St. Sebastian Church

Oral hygiene is not just about having a bright smile; it’s crucial for your overall health. Neglecting oral health can lead to various dental problems and contribute to systemic health issues. Poor dental hygiene can lead to problems that are much bigger than an unpleasant smile.Tooth decay and gum disease can affect other parts of your body, including your heart. Good oral/dental health translates to good health overall.

Dental problems such as cavities or gum disease can impair your ability to eat and speak properly, cause pain and bad breath. And what many people may not realize, is that poor dental health can have a profoundly, negative affect on areas outside of the mouth, including your heart, diabetes, pregnancy and chronic inflammation, such as arthritis — to name a few. Read more

Handbook study was organized by the Ekvottachea arka comitium at St. Sebastian Church Aquem on 24th Sept at 3:30pm. There were 3 presidia present (Saude Saibin, Aquem, Boddveanchi Rannie, Aquem and Grace Saibin, Margao).

Fr. Leslie Gomes, Asst. to the Parish Priest welcomed the officers of the commitium, Bro. Alwyn Noronha and Bro. Thomee Noronha and all the members present for the study. 40 members were present for the same.

The session was divided into two parts wherein one was allotted to Bro. Alwyn and the topic was Mullave Kaide Legiao-achi Buniad. Read more

Tadev: Devache kurpen bhorlolo dis tuka anvddetam, Simao Titiv.

Simao:  Tuka-i anvddetam Baba Tadev. Zaitea kallan ami meutat nhoim? Tumi sogllim borim asat mhonn sozmotam.

Tadev:  Ami asanv borim. Hanv thoddo kall Goeam bhair gel’lom, taka lagun tuka mellonk vell mellunk nam. Tum koso asa?

Simao:  Hanv asam boro, punn hea disamnim bhirantin dis sarche poddtat.

Tadev: Kosli bhirant Titiv?

Simao:  Rosteancher kitle-xech obsoeg ghoddtat. Roste surokxit nant. Tea bhair kitle khun ani maramari. Ghorant ravonkui suseg asonam, zalear rosteancher bhonvonkui surokxa mellonam.   Read more

Mogall Firgozkaramno,

Henry Ford oxem mhonnta, “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Konn mhonnta hinch utram Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909), Amerikacho boroinnar, kovi, itihaskar ani pastor hannem mhonnlolim mhonn. Him utram konnem mhonnlolim tem gorjechem nhoi, punn voilim utram konn jielo ani jieta tem gorjechem. 

Aquem-cho atam choltolo Parish Pastoral Council fattlim sumar panch vorsam jielo ani jieta. Tea vorsa soglleo somudaieo vo wards novean nemle ani goroz thoim vaddoile. Thoim somudaieche fuddari vinchun kaddle ani tea uprant tanchi akarnni (formation) kelea uprant anik ek pautt tanche modem venchnnuk korun  Parish Council ghoddunk vangddi vinchun kaddle. Tim sogllim challis (40) vangddi aslim. Thoddim eka-mekak legun ollkhonaslim. Tim sogllim ekthaim ieun tannim survat keli. Coming together was the beginning.  Read more

Non violence is the best possible way to resolve issues and conflicts. Even more so, when religious beliefs and misunderstandings raise their ugly heads leading to lot of unhealthy tensions within communities. In such circumstances we need a philosophy that achieves amicable resolutions without causing harm to others and not ‘eye for an eye’ that leaves the world blind. When violence is the answer, the people involved quickly reach a point where they are only interested in defeating their opponents and more often than not forgetting the original issue. The main goal or the objective of the initial movement and struggle is sadly lost in the process. Many a times religious fanatics and rumour mongers, play a dirty role in adding fuel to the fires and inciting trouble in tense situations.

