There have been many posts on the life of SFX. And this is a good time for Diaspora Goans to read these posts and get an e-mail equivalent of a "sermaum" which likely will be delivered at each mass in all churches in Goa today the Feast Day of Goencho Saib.
The following summarizes and amazes me about the work of SFX. His missionary life in the East was 10 only years. (He died at the young age of 45). He spent about 3 years in India. He spent only 10 months in Goa. Yet he traveled more and touched more souls than St. Paul. That's why he is the Patron Saint of the missionaries. What will not be mentioned in the Goan churches: The claims about SFX link to the Inquisition (as we know about the Inquisition today and which was introduced to Goa 17 years after SFX died) are false. And SFX's writings are taken out of context in referrence to the inquisition. SFX was very pro-native Goan often incurring the wrath of the Portuguese authorities - military, civilian and religious. His writings to the Portuguese King and his own Jesuit superiors strongly condemned the Portuguese (White European) actions against the natives (Goans). In his letters, he spoke about the appalling social and moral behavior of the colonists - drinking, robbing, multiple mistresses and prostitution. Consider how difficult it was to promote Christ and Catholic faith to the natives "when your own kind / Christ's followers" are behaving like this. :=)) By far one of the most common causes of death among the Portuguese in Goa was Syphilis in the 16 and 17 century (pre-penicillin era). Even during the inquisition, SYPHILIS killed a lot more Portuguese than the Inquisition which was introduced to enforce more stricter morals and behavior codes on the Portuguese military and civilian authorities. It is my analysis that this may have been one major reason, native Goans (Catholic and Hindu) "looked down" on the (white) Portuguese and social contact including marriage with them was frowned. That was a cultural trait developed by the natives to protect themselves and their society from these western (STD) diseases. Kind Regards, GL ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Help save the life of a child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. http://us.click.yahoo.com/cRr2eB/lbOLAA/E2hLAA/0FHolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> http://www.goa-world.com http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Live Konkani Music http://www.mahableshwar.com/ Addresses: Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED] URL to this page: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulf-goans/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
