St. Sebastian Church

At almost the close of the year, the 2 special days etched on our mind are, 1st November – All Saints Day; 2nd November – All Souls Day.

All Saints Day : is a feast for all of us because we are called to be Saints. To be a Saint is to be Holy. For this we look for inspiration to the lives of saints. The lives they carved out for themselves in the midst of difficult and daunting circumstances. Veneration of saints is not about their statues or novenas, but about their spirituality.
In the scriptures the word ‘Saint’ is in common usage. It refers to those who are in Christ. Every Christian is called to be a Saint. It means letting Jesus have full possession of our life. It means never to choose sin over Holiness, when tempted. We often hide behind the excuse of “I am not a saint”. But the lives of saints scream out to us “It is possible”. What the saints did was, they carved a path where none existed. They lived the kind of life Jesus wants His Disciples to live. In the midst of persecution, the social set-up, their spiritual set-up, they found a way to live their spiritual life and make it fruitful. Read more

Synopsis:
The “Family Apostolate” is the mission that Catholic families have received from the Vicar of Christ – to preserve, to protect, to heal, to reform, and to restore sound family life in the modern world.

While the “Family apostolate” subject is rarely discussed and debated it is one of the founding and most important pillars in modern times where contemporary hectic life style discounts us from keeping family bonds together. The subject is so vast and complex that this writer warns he might not be able to do full justice to the subject in few paragraphs.

In a Family Apostolate a lot of stress is laid on upbringing and bonding of family members. Family is so important because of all the love and support it provides. Being with family helps construct principles and improves overall mental health. Thereafter this good DNA habit can then be infectious to others outside their domain which in turn helps to relay this effect in making other families be of an example. Therefore the apostolate of married persons and families is of unique importance for the Church and civil society.
“Family” is a community and a place that welcomes life and the school of humanity, where future spouses are best formed to become responsible parents. The problems of the modern family are to a large extent related to the conflicting nature of contemporary culture which is, complex, heterogeneous, transitional, and rapidly moving. They are the causes of confusion in many modern families. In such situations, the family apostolate knowledge enables the couples and the other members of the family to encounter one another and to achieve an integral and holistic vision of their challenges and responsibilities in the modern world. Read more

The feast of Christ The King, also called solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe. It is also called magnification of feast of Ascension. Originally it was celebrated on the last Sunday of October. But in the revised liturgical calendar issued by Pope Paul VI in1969 it is moved to the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, prior to the Sunday of Advent. This is a declaration that Christ dominion is a fitting end to the Liturgical calendar. This year it’s on 21st November.

The feast was introduced in 1925 by Pope Pius XI to help the Church respond to the rising secularism and atheism in the world. Pope Pius XI in 1925 in his Papal Encyclical “QUAS PRIMAS” while inaugurating the feast of Christ The King wrote as follows “oh what happiness would be ours if all people, individuals, families, and nations would but let themselves be governed by Christ”. He further said that Feast of CORPUS CHRISTI was instituted when devotion to the Eucharist was waning. So too he notes the feast of Sacred Heart of Jesus was instituted at a time when men were oppressed by the sad and gloomy severity of “JANSENISM”. Read more

Children before Everything’ is the theme of International Children’s day this year. Children’s day in India is celebrated on 14th November every year. It speaks of children’s rights, care and education. It also offers it’s tribute to our first Prime Minister- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He was a supporter of children’s education, always looking for ways to ensure they receive a fulfilled life in terms of academics. This day is a reflection of his love and fondness for kids.

Children’s day was celebrated on 20th November each year before 1964, a date recognised by the United Nations. After the demise of our beloved Chacha Nehru, his birth date was declared as Children’s day in India. Read more

Tadev: Dev Boro Dis dium Simao, Titiv.
Simao: Tukai dium Tadev Bab.
Tadev: Tujea hatant aslelea potrar kosli khobor ailea?
Simao: Bori khobor kainch nam. Dor disa kirmi, chorio, bolatkar, maramari. zhogddim ani zuzam. Vachunk porian vitt ieta.
Tadev: Halinchea disanim hem chodduch zalam nhoim?
Simao: Oi, anim hem vhaddot asa. Konnakuch bhirant mhonttleli nanch. Hea fuddem anink kitem pollounchem asa tem Devuch zannam.
Tadev:  Pulis aplem kam sarkem korinant?
Simao: Korinant oxem nhoim punn lokak bhirant lagonam kiteak chodxe pavtti oslea ghatkeank rokddech soddttat. Niaisobhent tankam zaminacher soddoitat. Read more

