Panaji, Jan 6 (IANS): Amid the ongoing controversy over the non-renewal of the Missionaries of Charity's Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act registration, Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Thursday visited two institutions run by the Christian order near Panaji and also gave financial assistance to the order.

During his visit to the charity home for destitute persons at Carambolim, Pillai was accompanied by Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik, according to a statement issued by the Goa government.

"Governor of Goa, Shri P.S. Sreedharan Pillai disbursed financial assistance to the charity homes and to the dialysis patients during his visit to the Missionaries of Charity institution at Carambolim today," the statement said.

"Governor, Shri Pillai along with Union Minister of State for Tourism, Shri Shripad Naik interacted with the destitute people and sisters at Charity home. The sisters apprised the Governor about various activities carried out by them for the betterment of old age and destitute people," the statement added.

In his speech at the charity home, Pillai lauded the efforts and selfless service of the sisters at Missionaries of Charity Home for the welfare of orphans, old people, destitutes and people with mental ailments. "Service to such needy people is always treated as service to God. Everyone has to extend their support and help people who are in real need of support and assistance," the Governor said.

The official statement said that "Pillai distributed financial assistance to Missionaries of Charity at Carambolim and also Missionaries of Charity, Panaji home. He disbursed financial assistance to dialysis patients in Tiswadi taluka".

In his New Year message, Goa Archbishop Fr. Filipe Neri Ferrao had urged people with "good will" to rally behind the Missionaries of Charity to help them overcome the "stressful difficulties" faced by them in India in recent times.

"It is perhaps befitting to recall here the stressful difficulties and challenges that these Sisters of the much revered Mother Teresa have been facing in our country in recent times, while carrying out their mission of heroic service to the last, the least and the lost," Ferrao had said.