Panaji: The Goa Church has condoled the demise of Manohar Parrikar, claiming that the chief minister sometimes sought its opinion before taking "far-reaching decisions for the benefit of the state". Parrikar (63) died on Sunday evening at his residence near here after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year.

"We acknowledge gratefully the respect and consideration he had for the church authorities in this state," Archbishop of Goa and Daman Fr Filipe Neri Ferrao said in a condolence message on Sunday. "He would sometimes seek their opinion before coming out with far-reaching decisions for the benefit of the state," Ferrao said.