On February 4, 2003, the society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier (Society of Pilar) transferred its Generalate (Headquarters) from Pilar to Porvorim. Archbishop Raul Gonsalves with Cardinal Ivan Dias inaugurated and blessed the edifice of Pilar Deepti Sadan (PDS).
The Generalte houses the Offices of the General Administration of the Society. The Superior General, Fr. Tony Lopes has his Office here, along with the office of the General Secretariat headed by Fr. Max Gonsalves, General Secretary and Councillor, the Central Mission Commission headed by Fr. Anthony Castello, and the Central Finance Commission headed by the General Treasurer, Fr. Joseph Baptista. All four members also reside here. Other members, Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, Personal Assistant to the Superior General, Fr. Roque Fernandes, Assistant to the General Treasurer, and Fr. Reduzindo Lopes, In charge of the Archives, also reside at the Pilar Deepti Sadan. (the office of the Central Formation Commission headed by the Vicar General of the Society, Fr. Walter Gomes is situated in Pilar. Another General Councilor, Fr. Nazareth Fernandes is the Central Delegate Superior of the entire Complex at Pilar).
PSD has amenities for hosting meetings and seminars, which it conducts regularly for the members of the Socities coming from our Provinces, Region, and other units. The Holy Family Parish, Porvorim avails itself of the facility by holding gatherings, meetings and celebrations of various parish groups like Couples for Christ, Youth for Christ, etc.
The fathers are happy to be of some service to the Parish by providing regular daily Mass at the Holy Cross Chapel and other pastoral help like confessions and blessing of homes.
The Society of Pilar has its presence in over 30 Dioceses in India- from Jammu in the North to Maduravoyal in the South, from Gujarat in the West to Kolkata and the Andaman Islands in the East. It engages in mainly pioneering missionary apostolate, but runs several schools, colleges ans social work projects. The total strength of the Society is 491-330 priests, 12 laybrothers, and 149 professed members in formation.
The Motherhouse and Headquarters of the Society of Pilar is in Pilar.