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Sign the Petition requesting The Honble Minister of State for Environment
and Forests (I/C) to maintain the moratorium on issuing further
environmental clearances for mining activities in Goa
http://goanvoice.org.uk/miningpetition.php
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Did you know that
a)the Church of Our Lady of Snows of Rachol in Salcete (1556) is the first
Church in Salcete and hence the “Mother Church” and the Church of the Holy
Spirit (1564) in Margao is the second ?
b)the Rachol Seminary founded by the Jesuits is re-christened as the
“Patriarcal Seminary of Rachol” , now Diocesan Major Seminary?
c)the first Mass in Salcete was celebrated at a make shift –structure at Old
Mardol , in Verna where a cross still exists ?
d)there were then 80,000 Catholics in Salcete and hardly any Hindus ?
e)there were as many as 24 churches and 23 chapels in Salcete alone?
f)every parish in Goa had a school maintained by the community of the parish –
and they taught reading, writing, arithmetic, dancing, singing and instrumental
music ?
g)a non Brahmin ( emphasis mine) a native of Carambolim from the parish of
Church of St John de Baptist (1541) viz Fr Andre Vaz, was ordained the first
Goan priest?
h) following the conquest by the Portuguese the religious orders were
entrusted with villages in Goa viz Dominicans in Tiswadi (Ilhas) ; Jesuits -
Salcete-Mormugao and parts of Tiswadi (Ilhas) and Franciscans (Bardez)?
i) St John Marie Vianney (1786 – 1859) Cure of Ars is the Patron of Parish
Priests?
j) his 150th death anniversary is dedicated as the --- Year of the Priests
(19th June 2009 to 19th June 2010)
These and many finer details on the who’s who of parish priests of the past
and present who have worked in the vineyard of the Lord in the various
parishes for the spread of Christianity in Goa ----- since the second
attempt of conquest of Goa by the Portuguese on 25th November, 1510 Feast of
St Catherina of Alexandria ( nearly 500 years ago)---------has been
painstakingly documented in the three series book titled “Follow Me” by a
native of Saligao, Bardez, viz; Fr. Jose Nascimento Mascarehnas, (born
08.09.1940 ordained priest 24.04.1970) and now a Priest on the staff, of the
Church of Holy Spirit (1564) Margao.
The latest book Volume –III dedicated to St John Marie Vianney relates to
Churches of Salcete-Mormugao -------------( earlier Book Vol I relates to
the Churches of Bardez; while the Book Vol II relates to the Churches of
Tiswadi (Ilhas) ) --------- was released at the hands of a native of Neura, Fr
Ventura Alfredo Lourenco, (born on 5.12.1941 ordained 20.04.1969) now the
Parish Priest of Church of the Holy Spirit Margao, on Sunday, 11th April, 2010
within the precincts of the Church of Holy Spirit, Margao, Goa after the 0900
hrs concelebrated Eucharistic Mass ( by Fr Valmiki Dias Gonsalves and others
) in the presence of the laity, some priests, nuns and news media personnel.
Explaining the significance of launching the book on “Low Sunday” the first
Sunday after Easter and Feast of Divine Mercy, Fr Nascimento revealed to the
astonishment of all those present that the first mass was indeed celebrated in
this Parish at Margao on Low Sunday in 1565.
Incidentally one could easily have expected Fr Nascimento to release this
book \ on his 40th anniversary of his ordination which is on 24th April 2010
hardly 13 days later.
The Vol I is priced at Rs.365/- , Vol II Rs.230 /- and the latest release Vol
III Rs.345/- . However, on the auspicious day of the launch the Volume III
was sold at a discounted price of Rs.250/- and a special offer for all three
Volumes at Rs.650/- only.
The grit and determination of this frail noble priest Fr Nascimento ( nearing
70 years of age ) in retrieving the old dusty records from archives, in the
Paco Patriacal at Altinho the archives and even in places elsewhere viz in
Portugal to disseminate, collate, and pen down the details in these
beautifully presented books --- perhaps drawing inspiration from the Holy
Spirit to accomplish this task --- deserves commendation and high appreciation
. It is Must Read for all those that have priests in their families and the
Catholic laity at large .
It would be in the fitness of thing if the faithful world wide procures copies
of these books now available at the Church of the Holy Spirit (+91 832 2714005
) Margao Goa and later at all leading book stores in Goa for posterity.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[email protected]
