion and participation, Cardinal Ferrão said the Jubilee’s call to pilgrimage must continue through walking together as a community. He explained that this happens when parishes listen attentively, value collaboration, and invite people of all ages to share their gifts, adding that synodal habits such as dialogue, discernment, and mutual respect should remain part of parish culture even after the Jubilee has ended.

Finally, he emphasized the need to form missionary disciples, reminding the faithful that the Jubilee reaffirmed that faith is meant to be shared. Parish life, he said, should help people see themselves as witnesses to the Gospel in their families, workplaces, schools, neighbourhoods, and even in the digital space, living their faith with humility and courage.

 “The Jubilee continues when a parish becomes a place of hope, mercy, prayer, service and shared mission,” Cardinal Ferrão explained, describing it as “ordinary life lived with renewed hearts.”

Entrusting the Archdiocese to the maternal guidance of Mary, he concluded with a prayerful hope: “May Mary, the Mother of Hope, continue to be our guide. And may the Lord bless you and keep you, filling you with peace and courage, today and always.”

As the Church in Goa and Daman steps beyond the Jubilee threshold, the Cardinal’s message resounds clearly: the grace received must now become grace shared, shaping a Church that listens, heals, accompanies, and reflects the compassion of Christ to all.