Sebastian Borges wrote:
4. Do you know that for the last few years the parish priests have been trying to demolish this caste barrier between the confrarias, but the Carambolim zonkars (your clan) are opposing the move? 5. Do you know that a couple of years ago, during St. Francis Xavier Novena, after the preacher tried to explain to the congregation the incompatibility of castes with Catholicism and advocated the opening of membership of both the confrarias to all the parishioners, a Carambolim zonkar rushed to assault the priest? 6. In spite of all this, would you still refuse to admit that casteism is practised in the Catholic church itself, at least in Velim? ?? 7. Would you still say that you have not seen any casteism in the village of Velim? GL responds: Are the confrarias part of the Catholic faith? Both groups worship at the same church standing and sitting side-by-side. Even the priest does not endorse the practices of these outdated groups. It can be that after these confraria meetings - official or unofficial, there is the usual socialization where many Goans love to stick to their group. In Tornoto, it is rare to see East African Goans socialize with Bombay Goans. This is most apparent at New Year eve dances. Portuguese-speaking Goans used to and still look down on non-Portuguese-speaking Goans. You appear to mix-up the practices of some Goans and the religion they claim to practice. This is some strange logic that I see in several posts on this topic written by learned men. Is this Goan behavior caste? Or is it the narrow-mind that many have, even as they call themselves broad-minded? Why does religion have to be associated with all Goan behavior? Regards, GL
