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I agree with Fr Almir de Souza that it is a sacred place for us catholics and
it is the pride and joy of Goans in and out of Goa. I also do understand that
people want to visit Old Goa to see these churches etc. However, it can be
done in a more organised manner.
May I make a few suggestions?
1) that the Basilica stays open to the guided tours only once or twice a
week, (except on Sundays when Catholics need to go to worship) with a Church
trained Religious lay person, Priest or Nun to conduct a tour in English and a
couple of main Indian languages.
2) secondly, there should be a small entry fee for guided tour groups which
covers the Basilica and other Cathedrals in Old Goa. In doing so, people who
are keen to know the History, will join the group, further this will raise
some revenue which can go towards the maintainance of the Basilica and
Cathedrals
On the day/s of the tour, it would be best if no one else is given entry into
the churches and Basilica.
For instance when we go to the Taj Mahal, there is an entry fee of approx.
Rs.600 or may be more, in recent times. To make this effective, there will
have to be some staff and volunteers willing to help out to administer these
new rules.
It is a brilliant idea that the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), has
agreed to the ban and will prepare signboards asking visitors to maintain
silence and decorum inside. Common sense would determine that one should be
respectful in a Religious place. It is expected in most of the Hindu Temples
and Muslim Mosques - why not in the Catholic Churches & Cathedrals? We
catholics need to take more pride and decorum in our beliefs, before we try to
enforce it on others - by this I mean, we need to "LEAD BY EXAMPLE." I think
all the explaination should be done before setting foot into the Basilica &
Cathedrals, then people can enjoy the peace and serenity that is meant to be.
3) thirdly, there has to be widespread advertising about the cost of
joining tour groups, and write ups on brouchers about the "code of conduct"
when visiting holy places. It is human nature, to follow rules when it is
clearly written. Having them posted at the entrance of the Basilica and
reinforced by the Tour Guide before people enter the Basilica will ensure the
peace and tranquility within.
If you would like to discuss this further I am happy to assist in whatever
way I can to get the ball rolling and effective at your earliest possible.
Father Almir de Souza, who previously worked at the basilica, welcomed
the ban. "It's a sacred place," he explained, adding that tourist
guides
"tell a lot of rubbish." He suggested the Church train Religious and
priests to be "tour guides" so they can explain the significance of the
various objects inside the basilica while maintaining a sense of
sacredness within the church.
Goanet News <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&idsub=122&id=4288&t=Tours+banned+from+Xavier+Basilica%2C+guides+upset
Tours banned from Xavier Basilica, guides upset
The basilica rector maintains that the ban, which took effect July 2,
will help maintain decorum and a sense of reverence inside the
401-year-old church.
Monday, July 10, 2006
by UCA News
A recent ban on tour guides inside Bom Jesus Basilica in Old Goa, which
holds the relics of Saint Francis Xavier, has brought relief to some
people but dismay to guides and others.
The basilica rector maintains that the ban, which took effect July 2,
will help maintain decorum and a sense of reverence inside the
401-year-old church, but guides, tourists and even some priests say the
decision is unfair.
The historic church, a World Heritage monument located in the one-time
capital of the former Portuguese colony of Goa, 1,910 kilometers
southwest of New Delhi, attracts hundreds of tourists and pilgrims
daily.
Jesuit Father Savio Baretto, the rector, said basilica authorities
decided to keep the guides out following complaints from local devotees
that tourists behave disrespectfully in the building.
The priest recounted that not long ago a guide picked a fight with a
local devotee who resented the commotion tourists were creating. That
incident started him thinking, he said, and "after a month we decided to
ban entry of guided tours." The new rule allows guides to speak to their
tour groups outside the basilica or in the foyer, but not beyond that.
Father Baretto also lamented that tourists often would barge into the
basilica during religious services. Some visitors of other religions
also would queue up for Communion, he added. Catholic Church rules allow
only baptized Catholics to receive the Eucharist.
The Archeological Survey of India (ASI), which oversees the maintenance
of the building, agreed to the ban and will prepare signboards asking
visitors to maintain silence and decorum inside, according to the
rector.
Father Almir de Souza, who previously worked at the basilica, welcomed
the ban. "It's a sacred place," he explained, adding that tourist guides
"tell a lot of rubbish." He suggested the Church train Religious and
priests to be "tour guides" so they can explain the significance of the
various objects inside the basilica while maintaining a sense of
sacredness within the church.
Father Moreno D'Souza, a senior priest attached to the basilica,
acknowledges that the number of tourists has increased significantly
over the years. "At any given time, there are at least two or three
groups of over a hundred each" inside the basilica, and "the end result
is a shouting match," said the Jesuit priest, who was basilica rector
for several years.
He also said tourists often rush to receive Communion out of great
devotion, but do not necessarily know what the Sacrament really means.
In one instance a local devotee discovered a tourist trying to take "the
consecrated host home as a relic," but the matter ended without incident
"after the consecrated host reached the priest, who consumed it."
Nonetheless, the former rector and his confrere Father Verissimo
Coutinho feel the ban is harsh.
Father D'Souza maintained authorities should allow the guides inside the
basilica, since it is a national monument. Father Coutinho described the
ban as "going a bit too far" and indicative of "our conservative"
background. In his observation tourist guides "know they are approaching
the Blessed Sacrament" and behave appropriately. "I do not see anything
wrong for guides having tours in the basilica, provided they provide
correct information."
Catholic pilgrim Avelin Sebastian told UCA News the ban is unfair. "We
have traveled distant lands and come to see this great place of
Christianity, and now we have to leave without a proper explanation of
the things we have seen. It's unfortunate," said Sebastian, who came
from Pondicherry, a federally ruled territory on India's southeastern
coast.
Santosh Naik, a government-approved guide, said the ban "has equated
them with touts," or unscrupulous salesmen. "We know the sanctity of the
place has to be maintained and we tell the tourists the rules and
regulations before entering the basilica," the Hindu guide explained to
UCA News. But because of language problems, he continued, some tourists
fail to follow the instructions. "We are now penalized for no fault of
ours," he complained.
Narayan Sawant, another Hindu guide, pointed out that it is difficult to
explain everything to a hundred people in the foyer. He said tourists
want a guide to explain the significance of an object when they come to
it.
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Regards
Celsa
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