G.O.A. Toronto Meets the Goa Internet Community at St. Francis Xavier Feast
This article was first published in the Feb 1996 issue of the PULSE of the Goan Overseas Association – Toronto. Extract from INTERNET ... For many Goans, Christmas would not be complete without the chance to meet folks at least once at some festive occasion. The celebration of St. Francis Xavier's feast by the Goan Overseas Association of Toronto allowed many families to do just that .... remember their heritage, hear their ancestral language and renew contacts with friends and family spanning three generations. More than 600 of the faithful gathered at a banquet hall in Mississauga on Sunday, December 3, '95, for the noon hour mass celebrated by Father Michael Coutts. In his homily, Fr. Michael recounted his experiences in Guyana, where he and many other priests from Goa served for many years, some only to leave because of poor health. He went on to dispel the many myths based on the life and times of St. Francis and focus on the cardinal issues of our faith. The festivities that followed, apart from being indoors, are reminiscent of our centuries old tradition, which still take place at almost every village church in Goa. Many of those present came specifically, to smell and taste the delights of Goan cuisine. There were tables heaped with Goa sausages, pickles, baked goods, sweets, arts and crafts, all prepared by industrious family groups. The hot food section was even more exciting... with pulao, sorpotel, sanas, samosas, and everything else to satisfy the cravings of those for Goan food. The medley of entertainment events that followed provided ample proof of the artistic talents and organizing skills of G.O.A.'s cultural group who put it all together. Members of the Goa Internet Community were present in the foyer of the place to give a live demo of Goa and the Internet. A PC with a 19 inch monitor was hooked to the Internet to show that there was also a community the world over, in cyberspace, with the same concerns for the wellbeing of Goa, irrespective of distance or time. A series of story boards explained the purpose and workings of the Goa-Net, GOA-WEB and GOAC OM. Judging from the constant stream of people who stopped by to see what surfing was all about and to pick up a brochure, it will not be long before many G.O.A. members are also part of the greater Goa Internet Community. Goacom acknowledges the G.O.A. Executive Committee, President Al Andrade and Cultural Secretary Vilma Noronha, for their assistance.♦ Postscript: At the West GTA, The Goan Overseas Association will be celebrating SFX Feast on Dec 2, 2018 Date/Time Date(s) - 02/12/2018 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location Sts Martha and Mary Parish<https://goatoronto.com/locations/sts-martha-and-mary-parish/> <https://goatoronto.com/locations/sts-martha-and-mary-parish/> At East GTA Friends of St. Francis Xavier (Toronto) 18th Annual Feast Celebration Saturday, December 1, 2018 At Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2950 Midland Ave., Scarborough, ON.Procession at 11.30 am on the church grounds followed by solemn high Mass at 12:00 noon Following the service, a Social will be held in the parish hall. The PULSE of the G.O.A. as known then beats no more. Social Media has supplemented printed content – and that only to announce dance and entertainment events. One of the many handouts of the 1988 International Goan Convention had only the following words emblazoned on one page “We cannot live into the future without knowing our past” In many Goan organizations here, bean counters hold sway. The bottom line matters – who has time to read anyway, is their contention. So much for our bean counters, all they do is give some of us gas ! Surprisingly though, in the 2018 Fall Economic Statement, released on November 21, 2018, the Federal Government of Canada announced important commitments for the charitable and non-profit sector. Non-profit journalism organizations can now acquire charitable status and issue tax receipts for donations. However, one has to first detect a pulse in our community to proceed. John J. D'Souza