Non violence has but one prescription for all social diseases effecting the entire world. We all know the amount of destruction and loss of lives and property the past world wars caused. The after effects were horrible, sad and devastating to say the least. There is no doubt that social issues are complex and not simple in nature calling for different approach and appropriate solutions. Non-violence has the great power on the world to be more successful than if one were to use violence. Read more

(Patron Saint of Missions)

Feat Day: 1st October

St. Therese, often called the Little Flower, was born in Normandy, France, in 1873. She was the youngest of the five daughters born to Lois and Zelie Martin. Therese was a very lively, loveable little girl. Her father called her his “little queen: Yet she could be overly sensitive. In the story she wrote of her life, The Story of a Soul, she tells how the Infant Jesus helped her overcome this weakness.

It was Therese’s great desire to enter the Carmelite convent where two of her sisters were already nuns. But since she was only fifteen, permission was not granted. Therese felt sure that Jesus wanted her to spend her life loving Him and only Him. She kept praying and asking the prioress to admit her. She even dared, on a trip to Rome, to ask Pope Leo XIII himself to grant her heart’s desire, and finally she was allowed to enter.

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The Mass is the very center of our Faith. It is the greatest, holiest and most mystical (meaning strange, mysterious) act on earth. It is the highest form of prayer; an act of adoration we make before God. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is both a Sacrifice and a Meal. It is a Sacrifice because it represents the One, Perfect Sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary and we participate in that Sacrifice. It is a Meal – re-presents the Last Supper of Jesus. In the Mass we have Holy Communion with God and also with one another. 

The Mass goes all the way back to the time of the Apostles. Immediately after the Ascension of Jesus, the Apostles continued to worship in the Temple that they regularly attended, and took part in the written word i.e the Scriptures. Then they would go to someone’s house for the Breaking of the Bread, because Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me”,when He took the Bread and then the Wine at the last Supper and transformed them into His Body and Blood. So at every Mass, the Church is responding to that Command of Christ.  Read more

The above picture is usually seen depicting Our Mother Mary giving the Rosary to St. Dominic but what’s the story?

According to Dominican tradition, in 1206, Dominic de Guzmán was at the Monastery of Our Lady of Prouille, in France, attempting to convert the Albigensians back to the Catholic faith. The young priest had little success until one day he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin, who gave him the rosary as a tool against heretics. While Mary’s giving the rosary to Dominic is generally acknowledged as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the Dominican Order, including the 15th-century priest and teacher, Alanus de Rupe.  

Our Rosary, a circle of beads, is like a garland a chain of roses and the roses are prayers, offered to Mary.The Rosary Prayer tells us about the life of Jesus and His Mother, Mary. In the Church, the month of October is, by custom, the month of the Rosary but people do use this prayer all the year round. Read more

Patron Saint of The environment, animals, and birds.

We humans erroneously believe that the happiness we desire can come from outside of us. It cannot. So a luxurious life assures nothing, especially happiness.

In fact, there is nothing we can accumulate or own or love  or even achieve for that matter,  that will change how we feel in a positive for more than a short period. In each case when we get what we want, we experience a brief elevation in how we feel. Call it happiness, satisfaction, security, self-worth, etc. But then that subsides…as much as we try desperately to hold onto it…and we go back to feeling how we felt before. Read more

St. Luke, also known as St. Luke the evangelist, the author of the third gospel account (and the Acts of the Apostles), is symbolized by a winged ox or bull – a figure of sacrifice, service and strength. He is the only Gentile to have written books in the Bible. His writings have been proven to be historically accurate. Luke writes to confirm that Christianity is not a new religion. It is rather the fulfillment of God’s promises given to Israel in the Old Testament. 

He never met Christ in person, but in his Gospel he says that he came to know about Jesus by talking to eyewitnesses to the events of Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection. These stories helped him to become a believer, and he wrote his Gospel so that others would come to know and love Jesus. Jesus is certainly the Jewish Messiah, but He is also the Saviour of the whole world. Luke depicts Jesus in his short – lived ministry as deeply compassionate, caring for the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized of that culture, such as Samaritans, Gentiles, and women. (cf.Luke 24:21a) Read more