In the year of Mercy, The Diocese of Chittagong has experienced a pilgrimage of Mercy in Bandarban Parish on 20 October 2016. More than thousand pilgrims from all the 11 parishes of Chittagong Diocese came to experience this pilgrimage of Mercy. On 20th October evening, Bishop Moses M. Costa, csc received the pilgrims through prayer and blessings. Bishop Moses and 11 representatives from the parishes lit the candle.
The parish priest of Bandarban, Fr. Dominic Sarkar, csc welcomed the pilgrims saying, ‘We can cleanse our heart and be purified in body and spirit by participating in this pilgrimage. We received numerous mercies in our life from God. So, let us utilize this opportunity to thank him from our heart in this pilgrimage of mercy.’ Bishop Moses Costa, csc focused on the significance of pilgrimage in his inauguration speech. He said, ‘When we take the journey of pilgrimage we must know that pilgrimage is not a vacation or for luxury. Pilgrimage is about sacrifice, prayer, meditation, suffering and knowing God personally so that we can experience the glory of God truly.’ There was also adoration of Sacrament, Reconciliation ceremony and candle Procession in the night. The pilgrims spent time in adoration in groups in the old church of Bandarban.
On the next day, the Holly Mass was celebrated in a spiritual environment. Bishop Moses Costa, csc said in his homily that Mercy should be expressed through our action not only our words. We can experience the power and wealth in our life but if we do not experience God’s Mercy than we become selfish which brings chaos, corruption, envy, war and unrest to the world. So, we should decide which acts of mercy we will practice after returning from this pilgrimage of mercy into our locality.
In the Holy Mass there were present 18 priest including the vicar general of Chittagong Diocese; 15 sisters from various congregations; 6 brothers of holy cross and almost 1500 Christians. It is to be noted that it was the first pilgrimage in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.