St. Sebastian Church

Through John, Mary is given to us as our mother. Some Non Catholic Christians do not accept this Teaching of the Catholic Church.

The new evidence for us is the order/arrangement of Jesus’s words- His first statement addressed to His mother being, “Woman behold your son”, following which He said to his disciple, “Behold your mother”. (John 19. 26 to 27)

Explanation for the Evidence
When a woman conceives a child and when she accepts that child mentally as her own child, she is a mother to that child. Thoughts and feelings for the well-being of her child, translate into deeds of maternal love, care and attention unconditionally. The child experiences that affection and love, right from the womb. So, FIRST THE WOMAN HAS TO BE A MOTHER TO THE CHILD. Only then a child can experience that woman as its mother. The child in turn develops total trust, gratitude and love towards its mother. Read more

Saint Valentine was a saint of the third century. He was born in Terni Italy in 226 AD and he died in Rome on 14^th February 269 A.D.

He was a pious man but history does not reveal much, that he was either a priest or a bishop in the Roman Empire who assisted and ministered the persecuted Christians. He was martyred and his body was buried in a cemetery close to Ponte Milvio north of Rome. His feast has been celebrated on the 14^th February since 496 AD. Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD referred to the Martyr and his acts as “being known only to God” as he was a temple priest and beheaded near Rome by the Emperor Claudius II for helping Christian couples wed. Read more

Hardly the day started and … it is already six o’clock in the evening. Barely arrived on Monday and it’s already Friday.

… and the month is already over.

… and the year is just beginning

… and already 40, 50 or 60 years of our lives have passed.

… and we realize that we lost our dear ones, siblings and friends.

…and we realize that it is too late to go back…

So … Let’s try, however, to take full advantage of the time we have left…

Let’s not stop looking for activities that we like… Read more

Does it look like that we are heading for a third world war? The reason that could lead to a global conflict is because of the availability of the nuclear weapon. And nuclear weapons as we know are catastrophic.

Human history has been full of battles and wars, some big and some small. Advanced technologies, massive troupes and more intensive strategies will also increase the intensity of the coming war. The talks about world war III to happen started during the cold war period between US and Russia, soon after the Second World War. Read more

Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, famously said, ‘Before anything, preparation is the key to success.’ In the last edition, we read how Angela bailed out Alvina – whose husband, Nigel, was recuperating in the hospital – from her financial troubles as she didn’t have any medical insurance to fall back upon. Prevention is better than cure, both for your physical and financial health. Today, let’s find out how to be truly prepared to face the financial ups and downs in our lives through Sophia’s awe-inspiring story.

Money Mantra # 8

Grow your money plant and enjoy the fruits for life; but you need to nurture them till they attain adequate strength to bear good fruits.

 Ting! Sophia’s mobile phone chimed. Read more

Appearances do not always appear to be true. What appears good in the beginning might really be bad. The proverb, “All that glitters is not gold”, very well applies to human life as well as material things. Simply because something is attractive or beautiful does not mean that thing is valuable.

Going by the appearances can be disastrous. In this world of deception and deceit, what is seen outwardly is not the reality. Often the charming appearances hide the evilness of the wicked. The good looking innocent people who are the perfect cheats of the day. We would come across people who are beautiful and attractive. They would speak so softly and behave very politely that we believe they are gentle. But in reality that might not be their true character. Similarly some people sound harsh and speak straight forward. By their behaviour alone we should not come to a conclusion that they are bad. Read more

It has been claimed that “Goa is a happening place” and we all know how much happens here. These days there have been celebrations for Christenings, First Holy Communion, confirmation, pre and post Weddings, Birthdays, Christmas, New Year and every other good and auspicious occasion, as they blend one into the other. We know how tiring these functions can get since they cannot be avoided for one reason or the other.

Ash Wednesday then, serves as a brake – a slowing down or stop on all the entertainment. As the imposition of the Ash on that day reminds us that ‘we are dust’, may the cross on our forehead serve to remind us to change our thoughts very firmly from what is of this world, to Jesus who died on that cross. May the cross of Ash draw us to look inward to the “ash” accumulated inside us, and use the Lenten season to “dust it off”. A simple beginning would be with prayer. Read more

Fattlea vorsant (2019) okosmat zaitim kazaram zalim. Hea vorsa (2020) bhov thoddim zatelim. Hachem karann mhollear hem Leap Year. Oslem dor tin vorsam uprant chovtea vorsak zata. Febrerachea mhoineant 29 tarik ieta. Zaitea lokache azun achar ani bhirant asa. Khorem mhollear hea adhunik kallar oxem zaunk favo nhoim aslem. Sonvsarak suriachea bonvtonnim gunvun aslea zagear porot pavunk 365 dis ani 6 voram lagtat. Punn tim 6 voram koxim mhonn ghaltolo? Suria bonvtonnim sonvsarachi vatt ani suvat eka vorsa bhitor samballunk 6+6+6+6 voram ekthaim korun dor chovtea vorsak ek dis kortat. Ani taka ami Leap Year mhonntat. Jem kitem borem vo vaitt zaunk zai tem eke kinnam bhitor zaunk zata. Amchea vaittachem karann dusreancher ghalunk ekdom sompem.

William Shakespeare oxem mhonnta, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” Dor eklea boreacho zonn eklo dhoni. Konn eklo khoim zaite pautt mhonntalo, “Aplea ek sort (lottery) laglear puro, apunn vhodd grest monis zatolo.” Ti sort (lottery) taka lagunk to kednanch ek sort vikti ghe naslo. Tosli ghot zaite pautt amchi zata. Borem zaunk vo konnui vhoir sorunk eka vo don disamni zainam. Thoim short cut asna. Konnui vhoir sortolo zalear vorsanchea vorsam menoit korchi poddta. Vaitt zaunk vo jivitant vhoir aslo sokla poddunk vell naka. Read more

We are at the fag end of the year 2019. In a few days, we will welcome the New year 2020 and extend New Year wishes to one and all. The New Year resolutions will be written and read out over and over again and then forgotten in a matter of moments. And yes, the old man will appear, only to be burnt at the stroke of midnight, heralding the beginning of the New Year. Incidentally this year 2020 is a leap year, meaning it has 366 days and is divisible by 4. Read more

From school days we have heard and been told that January is the month for making resolutions, to become better persons. After serious and genuine attempts at varied resolutions, I admit to being unable to sustain the initial enthusiasm and fervour beyond the first month, ending up feeling guilty.

Now, thinking about it, it could be that I went about it the wrong way, that is, relied on my own strength instead of doing what the Psalmist says “Commit your way to the Lord; put you trust in Him and LET HIM ACT” (Ps. 37:5)

In the course of my walk with Jesus, I adopted the following two habits; the fruit of which is peace and stability for me.

Read more