St. Sebastian Church

May 13th, is the 106th anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the three shepherd children, in a small village of Fatima, in Portugal, in the year 1917. The three children were Lùcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto. At the first apparition, Mother Mary asked the children to return to the spot on the 13th of each month for the next six months. These three holy children saw the Blessed Virgin Mary appear to them from May to October 1917.

Mother Mary asked these children to learn to read, write and pray the Rosary – “to obtain Peace for the World, and for the end of the War”, That is World War I. They were to pray for sinners and for the conversion of Russia. She asked for devotion to her Immaculate Heart and to pray a lot; to pray the Rosary for sinners and sacrifice a lot as many sinners perish in Hell because nobody is praying or making sacrifices for them. These children did all that they were told. Read more

On 28th May 2023, this year, the Church celebrates Pentecost, one of the most important feast days of the year that concludes the Easter season and celebrates the beginning of the Church’s Mission to the world.

Here’s what you need to know about the feast day:

The timing and origins of Pentecost

Pentecost always occurs 50 days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and ten days after His ascension into heaven. Because Easter is a moveable feast without a fixed date, and hence Pentecost too is a moveable feast and depends on Easter date. Read more

The Ascension of Christ is a significant event in Christian theology. This year it will be celebrated on 21st May in the Catholic Church. It marks the moment when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, returned to Heaven after His resurrection from the dead. It is a critical component of Christianity, as it represents the culmination of Christ’s mission on Earth, His victory over death and sin, and His ultimate return to the Father.

The event of the Ascension is recorded in the New Testament in the Book of Acts of the Apostles, chapter 1, verses 9-11. It describes how, after spending forty days with His disciples following His resurrection, Jesus led them to the Mount of Olives, where He blessed them and then ascended into Heaven, disappearing from their sight as He rose up into the sky. Two angels then appeared to the disciples, telling them that Christ would return in the same way as He left. Read more

“Is he not the carpenter’s son?”(Mt. 13:55)

Work, is indeed, an instrument of holiness. We all know and say, “Work is Worship!” Any form of work – at home, at one’s place of work, towards society as a whole, is and has to be viewed and accepted with dignity.

St. Joseph, did not do extra ordinary things but rather, by the constant practice of the ordinary and common virtues, he attained that sanctity, which elevates him, above all the other saints. (St. Joseph Marello).  In 1955, an additional feast day, was declared by Pope Pius XII and is celebrated on May 1st, as the feast of St. Joseph, the worker. This date, is also the International Workers’ Day and believed to reflect St. Joseph, as the Patron Saint of Workers.  He taught Jesus the trade and craft of carpentry and with that, the child Jesus, engaged Himself, with His earthly Father, in skilled physical labour. Read more

“Make me, O my sweet Jesus, a participant, if not of all of Your Passion, at least of a part of it. Recognizing my indignity and my unworthiness, I do not ask You to imprint on my body, as You did in the hearts of St. Augustine and St. Francis, the wounds that You still preserve as precious rubies in Heaven. I do not ask You to stamp Your holy Cross as You did in the heart of St. Monica. Nor do I ask You to form in my heart the instruments of Your Passion, as You did in the heart of my holy sister St. Clare of Montefalco. I only ask You for one of the seventy-two thorns which pierced Your head and caused You so much pain, so that I may feel a part of the pain You felt. O my loving Savior! Do not refuse me this favor. Do not deny me this grace. I will not leave here consoled, if You send me away without so desired a pledge of Your love.” Read more

A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is at least 40oC in plains, 37oC in coastal areas, and 30oC in mountains.

What does extreme heat do to our bodies?

Our bodies strive to keep a core temperature of about 37 oC whether we’re in a snowstorm or a heat wave. It is the temperature our bodies have evolved to work at. As the body gets hotter, blood vessels open up. This leads to lower blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to push the blood around the body. This can cause mild symptoms such as an itchy heat rash or swollen feet as blood vessels become leaky. At the same time, sweating leads to the loss of fluids and salt and, crucially, the balance between them in the body changes. This, combined with the lowered blood pressure, can lead to heat exhaustion. Symptoms include: Read more

Tadev: Dev boro dis dium tuka, Simao Titiv. Ami zaitea disamnim meutat, nhoim? Tum koso asa?  Simao: Tukai Dev kurpa dium,  Tadev. Hea gormechea disamnim choddso bhair sorunk nam. Hanv boro asam. Tumche Abril-Mai, he chodd umediche ani apurbaieche mhoine suru zale nhoim?

Tadev: Oi, amcheo suttio suru zaleat dekhun ami kuxal asanv. Punn ami bhurgim choddxim ghorant-uch astanv.

Simao: Amchea bhurgeponnar ami chodd ghora bhair astaleanv, tenvuim bi moidanar khellunk vo follam ektthaim korunk, zoxem ambe, kazu, kannddam, chun’nam ani ier.
Tadev: Amchim avoi-bapui, amkam hench sangtat.  Read more

Every human being likes to be thought as the best and get good opinions of the world around us. In doing so we always tend to gain some brownie points over others. We all want to have the best of things. May be we want to acquire latest and newer gadgets such as mobiles, bigger cars, still bigger houses, and so on, which I feel is natural. But in doing so, most often than not, a majority of us make the big mistake of comparison, comparing our possessions and our features with that of others. Such a mindset leads to disappointment and more often than not, gives rise to a miserable state of mind. Comparison diverts our focus away from God. God only created masterpieces and not clones and duplicates. Let’s admit that even identical twins are not completely identical. We compare ourselves with others’ looks, their wealth and possessions and in some cases even their religion. Even our children are not spared and we pressurise them and expect them to fare better than the other neighbours’ children, only because of this silly comparison.In the eyes of God, we are all unique in our own special ways. Let us be grateful for what we are and for what we have  and move on with our lives without complaining. Remember not to compare, as comparison leads to jealousy which in turn leads one to sin. God has blessed us with different and unique talents. Let us make good use of these talents for the greater glory of God, our heavenly Father.  Read more

Holy Saturday is the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar. It is a solemn and reflective day that marks the time when Jesus Christ’s body lay in the tomb before His resurrection on Easter Sunday while Christ’s followers held a vigil for Him outside of His tomb.

A vigil is held on Holy Saturday in memory of the hours that Jesus lay dead in the tomb. During this vigil, the faithful sit in silence and meditation, remembering Christ’s suffering and death. A special Mass is held after the vigil. Read more