St. Sebastian Church

One of the most popular cosmetic procedures is bleaching.
Many of us want a brighter and whiter smile. When it comes to tooth whitening you have got two options.
1) in-office based tooth bleaching
2) At home tooth bleaching
Both tooth whitening options use peroxide based bleaching agents. At- home systems contain from 3% to 30% peroxide (carbamide or hydrogen peroxide)
In- office systems contain 15% to 40% peroxide.

Generally, the longer you keep a stronger solution on your teeth the whiter your teeth become. However, the higher the percentage of peroxide in the whitening solution the shorter time it should be applied to the teeth. Keeping the gel on longer will dehydrate the tooth and increase tooth sensitivity. Read more

The current St. Sebastian, Church Parish Pastoral Council completes 6 years in office. This PPC of the St. Sebastian, Church will remain in office till the installation of the new re-constituted PPC, Which will be in June 2024.
The Parish Pastoral Council is the main pastoral body of the Parish, representing all sections of the People of God in the Parish and meant to function as the principle form of collaboration, dialogue and discernment at the Parish level, under the guidance of the Parish Priest. It is consultative in its nature and its purpose is to promote communion in the parish.
The first step taken by our parish priest Rev. Fr. Andrew Pereira was to create an awareness and conscientise the faithful about the nature of the PPC, their duties, and most importantly the requirements for anyone to be a member of the council. The requirements are: To become a member of the Parish Pastoral Council, one should be: Read more

Ward no. 1
a. Savio D’Silva
b. Maria Ferro
c. Joicy Colaco

Ward no.2
a. Otto D’Souza
b. Salmina Mendes
c. Adlete Mascarenhas
d. Lydia Fernandes

Ward no. 3
a. Nancy Fernandes
b. Leonilda Pereira
c. Theresa D’Silva
d. Adelina Dias Read more

The older you get, the more quiet you become. Life humbles you so deeply as you so deeply as you age, and it is a Miracle as every breath we take, every step we make, is a gift from GOD.

I recently turned 70, giving me an opportunity to thank the Almighty for this amazing and lovely gift called LIFE. I was more than fortunate to be able to do so at the feet of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes, France. It was an amazing day which will be remembered for a long, long time. God has unique and unbelievable plans for all of us and that is precisely what I experienced in Lourdes, not forgetting the surprise party in UK attended by my family and friends. Although I was beyond Indian borders and across oceans, I was clean bowled by the number of phone calls and messages on every possible media. Like a little child, I cried tears of joy, gratitude and love. Read more

Serving God on the Sacred Altar

Being an altar server is much more than simply assisting during Mass. It is a sacred and meaningful vocation that holds profound importance in the life of the Catholic Church. Altar serving allows young people to actively participate in the liturgy and deepen their relationship with God in a unique and special way. It is an opportunity to serve in God’s presence and contribute to the beauty of the Eucharistic celebration.

The role of an altar server dates back to the early days of the Church. Traditionally, only boys served at the altar, but today both boys and girls are encouraged to actively participate in this important ministry. Altar servers assist the priest in various tasks, such as carrying the processional cross, holding the liturgical book, preparing the altar, and assisting during the Eucharistic prayers. They offer their time and talents to create a prayerful environment that allows the faithful to encounter Christ. Read more

Come November, does anyone ever ask, “When is All Saints Day”? or “When is All Souls Day”? 1st and 2nd November are the two days stamped on our mind and heart. All Saints Day calls every one of us to be a Saint. This means letting Jesus have full possession of our life and to live the kind of life Jesus wants His disciples to live. It means therefore to make time each day for Jesus in Personal Prayer in order to experience His transforming Love.

All Souls Day takes our mind and heart to our departed loved ones, no matter how recent or distant the parting has been. The Church brings us together to pray not just for our loved ones, but also for all the Souls who are in Purgatory. Praying for the Souls in Purgatory is an act of charity because they cannot pray for themselves.

Here below are extracts from a talk by the late Bishop Fulton Sheen on Purgatory, which I hope you will find helpful. Read more

As the Messiah, Jesus was called the ‘Son of David.’ During His trial and crucifixion, He was identified as the ‘King of the Jews.’ Jesus is the perfect King because He is God, and He came to live among the people. As king, He brought God into the midst of creation, to show people what God really had in mind with His kingdom.

Christ the King is one of the most important titles of Jesus. Even though, Jesus Christ was not a king in the earthly sense, He is the Divine King of the Universe, who unites all of the creation with the Father. As St. Paul tells us,1 Cor.15:25-28 for [Christ] must reign until He has put all His enemies, under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things under Him that God may be all in all. Read more

Marriage and the family is recognized by the Church as an “apostolate,” an institution that is entrusted with the task of evangelization. Firstly this evangelization takes place within the context of the family, in the raising of children.

The Family Apostolate seeks to actively inspire hope and healing in family life. Our mission is to bring the love of Christ to a hurting world, fulfilling the great commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, mind, and soul.”

In today’s world Family which is the cradle of society is being challenged from both internal and external forces

It is important at the outset to mention that there is a mutual dependence between society and the family. Society depends much on the family and society in its turn influences the family. The economic, social, psychological and civil climate of today has a severe disturbing effect on family life. The famous statement of Pope John Paul II is true, that the society passes through the family. Here the question is whether the family is fully aware of the modern influences in it and is strong enough to withstand these influences. Read more

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