Hello all, This message from Albert is an excellent example of what each one of us could do. I am sure that the Saligão Church means a lot to the past current and future generations.
So lets think about it positively, do everything I / We can do, and as well as request help from all who have beneficited from our heritage. I am sure we all know the problem is ours, and if we want our problem resolved we have to do it ourselves and not wait for others. We just cannot aford to wait for others. Thank you, Leão Fernandes. CLC- Companhia Logística de Combustíveis, sa ________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Albert Da Cruz Sent: terça-feira, 4 de Março de 2008 0:26 To: Mailing list for Saligao, the village in Bardez, Goa (India). Communicating to build a better village. Subject: [SALIGAONET] Helping with the urgent restoration of the Church of Mae de Deus in Saligao Importance: High Dear Fred, Thanks for the great work you and your team are doing to keep us, in all parts of the world, in touch with happenings in our dear village of Saligao. For 35 years since our migration to Western Australia, the Friends of Saligao, have celebrated the Mass of Thanksgiving on the First Sunday of May. Each year at the Celebratory Luncheon we have a sharing of food, friendship and fellowship and a collection of funds for the aged, or youth or women in need. Friends of Saligao is a group of people who are sons, daughters, sons- law and daughters in law, grandsons, and granddaughters of Saligao together with their friends and relations from diverse background from villages in Goa, Mangalore, East India, Mumbai , other cities in India, Karachi, former British East Africa and Portuguese Africa. For us the memory of our iconic Church, and the Statue of Mae de Deus has been a source of great faith and zeal in maintaining our faith and keeping our families together, in these distant lands. There are also other memories of the School days, and the carefree days spent on the hills during the caju season, the mango season, and the plucking the wild canta and zablam from the hills above the fountain. Also enjoying the smell of the earth at the first monsoon rains, the emerald green of the paddy fields and dawn chorus of the birds each morning puctuated by the Church Bells. Each year we have collected funds to support the aged through the Homes for the Aged, or providing scholarships for needy students at Lourdes Convent. In particular the funds for the needy children at school was to be dispersed to those who were talented and from disadvantaged background without any impediment of caste, creed or community. We also gave to the Church in Saligao all the collection from the Celebratory Mass after allocating a small proportion to the local church. Alas in one year sums of money given to the Church to benefit needy women who were single, aged but engaged in activities to help their families or the communities were not given to the indidividuals for the purpose indicated. To date we have no idea who profitted from this gift of money. It is particularly significant that this money in cash was presented to the then Vicar & Curate in the presence of another priest from the UK and representatives of the Parish council, the youth, and many other distinguished people from the Parish in the Church Hall. In all fairness it must be recorded that not only a receipt was issued but a public acknowledgment was made in the Church Bulletin. We have recently provided funds for extentions to the Homes for the Aged in Saliagao. If the Church housing the Statue of Mae De Deus is in a state of disrepair then I am sure there will be many who would be pleased to make a modest contribution to the restoration of the Church to its pristine glory. Please send us the appeal and I will circulate it among our friends and well wishers to organise some fundraising activity. However, we would like to know that the funds will be used in the most cost effective way to provide lasting and credible restoration. I am sure that the good services of Dr. Wilfred can be counted upon to assist to attract other sources of Funding from Goan instrumentalities that profit from the uniqueness of the only Gothic Church in Goa Warm regards to all at home and abroad. Take care and God Bless. Albert Da Cruz Class of 1948 PATRON Friends of Saligao Perth Western Australia..
_______________________________________________ Saligao 403511 website http://saligao.goa-india.org Saligaonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goacom.org/mailman/listinfo/saligaonet
