St. Sebastian Church

Easter is often celebrated as a single moment in history-the triumphant rising of Christ from the tomb but It is not confined to a day in history; it is a rhythm. It is the “Easter of life”-a continual rising that unfolds within each of us, day after day. 

Life, in its deepest truth, is a cycle of dying and rising. Every disappointment, every failure, every moment of darkness is, in its own way, a kind of Good Friday. We encounter loss, we face rejection, we wrestle with doubt, and at times, we feel buried under the weight of our struggles. But Easter whispers a quiet yet powerful truth: no tomb is final. Within every ending lies the seed of a new beginning. As we are reminded in Ecclesiastes, “To everything there is a season… a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4). 

Messenger of the Gospel 

“Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation.” -Gospel of Mark 16:15 

Among the four Evangelists who gave us the Gospel accounts of the life and mission of Jesus Christ, Saint Mark the Evangelist, holds a special place in the history of the early Church. His Gospel is widely believed to be the earliest written account of Jesus’ ministry and has helped Christians throughout the centuries understand the message of salvation. 

St. Mark, a Libyan, is also known in the Scriptures as John Mark, he belonged to the early Christian community in Jerusalem. His mother Mary owned a house that became an important meeting place for the first Christians. In those early days of the Church, believers gathered in homes for prayer, fellowship and the breaking of bread. Coptic tradition also holds that Mark the Evangelist hosted the disciples in this house after Jesus’s death, that the resurrected Jesus came to Mark’s house, and that the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples at Pentecost in the same house. Furthermore, Mark is also believed to have been among the servants at the Marriage at Cana who poured out the water that Jesus turned to wine. Growing up in such an atmosphere, Mark was closely connected with the Apostles and their mission of spreading the Gospel. 

Aquem a small village of yester years has a rich historical heritage. The fisrt conversion in Salcete to Christianity took place in Aquem. On 29th February 1560, Tipu Santu Naik Sardessai was converted Sebastiao Coelho to whose ancestry I belong, as his private temple “Deull” was converted to a chapel named Pandava copel and the saint honoured and dedicated was São Sebastiao. 

I am a septuagenerian and recalls vividly the tremendous development, trnasformation that has taken place at Aquem during the last 50 years has a distinctiive impact on the lives of the people who lived peacefully. The population was not much. There were houses scattered all around, lots of land for cultivation, vegetation, grazing and for playing. Now we do not see much land in Aquem. 

Feast Day: April 29 

The life of Catherine of Siena is a beautiful example of strong faith, courage and love for God. She was born in 1347 in Siena, Italy, during a difficult time when war and disease were common. She was the 25th child in her family. From a very young age, Catherine showed a deep love for God. It is said that when she was just six years old, she had a vision of Jesus and this changed her life completely. 

As she grew older, her family wanted her to get married, but Catherine chose a different path. She decided to dedicate her life to God and joined the Dominican Third Order. She lived a simple life filled with prayer, fasting and helping others. Even though she did not have much formal education, she became very wise and later dictated many letters and spiritual writings that are still read today. 

The meeting began with a prayer led by SCC 1 and 2 invoking God’s guidance and blessings upon everyone gathered. 

Message from the President 

The President of the Parish Pastoral Council addressed the members and reminded them that we are living in challenging times. He spoke about the situations of war around the world and the rising cost of living, which has made life difficult for many. He urged all members to turn to prayer during this season, seeking God’s peace and mercy. He encouraged everyone to build a closer relationship with Jesus by speaking to Him daily and continuing faithfully in prayer. He emphasized that it is not enough to pray only once or in times of need, but that we must pray regularly, trusting that God will hear our prayers. 

The vibrant spirit of Konkani music resonated across the St. Sebastian Church compound, Aquem, on 29th January as Kantaram Lharam 2026, in its much- anticipated 4th edition, took centre stage. This year’s Konkani Singing Competition was conducted across three categories- Cover Solo, Original Solo, and Duet with the newly introduced Original Solo category receiving an enthusiastic response. The event beautifully celebrated Goa’s rich musical heritage while offering a prestigious platform for talented parishioners from across the state. The core objective of Kantaram Lharam remains the promotion and preservation of Konkani music among parish communities in Goa.

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. (John 6:56)

On 18th January 2026, 21 children received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion in our Parish. This sacred occasion marked an important milestone in the spiritual journey of the children as they received Jesus for the first time.

The children were well prepared through the preparatory sessions conducted from 8th January to 17th January 2026, with the guidance and support of Fr. Gabriel Lobo, whose involvement greatly enriched the children’s spiritual formation.

Before we talk about the devotions, a little insight into his life. Little we know is that St. Sebastian was an early Christian martyr during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. According to Tradition, Sebastian enlisted in the Roman army so he could gain access to persecuted Christians and care for them in secret. When authorities discovered his Christian identity, they brought him before the Roman emperor Diocletia who sentenced him to death. Sebastian was tied to a post and shot with arrows, yet he miraculously survived. When St. Irene came to bury him, she found him alive, so she brought him home and restored him to health. Because he was shot by arrows and left for dead, and then later beaten to death, Sebastian is sometimes referred to as the saint who was martyred twice. The Pope built a church where they discovered St. Sebastian’s relics, and a trend emerged for centuries after his death, people sought his intercession for protection against plagues as well as the athletes prayed to him. Besides saints Peter and Paul, Sebastian is considered the third patron saint of the city of Rome. He is also the patron of Rio de Janeiro and several other cities in various countries. Most importantly He is our patron saint.

February 11, 2026, marks the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, a NOBIS OF THE STOR day woven into the heart of Catholic Devotion since the apparitions to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. This Feast coincides with the World Day of the Sick, instituted by St. John Paul II on May 13,1992, to foster greater care, compassion and attention for the suffering and their caregivers. This year Pope Leo XIV’s theme for the 34th observance,” The Compassion of the Samaritan: Loving by Bearing the Pain of others,” invites us to embody the Gospel’s call to active mercy.