The Pilar Society, also known as the Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, elected Father Nazareth Rosario Fernandes as its new superior general.
The election took place on August 6 during the general chapter of the Society in the western Indian state of Goa.
Father Steevan D'Souza of Udupi was elected Vicar General; Father Anthony Joseph Fernandes, Father Saturnino Almeida and Father Maria Michael were elected councilors, and Father Derick Rodrigues was elected general treasurer of the Society.
The General Chapter convened on July 31 with the theme "In Him-For All, with Hope.”
"The quality of our union in Christ is the key to all renewal and mission," said Father Santosh Mendonca, secretary of the Pre-Chapter committee.
"Being immersed in Christ would certainly have the mind of Jesus and become a person for all," he added. "The terrifying Covid-19 pandemic, the socio-political situation that makes the church insecure, and the many anxieties of Society members led us to include hope in the theme of the General Chapter."
"I may not have many abilities," he said in his first address to the General Chapter's capitulars, "but I am available to carry on the society's works."
He has four brothers and one sister and is the son of Joaquim Manuel Fernandes and Maria Joaquina Fernandes.
He earned a licentiate in Church History from the Gregorian University in Rome. He teaches at the Pilar Theological Seminary in Goa. He was the rector of Pilar Niketan in Nagpur as well as the All India Mission Seminary in Pilar. He was the Provincial Superior of the Kolkata Province and worked in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands missions.
He also served on the General Council for two terms and was the Society of Pilar's Vicar General for the last five years.
On the day following the election (August 7), Father Nazareth celebrated a solemn Mass in the Pilar Monastery Church.
"I will uphold the constitutions and traditions of the Society of Pilar and continue to witness and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, especially to those who have not yet known him," he said during his homily.
A felicitation program was held in honor of the New General Administration. In his remarks, Father Nazareth thanked all members and the outgoing administration for their efforts in guiding the Society.
Over 350 priests and a few lay brothers now serve in the provinces of Delhi, Goa, Kolkata, Mumbai, and the Agnel region.
The Society works for people's social uplift and integral development without regard to caste, class, or creed. Its members work in Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman, Diu, and Nagar-Haveli.
It has established missions and parishes in countries such as Nepal, England, the United States, Germany, Italy, and Mauritania. - Elvis Fernandes
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