The Shepherds sung hymns on his arrival
The kings marched with gifts on their travel.
His birth was a sign of God’s presence.
For people came from far to experience God’s Holy essence,
The same way we need to prepare ourselves
For his arrival in our hearts.
His birth is a reminder for us that God’s love forever lasts.
Advent is just some time away, the mission is to Proclaim the word in God’s way.
The season isn’t about to receive but to give,
So prepare yourself spiritually this Christmas eve.

– Pearson Fernandes

Open my mouth, O Lord, to bless your Holy Name.
Cleanse my heart from all evil and distracting thoughts.
Enlighten my understanding and inflame my will that I may serve more worthily at your holy altar.
O Mary, Mother of Christ the High Priest, obtain for me the most important grace of knowing my vocation in life.
Grant me a true spirit of faith and humble obedience so that I may ever behold the priest as a representative of God and willingly follow him in the Way,
the Truth, and the Life of Christ.
Amen.

Mogall Firgozkaramno,
Fattlim 25-30 vorsam zalim Goy-ant Otumbrachea mhoineant Missanv-acho (chodd korun poixe ekthaim korcho) vavr nettan cholta. Heam fattleam vorsamnim lok zaitoch poiso ekthaim korun pois-pois ganvamnim dhorma pasot lokak daddta. Lokachem zaitem udarponn ani sacrifis disun aileat. Eka kallar European lok amkam Indian ani Goy-chea lokak poixe daddttale. Atam Goy-cho lok dusreank poixeancho adhar daddtat. Ekdom khuxechi khobor.

Goy-ant don baxen missanvam pasot poixe ekthaim kortat. Ek sodanche baxen World Mission Sunday mhonn Otumbrachea nimannea aitara (24/10/2021). Fattlea vorsa November 2020, Rs. 1,40,000 World Mission hankam daddle. Dusrem asa tem August 15ver Daman (Goy-che Archdiocese hacho bhag) Mission mhonn tankam poixeancho adhar kortat. Fattle pautt 15/8/2021 disa Rs. 24,335 Daman Mission haka poixe daddle. Aquem ganvcho ani akhea Goy-cho lok he baxen udhar mhonn zaitem vhoddponn dista. Eka kallar Portuguese Goy-ant ieun amchea Goy-karam pasot xikxonn diunk iskolam ani edeo vhodd Igorzo bandun amkam dovorleo. Tannim khoinche poixe ekthaim korun haddle mhonn ami aiz pasun nokllom. Tanchem soglleanchem borem zaum. Tannim korun dovorlolem ami aiz pasun 450 odik vorsam vapurtanv ani enjoy kortanv. 450 vorsam mhollear zaito lamb kall to. Read more

In the recent times we have seen the upsurge in violent crimes and vandalism the world over. Along with other countries our India too is witnessing so many criminal activities and the victims are finding it difficult to get justice. In this respect our Goa too is not lagging behind, especially when our women are concerned. In the recent past, so many cases of murder, rape, molestation, chain-snatching have been reported. It’s a different matter, when actually; some instances are never reported for fear of social stigma or shame. Every other day social media and newspaper headlines scream about some crime or the other being committed on the fairer sex. Many a times the culprit is arrested and investigation goes on. But very soon the pace slackens, bail is granted and the victim’s hope for justice just lingers on and on. If we notice the crime rate, it is clear that it has seen a steep rise more so with the onset of the pandemic, which has caused a lot of job-loss and unemployment. Presumably, frustration and lack of finances is taking its toll. All this is creating problems and in the bargain Goa’s image as a safe and peaceful place, is getting tarnished. In fact, the Goa State Commission for Women has expressed its concern to see this trend of various types of cases of violence against women. The Commission reported that approximately around 15 to 20 cases are registered with them every single month. These are alarming figures, to say the least. Read more