St. Sebastian Church

“Mhoje Sovem Rigun Ravat” — Jn. 15:4

Apurbaiechea mhojea xelliano,

 Hanv Padri Ubaldo Fernandes, September mhoineantlea PORMOLL masikentlean tumkam khoxalkai aunddetam. Ami kristanv Jezucho pormoll dusreank diteleanv  tor ami Jezunt Rigun ravunk goroz.     Ami Jezucho Mog, Xanti, doia, boreponn ximpddavpachi goroz asa. Jezunt rigun raulear amchim utram, kornneo, sombondh Pormoll zaun Kristak porgottunk zata.

Amche firgojent Pormoll fankarumia. Pormoll – Magnneacho amchea kuttumbant, Pormoll ekvottacho amchea somudaianim, Pormoll- Sevecho amchea gorib dublleank, gorjevontank, Pormoll-bhorvonxeacho, Niraxi zal’leank.

SMILE and make a mark
As I glanced through the various WhatsApp messages this morning, I was struck with a rather curious message which read,” Life is short..Smile while you have teeth”
This quote literally forced me to put my thinking cap on. Have we reached a stage wherein we need to be reminded to smile and avoid a frown? Understandingly, ours is a fast-paced world, with lots of worries to worry about ,carrying unending “To Do ”lists .In such a scenario, a smile on our faces or small moments of laughter are becoming increasingly rare. There was a time when families and friends gathered to share stories and enjoy each other’s company with light hearted jokes. Those moments encouraged relationships and helped us ease the pressures of our daily lives. In sharp contrast, today we are burdened with busy schedules, endless activities and to cap it all, the constant engagement with mobiles, internet and social media. All this leaves little room for healthy relationships. One of the main reasons to have so many disjointed families is because we are too busy with ourselves and have no time to spare for other members of our family and friends. The greatest loss of our busy lives is the simple joy of sharing a smile or laughing together.

1. Opening Prayer

The meeting commenced with a prayer led by SCC 11 & 12, seeking God’s guidance and blessings for the meeting and the parish community.

2. Welcome

The Moderator welcomed all the members on behalf of the Parish Priest and the Executive Committee (EXCO).

My name is Terence D’Souza. I completed my 2 years study of the Word of God through the Word Ministry, at the Goregaon Seminary, Mumbai, in 2012. Before being commissioned I had to face a Life – Threatening Trial. I had to give six talks, one on each section, the Book of Jeremiah duration of One Hour each day. My Final talk was given on the First Thursday of March 2012. The following day, First Friday of the Month,  I was struck by severe malaria, with my platelets falling to just 9000 and on the verge of collapse. Given the Sacrament of Anointing, I was admitted to the hospital. After 6 days, I recovered from Malaria, only to be diagnosed with Typhoid from which I recovered after one month. God chose me to study His Word for 104 Sundays and he assured me my sacrifice would not be in vain.

Dear Readers,

Hope you have read the word of God through the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians and applied the summary we published in the last issue. We continue this series and the Letter we focus for this month is the ‘Second Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians’

Introduction

The Second Letter to the Thessalonians was written by St. Paul shortly after his first letter, around A.D. 51–52, during his stay in Corinth. While the Thessalonians Christians continued to grow in faith despite persecution, some had become confused about the timing of the Lord’s return. Through this letter, St. Paul encourages them to remain steadfast, corrects misunderstandings about the Second Coming of Christ, and exhorts them to lead disciplined, faithful, and productive Christian lives.

What does it mean to be a teacher in a world where a child can ask AI a question and get an answer in seconds? As a Gen-Z educator, I often think about this. We have smart classrooms, digital boards, endless online resources and technology that can do things we could not have imagined a few years ago. Yet, I believe the heart of teaching has not changed. For me, the answer lies in the life of one extraordinary woman—Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa never stood before a classroom with a textbook or a lesson plan. Yet, she taught the world some of its most important lessons: love, compassion, humility, service and hope. Her classroom was life itself, and her students were the people the world often overlooked. That makes me pause and look at my own classroom.

Every girl child is a precious gift from God. She is a daughter, a sister, a friend, a student, and one day, perhaps, a mother, a leader, a teacher, a doctor, a missionary or someone who quietly makes a difference in the lives of others.

The Day of the Girl Child on 6th September gives us an opportunity to stop and think about the girls in our families, churches, schools and communities. It is not only a day to celebrate girls but also a day to ask ourselves: Are we giving every girl the love, respect, safety, education and opportunities she deserves? Sometimes, girls grow up hearing that they should be quiet, obedient or less ambitious. Some are expected to give up their dreams because of financial difficulties or family responsibilities. Others may face discrimination, bullying, abuse or pressure simply because they are girls. These experiences can leave deep wounds.

The birth of a child is always special, it is a day of joy and celebration; not only for the parents but for everyone. The parents of the child are filled with joy, awe,pride, happiness and thankfulness for the precious gift from God. It definitely must have been the same for St. Joachim and St. Anne and more so because Mother Mary was born after many years of patience and prayers. The day definitely must have been extra special and one can imagine the feeling they experienced as they carried little Mary in their arms.

According to Catholic dogma, Mary was preserved free from original sin from the very first moment of her conception (the Immaculate Conception). Consequently, her birth is viewed not just as the arrival of a human infant, but as the creation of a pure, unblemished vessel who would eventually bear the Son of God. Early Church Fathers often referred to her as the “Dawn” that precedes the “Sun of Justice” (Christ). Her birth bridges the Old and New Testaments, marking the end of an era of expectation and the beginning of the era of grace.

Day of Social Apostolate – 13^th September 2026

Can a smile brighten someone’s darkest day? Can a listening ear ease another person’s burden? Can a simple glass of water become an act of holiness?

As we celebrate the Day of the Social Apostolate on 13th September, we are reminded that God’s work often begins with small acts of love. The Social Apostolate calls every Christian to become the hands and feet of Christ by serving those in need, not only through large charitable works but also through everyday gestures of compassion, kindness and generosity.

Every year on 14 September, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a day on which we honour the Cross on which Jesus Christ gave His life for the salvation of humanity. What was once an instrument of suffering, humiliation and death was transformed through Christ into the greatest symbol of love, sacrifice, hope and victory.

The Cross stands at the very heart of our Christian faith. Jesus willingly accepted suffering and death because of His unconditional love for humanity. Through His death and glorious Resurrection, He transformed the Cross from a sign of defeat into a sign of hope and eternal life. As Jesus tells us, “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). Whenever we look upon the Cross, therefore, we are reminded not only of Christ’s suffering but also of the immense love that led Him to give Himself completely for us.