The Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta on September 5, 2025, was a day of profound spiritual significance and community celebration in Ponda, Goa. The day began with a solemn 6:30 a.m. feast mass, celebrated by the St. Mother Teresa Somudai.
A Day of Prayer and Community
Following the mass, a significant number of the faithful, including members of the World Apostolate of Fatima (WAF), participated in a WAF led meditative rosary. This prayer was particularly meaningful given St. Mother Teresa’s deep love for Our Lady of Fatima and her unwavering belief in the power of the rosary. She consistently advocated for its daily recitation within her Order of Missionaries of Charity, seeing it as a spiritual lifeline and a source of strength. The congregation gathered around the beautifully adorned statue of St. Mother Teresa, which was decorated in the vibrant colors of the Jubilee 2025 Logo—red, green, yellow, and blue.
The celebration concluded with a small ceremony where a cake was cut and roses were given to all the teachers, a gesture of deep appreciation. A final prayer was offered for the teachers and all attendees, led by the Parish Priest Fr. Francis Rosario (OFM) and Assistant Priest Fr. Hemant
Mother Teresa’s Legacy and the WAF
St. Mother Teresa’s connection to the World Apostolate of Fatima was a central theme of the day. As a founding member of the WAF in the Calcutta Archdiocese, she demonstrated her profound commitment by signing the WAF Pledge on June 13, 1988. This public act, witnessed by 25,000 people at the WAF USA headquarters, highlighted the importance of membership and devotion. The pledge calls for several key spiritual practices: the sanctification of daily duties, the daily recitation of the rosary, wearing the Brown Scapular, and observing the devotion of the Five First Saturdays, which includes a monthly confession.
St. Teresa, intercede for an increase in the First Saturday Devotion, so that through this devotion of reparation to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, more souls may be consecrated to them
St Teresa of Calcutta – Pray for Us
Ave Maria !
Lester DeMello (Candolim)
ExCom Member: Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC)
Chairman - World Apostolate of Fatima
Goa Archdiocesan Division + National Centre
“”In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph, …” (Our Lady of Fatima, July 13th, 1917))
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