St. Sebastian Church

Xerostomia or dryness of the mouth is a clinical manifestation of salivary gland dysfunction. The term is derived from the greek word (xeros) meaning “dry“ and (stoma) meaning “mouth”. Clinically, different degrees of Xerostomia exist. Sometimes the patient complains of a dry and burning sensation. Sometimes there is complete lack of saliva. When the deficiency of saliva is pronounced there is severe alteration in the mucous membrane and the patient may have extreme discomfort. The mucosa will appear dry and inflamed or most often pale and translucent. The tongue may show inflammation, fissuring and cracking and in severe cases, areas of denudation. Soreness, burning and pain of the mucous membrane and tongue are common symptoms. Read more

Slipped disc / prolapsed disc is an extremely painful problem where bones, muscles and nerves are affected. It’s very common problem not only in Goa, India, but the whole world faces this problem.

Cause of slipped disc/desiccated disc (My view): Main cause of backbone diseases is due to weakness caused to our spinal column – muscles – nerves, blood vessels, ligaments and cartilages. The causative factors for development of weakness are numerous, such as wrong dietary habits, indulgence of excess junk – fast – negative foods which are devoid of valuable nutrients like antioxidants, mineral, vitamins, phytonutrients, live enzymes etc. such foods including excess animal protein and foods loaded with unnatural chemicals makes not only our spinal column weak, but the whole body suffers significantly. In such scenario we can easily succumb to trigger factors such as sudden jerk, coughing, lifting medium weight, mild accidents etc. These are exciting factors, but main cause is WEAKNESS to the whole back. Similarly continuously driving scooter on rough roads with erected speed breakers can make your whole back weak. Read more

Mogall Firgozkaramno,

Aiz 19ver Febrer-ache, Bhag. Sebastiao-achi porob korunk soglleank ek vhodd kuxalkai. Jevonn khann aslearuch fest nhoi. Punn festa borobor anik dusreo ier vostu bi ekdom gorjecheo.

“It is not the quantity of meat, but the cheerfulness of the guests, which makes the feast”. Oxem Edward Hide mhonnta. Sodam baxen, punn he pautt odik sompeponnan festachi toiari korunk. soglleank mell’lem. Adle von he pautt bore baxen Novenam ani tache borobor vochunk Igorje bhailean-bhitorlean nettounk, sevadhorm korunk, misa uprant vaddeachem canteen, bhurgeanchem kermes, S.S.V.P. hanchem Jumble Sale korunk odik umed zali tem polloun ekdom kuxalkai disli. Bhurgim toxim vaddlolim sod’dam ekthaim ietalim tem odik borem zalem. Read more

We are back in a celebratory mood, getting into our best moods to celebrate the Novena and the Feast of our Patron, St. Sebastian. We can proudly claim that our Patron Saint, who had converted many people, especially soldiers, was a person of great help and support to his fellow brethren. Despite being given the post of captain under Emperor Diocletian, he secretly encouraged other soldiers to be true to their Faith and Christian values. On this occasion, we need to take a leaf out of St. Sebastian’s life and learn to be cheerful in living a Christian life, acquiring a sense of duty to glorify God and loving and helping others to lead a devout life. As a matter of fact, there is nothing more beautiful than someone, who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others. Read more

I could not find the name of the Author of this article and yet I found it a very interesting and worth meditative information. Although I am happy to reproduce it here with some of my own addition but  I am not the original source.

When Jesus said “Take up your cross and follow me” what he meant according to many theologians was willing to die in order to follow him.

Although let us not debate on this phrase in the above context, we can, and we do however interpret “cross” as some burden we must carry in our daily lives; like a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness, financial restrains etc. With self-pitying pride, we say, “That’s my cross I have to carry” Read more

The meaning of the Annunciation is an announcement. Nine months before Jesus is born, the angel Gabriel is sent to the Virgin Mary to announce the conception of the Son of God through the Holy Spirit. Although it’s not likely that Jesus was actually born on December 25, March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas, is the most logical day to celebrate the Annunciation. God’s every announcement has a valuable message for each one of us. Through His announcement God revealed Mary’s perpetual virginity, Motherhood of God and Her glorious assumption.

There are 3 practical lessons we can learn from Mary and from the Solemnity of Annunciation of the Lord:

Be prepared to be used by God.

As an unmarried young woman from Nazareth, Mary has a very low social status, but God doesn’t care about that. Mary continues a long list of people in the Bible who felt inadequate (Moses, Rahab, David, Jonah, Naomi to name just a few) that God uses to fulfill His promises. Mary allowed herself to be used by God to fulfill His promise and to redeem humanity from the sin. Read more

On February 2, the Universal Catholic Church observes the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, honoring Jesus Christ’s presentation in the Temple when he was a young child. Jesus’ presentation in the Temple reflects how he fulfills the Old Covenant. According to Old Testament law, a sacrifice had to be offered in the Temple when a child was consecrated to the Lord. Mary and Joseph honor this tradition, as Luke 2:22-24 describes:

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Read more

Who was St. Valentine and how did he inspire Valentine’s day?

In the early martyrologies, three different St. Valentines are mentioned, all sharing Feb. 14 for a feast day. Unfortunately, the historical record is sparse. The first St. Valentine was a priest and physician in Rome. He along with St. Marius and his family comforted the martyrs during the persecution of Emperor Claudius II, the Goth. Eventually, St. Valentine was also arrested, condemned to death for his faith, beaten with clubs, and finally beheaded on Feb. 14, AD 270.

The second St. Valentine was the Bishop of Interamna (now Terni, located about 60 miles from Rome). Under the orders of Prefect Placidus, he too was arrested, scourged, and decapitated, again suffering persecution during the time of Emperor Claudius II. Read more

Lent is a wake-up call to Repentance – to begin a new way of life. It is an opportunity for us to really begin to form a new habit which can radically transform our life. Lent gives us 40 days to practice how we are to live our life for the rest of the time. It is the way for us to prepare for the joy of Easter and the New Life that is ours in the Dying and Rising of Jesus.

Jesus did not come to save us by His miracles. He saved us by His passion. Beginning at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus sweated blood, was plotted against, was betrayed with a kiss and abandoned by His Apostles. Jesus was arrested, handed over to the authorities, was judged and condemned to crucifixion. He was rejected for Barabbas, a murderer. He was scourged 39 times (maybe more), blind-folded, spat upon in the face, mocked, slapped and crowned with  thorns. Jesus was made to carry His own cross, stripped of all His garments and then fastened naked to the cross, with nails to His Hands and Feet. Read more

Saint Joseph the chaste husband of Mother Mary and foster father of Jesus was a Jewish person born in 30BC in Bethlehem. He descended from Royal lineage which dates back to King David.

He was a humble carpenter who married Mother Mary without whom the history of salvation would be incomplete. However much is not written and known in the Bible, but what is written in the Gospels speaks volumes about his life and character. We also gather knowledge about him in other writings that he was a noble, pious, and forgiving person very loving, considerate and understanding. Read more