Goa Christians urged to use money for charity than 'external celebrations'

"Away from merely external celebrations; at least from laying stress on them," was the thoughtful exhortation by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao to Christians in Goa.

Ferrao urged Christians to use the money for the needy and the suffering instead of "external celebrations" for "works of mercy".

"Express solidarity with those who have been pushed onto these fringes and those who are experiencing loneliness and fear, particularly in Orissa, having to live in forests and refugee camps," he said.

Fr Francisco Caldeira, director of the diocesan centre for social communication media said: "In Goa we don't have much ostentation on the part of the church. Yet, the people have been called to centre on the meaning of Christmas and express their solidarity with the marginalized."

The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) had earlier urged Christians to celebrate a low-key Christmas in the aftermath of Orissa attacks.

"Because of the atrocities on the Christian community, the church has decided to celebrate Christmas this year in a very subdued manner," spokesperson, Father Babu Joseph said.

"The decision to celebrate Christmas in a low key manner was taken due to the adverse experience of the community in different parts of the country, particularly in Orissa, where thousands of people have been rendered homeless and hundreds of places of worship destroyed," he said.