“We have lost a compassionate and courageous pastor.” Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and President of the Federation of Asians Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), said this as he paid tribute to Pope Francis during a celebration at Shanti Sadan, the headquarters of the CCBI in Benaulim, Goa. “Pope Francis – he added – touched the lives of people in every part of the world, without distinction of language, culture or condition”. Referring to his teaching, the Cardinal recalled that “he urged the Church to be more synodal, more attentive to listening, and closer to those who suffer”. The prayer meeting was attended by the rectors of the 29 Indian basilicas, and by priests and religious, including Fr Stephen Alathara, Fr Joe Xavier, Fr Christopher Vimalraj, Fr Vignan Das, Fr Duming Gonsalves, and Fr Arulraj. “He lived the Gospel in a concrete way”, Card. Ferrão concluded, “and showed us the way of humble service, of dialogue between religions and peoples, of care for the least and for our common home. His heart remained open until the end”.