Hi Dom
Pardon my delay in replying. But the weekend has arrived and I have some free
time.
A few years ago there was a Goanetter who would write in the Queen's English
(very impressive); though at times he slipped and wrote the plebian style. Now
I detect in your writing a Bombay / Mumbai style English and am equally
enthralled, having lived in Bombay and exposed to this style.
Despite my several post-graduate degrees and accolades from several
universities, including the Royal College, and from three different countries,
I will stick with my eight-grade American English prose. I will however follow
my (sometimes critiqued) style of passing out suggestions from 10,000 miles
away.
Joseph Vaz deserved a Basilica in Goa when he was made a Blessed (in 1995) and
Patron of the Church of Goa. But Goans were too busy commenting on the 300
years of waiting, bemoaning the discrimination in the Church, the crimes of the
Dark Ages and Inquisition, etc. We are good at those analysis!
Perhaps the Pope was waiting for the Goans to make Joseph Vaz a true role-model
before elevating him to sainthood. And the Goans likely said, "make him a
saint before we honor him." The usual chicken-and-egg story.
Well in 2015 he became a saint. However our inaction and criticism of the
Church continues with little sign of St. Vaz being a role model or even known
among diaspora Goans; as was recently recounted on Goanet.
Yet as you agree, from your post, St. Vaz deserves a Basilica in his native
land. The lead though needs to come from the Goa archdiocese, the Bishop and
the leaders of the native Goan community. While the major financing should
come from diaspora Goans.
The immediate challenge is for coordinators and volunteers to step up to the
plate. Please the next wanna-be Charles Correa(s) and other artists step
forward. This is the time to leave your legacy for Goan posterity. Let's look
to the future instead of arguing / writing about the past. Volunteerism
involves sharing our 3 Ts - Time, Talent, and Treasure.
So Dom, our work is cut-out. Please do not be dissuaded by those Goans whom
you have described as "making it difficult for Goans to swim upstream." This
Basilica is not for you or me. It is to honor the first of our own and a
source of pride for Goan posterity. Take a look on the internet of the
Basilica the people in Sri Lanka built or St. Jose Vaz.
Regards, Gilbert
