NT Reporter
Panaji
In a special ceremony,
Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao installed three new Canons to the Chapter of Canons of Se Cathedral, Old Goa. This Chapter of Canons was established by the Apostolic See in 1534 by the Bull “Aequum Reputamus” and it is now 492 years old.
The ceremony was held at Se Cathedral, Old Goa, on Monday. The three new canons are Fr Leonard Pegado e Souza from Assagao, Fr Walter de Sa from Santa Cruz and Fr Antonio Salema from Verna.
The Chapter of Canons was a Consultative Body to the Bishop and would take over the administration of the diocese during the period of its vacancy. The other important obligation of this body was to celebrate the more solemn liturgical services in the cathedral.
After the Vatican II, the roles of this body were changed. It has only one main role now, which is to celebrate the more solemn liturgical services in the Cathedral. The other original function of being a consultative body to the bishop is taken over by a new body, known in the Code of canon law, as College of Consultors.
The Cathedral Chapter of Canons is defined in the code of Canon law as a college of priests whose role is to celebrate the more solemn liturgical functions in a cathedral church.
This body has its own statutes approved by the Diocesan Bishop. These statutes cannot be changed or abrogated except
with the approval of the diocesan Bishop.
It is the diocesan Bishop who appoints the Canons after proposing their names to the Chapter and hearing them.
The last time, a set of six Canons was appointed by the Bishop in 2019. Some of the Canons have passed away among them, some are unable to attend the choral service due to their poor health.
Notably, the Canons feature prominently in a unique 450-odd year-old tradition of ‘Procession of Tails’ during Good Friday commemoration at Se Cathedral annually.
The canons were reminded about their role of being a kind of a catalyst in promoting the spiritual life of the church.
