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Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier
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Pioneers Of The FieldThe Society of the missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, Pilar, Goa, is an indigenous Society and has a long checkered history having very humble beginnings. It was an offshoot of the missionary movement that began after the long period of religious persecution in Goa. Community Witness. The hallmark of a Pilar Missionary is his Community where all his strength lies. Being a Society of Apostolic Life, the community is at the service of the apostolate. The spirit of daring or pioneering is reflected in the two member communities which are deliberately maintained small to allow room for carrying out pioneering works and activities. The small community fulfills the Society’s charism in a simple but wonderful manner. It gives a leeway to plan and implement programs effectively and efficiently with a great deal of flexibility and finesse. The community learns to adapt itself to the place, people and situations and like Jesus “pitching his tent” in perfect missionary milieu and environment. The community is empowered to carry on the tasks envisaged by them in the given situation. The community, thus, small though it be, is a splendid witness of God’s love in simplicity and daring. That’s the reason the Pilar Father can adapt himself wonderfully well in keeping our patrimony. Equipping for the task. The Pilar Father is sent to build Small Human Communities wherein there is no discrimination on the basis of caste, color, or creed. His pioneering activity implies that he has to be well equipped to deliver the goods. Besides, the basic doctrinal preparation, he has to undergo a lot of training: language study, inculturation, and social work as also other essential requirements. This needs a great deal of Physical and mental adjustment, which again is in the realm of pioneering work. A Pilar Father has to be infinitely patient and a man of sacrifice. He has to develop a spirit of courage and confidence, convictions and commitment, which are the armors for his successful missionary forays often into unfamiliar, arduous, and difficult terrain. Always looking ahead with love. A Pilar Missionary marches forward with a broad vision. The road may be bumpy, stony or full of potholes. He neither flinches nor flounders. Armed with the Spirit of the Lord he always looks far and beyond to conquer new vistas in a spirit of daring and sacrifice. He is very enthusiastic and eager to break barriers and cross-new frontiers in hope. That’s the pioneering spirit that has caught a Pilar Missionary like a bug. Beginnings. The members of the reorganized Society aimed at doing pioneering work for the socio-educational uplift of the poor and downtrodden, first of all in the virgin land of Nagar Haveli, part of the Archdiocese of Goa, yet cut off from it by long distances. Soon after the profession of the re-organizers, two of them, namely Fr J Albuquerque and Fr. T. Cabral pioneered that mission in 1940. As the number of members increased, the Society extended its services to the whole of Nagar Haveli and Daman launching an intense socio-religious and educational apostolate among the poor and down trodden tribals. New Missions. From 1951, the Society started broadening its apostolate throughout India. New mission areas of Sanguem (Goa) and of Ambarnath (Bombay) were accepted in 1951. The mission areas were extended further to Punjab Haryana from 1961 and to Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1965. These slowly developed into the so-called Regions of the Society. The Society extended its services to the other States, thereafter. So far the Society is composed only of Indian nationals and is working today in 18 dioceses (spread in 12 States and 5 Union Territories) of the Indian Union and in the neighboring country of Nepal. Besides it has opened houses in Italy, England, Germany and U.S.A. for pastoral service. The members of the Society have also developed and served in various other mission stations for considerable periods, but which eventually they handed over to the various dioceses. Some of these mission stations given up in South India are: Joida in Belgaum diocese, Monki in Karwar diocese and Kota in Mangalore diocese: all in Karnataka; Bastar in Madhya Pradesh and various parishes in Jharkand, Orissa and others. Lay Collaborators. The Society of Pilar has a group of Lay Collaborators who assist the Society in its task of sharing the Gospel message through different projects meant for the amelioration of the lot of the less fortunate and marginalized people. This group, the Xaverian Co-operators Association was formed as early as in 1941. We do feel very tangibly the Provindence of God in the generous help we get from people from all over the world, most of them not well off but have a heart of contributing to God’s work. The Association does not only provide material help but also support the Society by storming heaven with their prayers, making the Society known to their neighbors and friends, and also promoting vocations to the priesthood. The popular devotion to Venerable Fr. Agnelo D’Souza has also made the Society of Pilar known far and wide. |
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