St. Sebastian Church

Have you seen a framed picture depicting Mary Kissing baby Jesus at your homes, convents or parishes? The picture is known as “Kissing the Face of God” by Morgan Weistling, nationally recognized as one of America’s top contemporary painters today and a successful illustrator in the Hollywood movie industry for fourteen years. The phrase “kissing the face of God” immediately can struck anyone with this powerful image of Mary and the Baby Jesus. It is an image that we have seen depicted many times, but never simply as a mother and her child with real tenderness. We start to contemplate the awesome privilege that Mary was given, being able to hold God in her arms, but also keeping in mind that He was still her baby. This cute little child whom she bore was also God in the flesh. And yet, she cuddled and kissed Him, just as all mothers do with their babies. This thought could propel everyone right into this painting that all want to be a very human representation of divinity. Our prayer is that the viewer will be struck with the amazing way that God chose to send His Son into this world — in pure humility.

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History
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, celebrated every year on 14 September, recalls three events:

1. The finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena Mother of Emperor Constantine

2. The dedication of churches built by Emperor Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary.

3. The restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem in AD 629 by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, after it had fallen into the hands of the Persian Emperor Chosroes II in the AD 614 Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem. Read more

Padre Pio also known as St. Pius of Pietrelcina was born in a Roman Catholic family on 25th May 1887. Born to poor peasant farmers, in Pietrelcina, southern Italy, he was given the name Francesco Forgione. Although they were poor in material goods, his parents were certainly rich in their faith life and in the love of God. Though illiterate , they narrated bible stories to their children every day. They also attended mass and recited the rosary daily.

Being born and brought up in such a spiritual family, Francesco decided to dedicate his life entirely to God at a tender age of five. As a young boy, Francesco had already shown signs of grace. He was even able to see and communicate with his guardian angel. His fellow students admired his deep spirituality, humility, kindness, obedience, modesty, simplicity, charity and piety. Read more

“A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others.”
‘Teacher’s Day’ has traditionally been observed in India on September 5 as a tribute (on his birth anniversary) to the late President of India Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who besides being a great educationist and philosopher, also believed that education is the key to India’s inclusive development. On this same day the church remembers Mother Teresa-‘Saint of the Gutters’.

As a young nun in the Loretto Convent, Mother Teresa was trained to be a teacher. She embraced this profession with great love and dedication. This was evident in the many years she taught in the St. Mary’s Bengali Medium School for girls in Kolkata. When she left the Loretto Sisters in 1948 to found the Missionaries of Charity, she never stopped being a teacher! She was convinced that the poor children of the slums in Calcutta (her new home) had to be taught the 3Rs (reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic) but more than that, she realized that education had to be inclusive and value-based. Read more

Mother- A Precious Pearl
My mother is the most important person in my life. She looks after all my needs. She is kind, firm and loving. She shows me the right path of life. I cannot bear to be away from her. May God bless you Mama…. Happy Mother’s Day…..

(Vernon Gomes)

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Grandparents are a family’s greatest treasure, the founders of a loving legacy, the greatest storytellers, the keepers of traditions that linger on in cherished memory. Grandparents are the family’s strong foundation. Their very special love sets them apart. Through happiness and sorrow, through their special love and caring, grandparents keep a family close at heart.

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children. Well it was time for the St. Sebastian Catechetical Association to sprinkle a little star dust over the lives of our Parish Grandparents. Grandparents Day was organised at the St. Sebastian Chapel Hall soon after the Catechism Mass at 10 a.m. The grandparents were welcomed with hot tasty soup to kick off the party followed by a welcome song by the students of pre- communion and communion group. The very auspicious and symbolic day was marked by the cutting of the grandparents’ day cake. Two Grandparent couples were requested to cut the cake on behalf of all the Grandparents. Read more

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our lady of Sorrows on September 15, the day after the feast of the Holy cross to show the close connection between Jesus’s passion and Mary’s sorrow. This advocation has its roots in the gospel. Our Lady of sorrows teaches us that our sufferings, united to Christ through her sorrowful heart, can become bearable. Devotion to our Lady of Sorrows became a standard devotion in the Church around the 14th century. It was revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden that devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary’s seven sorrows would bring great signal graces. Why do we pray the sorrows Rosary? We pray this Rosary to learn to suffer with love, as Mary, the mother of Jesus did. The 7 sorrows Rosary leads us to understand our suffering, sins, and sorrows. Doing so helps us to live a life of joy in the lord, so that we can serve others. Read more

Simao: Dev boro dis dium Tadev. Saikol gheun khoim vetai?
Tadev: Dev tuka kurpa dium Simao Titiv.Bazarant vetam, thoddim pustokam gheunk  zai.
Simao: Saikol sintidan choloi, aiz kal kitlexech obsoeg zalele amim polletanv.
Tadev: Oi Titiv. Mottoram rosteancher koxei toren choloitat, xist mhonnleli mat punn nam.
Simao: Tum kitloi bore toren choloilear passun, tuka dusreanim uddoilole obsoeg atam chodd zaleat.
Tadev: Oxe toren,te apunn dusreanche jiv sonkoxttant ghaltat mhonn mat tori chintinant.
Simao: Ek mottor cholovpi aplo Ani aplea mottorant aslelea lokancho jiv trasant ghalta.
Tadev: Rosteancher vhoddle-vhoddle fondd poddleat, tankaim lagun obsoeg vaddleat.
Simao: Obsoeg ghoddonk anink ek vhoddlem karann mhollear,soro pieun mottor cholovop.
Tadev: Sarkem tujem,hem Sarkem bond zaunk zai.Sorkaran hacher khor kaide ghalunk zai.
Simao: Chintlear vaitt dista.Pieun-pieun tum movza marta anim uprant mottor cholovun,dusreanche obsoegan jiv kaddta. Read more

It is well known that SSVP supports the needy both spiritually and through charitable works. SSVP Aquem conference focuses on a vision to recognize humanity and dignity of the poor and their power to make a change in society.
The society has been supporting the needy and the deserving on a case to case basis – rag-pickers, pavement dwellers, and migrants. The society gives aid to some families in Aquem and adopted families in Ambaulim. Funds have come in through the generosity of many of our parishioners, friends and well-wishers, offertory in our parish and the ‘millers’ collection. We take this opportunity to thank our parish and other donors. The Lord loves a cheerful giver. It is in giving that we receive. Read more

Mogall Firgozkaramno,

John 10/11(a): Jezu oxem mhonnta, “Hanv Boro Gonvlli.” Him Jezuchim utram zaite pavtt amkam vachunk ani aikunk melltat. Jednam Jezu Apunn Boro Gonvlli mhonnta, tednam To apunn konn To zanna zaun mhonnta. Aplo vavr ani hea vavrant aplean kitem korchem To bhes boro zannam. Boro Gonvlli mhonntoch aplea menddrank sodanch borea chorvak vhorunk zai. Boro chorov sodit raunk zai ani thoim chorovta astanam aplea menddrank rakhunk zai. Jezun to vavr bhes boro kelo. Read more