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CONFERENCE OF MAE DE DE DEUS, SALIGAO.(1979—2004). The Conference of Mae de Deus of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the Parish of Saligao, commemorated the Silver Jubilee of its foundation on 27th September, 2004 with a special Mass celebrated by his Grace, Archbishop Emeritus Raul N. Gonsalves, at Saligao Church . "Blessed Frederic Ozanam founded the Society of St. Vincent the Paul in 1883. He is supposed to have exclaimed " I want to wrap up the whole world in a network of charity". Today the Society counts around a million members spread through almost a hundred and fifty countries in the five continents; a real global network of charity, of which the members of the Mae de Deus Conference are proud to be a part’’-said Archbishop-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao, in a message sent earlier to the Conference of Mae de Deus, Saligao. Mrs Annie Cordeiro from Arrarim, who had been and still continues as a member of the Conference of Mae de Deus since its inception, traces a bit of history of this Conference as well its aims and objects of the conference, in her well written article "Vincentians---Lend a Hand" which I am transcribing here for Saligaonetters. ‘The year 2004 is a memorable year for the Conference of Mae de Deus being the Silver Jubilee of the Conference. Twenty-five years ago, on 27th September, 1979, the late Rev. Father Roberto Barreto ( Parish Priest of Mae de Deus Parish, Saligao, from 1974 to1980), sowed a small seed in the parish of Saligao. This seed grew to be a large tree spreading its branches across the village. This was an eventful day in Saligao; thus the Conference of Mae de Deus was conceived. I can rightfully claim to be the trunk of this large tree as I have been in the conference since its inception, giving full support to its branches. The Conference of Mae de Deus is a unit of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. All Conferences are basic working units of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The members of the Conference are known as Vincentians. Vincentians should always be ready to lend a hand. The kind of help offered is important but more important is a desire of the heart that should inspire every human being to help his fellowman; this is a law of existence. At Christmas, we have an obligation, to help one another and the Conference of Mae de Deus helps us to fulfil the obligation. The work of the Vincentian is caring for the poor and less fortunate brethren of our Society irrespective of cast or creed. Visitation of the poor is the core activity of the Society of St. Vincent the Paul, hence a bounden duty of all Vincentians. It brings them closer to Christ who lives in the poor. Our contact with the poor promotes love of God in their lives and places the poor at the heart of a Vincentian……..to be continued. By Mrs. Annie Cordeiro. Compiled by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas. Reference: ‘ Conference of Mae de Deus, Saligao Silver Jubilee Souvenir, 1979-2004 Society of St. Vincent de Paul ’. |
