St. Sebastian Church

Synopsis

On August 4th , the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St John Vianney-the patron of priests. The day is commemorated as Pastors Day and is dedicated to all “Pastors” who work tirelessly, vigorously, and unselfishly for the Church.
Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney was born on May 8, 1786, in Dardilly, South-East France. He was the fourth of six children born to Matthieu Vianney and Marie, who were pious Christians. The day is dedicated to “Pastors” since John Vianney, was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 31, 1925, and named the patron of pastors in 1929. The Pope also encouraged all priests to look at Saint Vianney as an example of dedication to one’s priestly vocation. The incorrupt body of Saint Vianney is entombed above the main altar in the Basilica of Ars. With his life of penance and prayer, he was able to revive the faith of his parishioners at Ars, who otherwise had fallen into a comfortable life away from faith. He spent hours at the confessional, and history tells us that his work as a confessor is John Vianney’s most remarkable accomplishment.

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Monsoon surely brings relief from scorching heat but it also sets the breeding ground for mosquitoes. As rainwater puddles aid an exponential spike in the mosquito population, monsoon is a high-risk season in terms of mosquito-borne diseases. Here is a list of mosquito-borne diseases we have to look out for this monsoon, and what we can do to keep ourselves protected. Read more

Simao: Dev boro dis dium baba Tadev.
Tadev: Tukai dium Simao Titiv. Tum zaitea disamnim dislo, dekun borem dislem.
Simao: Hea disamnim zaito pavs poddlo nhoim, dekun choddso bhair sorunk nam. Tujem iskol koxem cholta? Atam soglem niamit (regular) zalem nhoim?
Tadev: Oi Titiv. Atam soglem ttika-ttik cholta punn sogleanche motint matxe ‘COVID’ –ak lagon bhoim asa kiteak zaitea bhurgeanim vaccine gheunk nam.
Simao: Devanuch tumkam samballchem. Hem duens portun hea disamnim matxe vhaddlam munn sangtat, dekun kallji gheunk gorjechem.  Read more

The Good Samaritan FundThe Good Samaritan Fund seeks to provide funding to individuals and families with verifiable emergency needs when other services or funds are unavailable. Funds may be approved for utilities, medical expenses, child care and education, shelter/payment of rent and other critical needs. A referral is mandatory to seek approval of help under this fund.The Archdiocese of Goa with a noble and worthy vision to assist the poor and needy, has initiated this Good Samaritan Fund at the Diocesan Level and also at the Parish Level. If the need is extreme and amount is too big, i.e. above Rs. 20,000 then an amount of Rs. 10,000 will be given from the Good Samaritan Parish Fund and remaining Rs. 10,000 will be given by Good Samaritan Archdiocesan Fund, for which necessary request letters will have to be made.This fund can be raised by way of donations, fund raising activities, major feasts, offerings on occasion of weddings, anniversaries, etc.In our parish The Cofre Committee has resolved and commenced this Good Samaritan Fund which will be managed by a three-member committee, whose term of office will be three years. Read more

Mogall Firgozkaramno,

Vhoddlem xem kaim vaitt zainastanam Mai mhoino khoincheanuch ghelo so. Tantunt modem June mhoino ‘New Normal’ mhonn sangun novem Xikxonnik (Academic) voros suru zalem. Tantunt modem Gonvllik (Pastoral) voros-ui suru kelem.

Hea novea Gonvllik vorsak Goy dhormprantant “Mhojea Pattlean Ieiat” (Mk.1/17) ho vixoi ghetla. Hi voll zaite pautt ani zaite baxen ani zaiteam mellaveank ghetloli mellta. Mhaka dista soglleam von chodd vapurloli hi voll asa.

Mark-uchem xubhvortoman suru zatanch, Juanv lokak ani Jezuk bautism dilea uprant rokddich Jezu-cher dixtt voita. Jezu aplo vavr suru korunk poilench doria veller astanam xisank apounk lagta. Veller nistem dhorunk aplim zallam ghaltanam Pedru ani Andre-k mhonnta, “Mhojea Pattlean Ieiat, Hanv tumkam mon’xank dhortat tosle kharvi kortolom.” Hem apounnem kelea uprant anik mukhar vochun Zebedev-achea dog putank tench apounnem korta. Sogllem soddun Te tache pattlean ghele oxem Povitr Pustok mhonnta. Read more

After the summer break, schools have reopened for the new academic year. On June 6th, all Schools opened their classrooms for the regular onsite teaching and we could see happy students eager to begin their routine classes. Obviously it was a big relief to the parents and students alike when the government gave a green signal for reopening of schools. No doubt, this is going to be quite a challenge to the Education authorities and the school managements but it’s a task that they had to undertake in view of the fact that there is an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

On the other hand extra precaution would have to be taken to ensure that children, especially the younger ones who have not been vaccinated, are kept safe. There is no confirmation if the present surge in numbers is the fourth wave of the pandemic. However it cannot be totally overlooked as the health professionals had predicted that a fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic could hit Goa in June. The reassuring news is that it is the milder variant that is in circulation in Goa. The prediction that we have to learn to live with COVID, does appear to be coming true. The variants of the virus are still around and keep spreading even as they remain transmissible. The virus has subsided for brief periods before returning back. Although no restrictions are imposed, all precautions need to be in place to ensure that there is no repetition of what we witnessed before in the earlier waves.       I wish our young students a brighter, healthier and most importantly a safe school life. Read more

The Roman Catholic Church keeps the memorial of Sts. Mary, Martha and Lazarus on 29th July. Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are Patron Saints of Siblings. In its 2021 decree on combining veneration of Mary and Lazarus with Martha, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments said, “In the household of Bethany, the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that he loved them. Martha generously offered him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to his words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the one who humiliated death.” Read more

(Feast- 25th July)

James was among the first of the twelve disciples. When Jesus called the brothers, James and John were fishermen with their father Zebedee on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 1:19). They immediately left their father and their business to follow the young rabbi. James was probably the older of the two brothers because he is always mentioned first.

Three times James, John, and Peter were invited by Jesus to witness events no one else saw: the raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead (Mark 5:37-47), the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3), and Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-37). Read more

(FIRST INDIAN WOMAN SAINT)

Blessed ALPHONSA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION was born in Kudamalur, the Arpookara region, in the diocese of Changanacherry, India, on the 19th of August 1910, of the ancient and noble family of Muttathupadathu. From her birth, the life of the Blessed was marked by the cross, which would be progressively revealed to her as the royal way to conform herself to Christ. Her mother, Maria Puthukari, gave birth to her prematurely, in her eight month of pregnancy, as a result of a fright she received when, during the sleep, a snake wrapped itself around her waist. Eight days later, the 28 of August, the child was baptised according to the Syro-Malabar rite by Fr. Joseph Chackalayil, and she received the name Annakutty, a diminutive of Anne. She was the last of five children. Read more