Rooted in service since the liberation of Goa
The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman rendered service to the people in Christian Social Formation and in Charitable and Welfare Works through Caritas Portuguesa till 1961.
The historic events of Liberation of Goa on 19th December 1961 resulted in the departure of the Portuguese. Always sensitive to the needs of God’s children and committed to their holistic welfare, the then Archbishop-Patriarch, Don Jose Vieira Alvernaz, as one of his first decisions in liberated Goa, established Caritas-Goa and constituted a Commission on 4th January 1962, comprising: Mons. Dr. Raul Nicolau Gonsalves; Fr. Gilberto Jose Salvador Ribeiro and Fr. Alberto Caetano Santana Pompeia Luis, as Members.
The Commission office was housed in the Paco Patriarcal, Panjim, in the area now occupied by the Secretariat for Confraternities/Fabricas and Cofres. Fr. Gilberto was the Secretary of the Commission. The welfare work and education of children continued with little interruption, despite the prevailing circumstances. The Commission office, Saligao Seminary and Lar dos Estudantes were the storage and distribution centres for food and other material sent by the Catholic Relief Services. Fr. Joao Pedro Fernandes, although not a member of the Commission, was very much involved in the work. When Archbishop-Patriarch Alvernaz left Goa in March 1962, Mons. Francisco Xavier da Piedade Rebelo was made In-Charge of the Archdiocese.
Mons. Raul Gonsalves undertook the responsibility with the other members, of locating and rendering all possible assistance. With the sudden demise of Fr. Gilberto Ribeiro on 19th July 1969, Fr. Cirilo Pascoal Pereira S. F. X. was appointed Director of Caritas-Goa on 19th August 1969. Fr. Pereira expanded the activities of Caritas Goa to address the growing needs of Persons with Disability and relief work for the poor through subsidized projects in Animal Husbandry.
Caritas-Goa was civilly registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act 1860, under Act Sl. No. 336, on 8th November 1971, and was established on 18th November 1971.
Six decades of leadership
Directors of Caritas Goa
1962
Founding Commission
Established 4th January 1962 by Archbishop-Patriarch Don Jose Vieira Alvernaz, with Mons. Dr. Raul Nicolau Gonsalves, Fr. Gilberto Ribeiro and Fr. Alberto Luis as founding members.
1969 – 1979
Fr. Cirilo Pascoal Pereira, S.F.X.
Appointed Director on 19th August 1969, following Fr. Gilberto Ribeiro's demise. Expanded activities to address the needs of Persons with Disability and relief work in Animal Husbandry.
1979 – 2001
Msgr. Alberto C.S.P.L. Luis
A founding member since 1962, appointed Director on 1st August 1979. Dedicated his time to the upliftment of disadvantaged, neglected and oppressed communities, initiating institutional projects for women and children.
2001 – 2012
Fr. Valeriano Vaz
Took over from 1st June 2001, working with dedication to uplift the marginalised by initiating new projects in health, self-help groups, rehabilitation and empowerment.
2012 – Present
Fr. Maverick Fernandes
Appointed Director on 1st July 2012. Through a rights-based approach, focuses on community projects to increase reach, continually emphasising partnerships toward a just society.
A society rooted in Gospel values
“Where all people of good will work in solidarity and live in harmony with nature, and where Equality, Justice, Freedom and Brotherhood prevail.”
Director's desk
Entitling the poor towards authentic development
“Always the explanations of poverty begin by blaming the victim,” remarked the neuro-scientist Dr. Olascinde Arigbede. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen vouched for the entitlement of the poor when he explained that the reasons for poverty lie in the unequal distribution of income, of rural assets, of industrial assets, of human capital, and of employment opportunities.
In this context, the several interventions of Caritas-Goa through its various institutions and community programs — serving persons with disabilities, older adults, distressed women, vulnerable children, disadvantaged youth, marginalised dalits, rural non-formal education programs, scholarship support for higher education, prisoners and their families — are some efforts to enable the poor to seek their entitlement towards authentic development.
Hence our service is packaged not merely for attraction but for relevance, growth and transformation of persons. Incidentally, the command to “go and do likewise” of Jesus springs from His concern to search for the neighbour who is in need. This has moved Caritas Goa to venture into appropriate initiatives, at different times, in favour of the poor.
In many of the above endeavours, the generous service of hundreds of volunteers is a vital component of our outreach programs. In fact, our “We For You” program is precisely to strategise volunteers into every initiative towards promotion of integral human development. International, national and local students’ internships form another significant aspect of our efforts to engage young minds — driven not only to share their time, but also to sacrifice their comforts towards authentic development.
We believe that the poor are always at the mercy of the advantaged. Thus, the task of entitling those on the margins of society certainly has accompanying challenges, but also the abundance of experiences of fulfilment of social duty — as Jesus said: “I have come to serve, not to be served.”
