NEW PE.VIGAR OF CANDOLIM CHURCH.

                                                                    New Pe. Vigar

On 20^th of this month, I had an opportunity to meet and talk to our new Pe. Vigar, Fr. Joao Santana de Cristo Reis Colaco.  On first of this month officially he took charge of Candolim Parish as Parish Priest.  His earlier posting was in Agacaim where he served with all his humility.  Originally he is from Navelim Salcette and did his early Seminary education at Saligao and then at Rachol Seminary and ordained as Priest  on 15.12.1988.

We, the Candolim parishioners were praying to God to give us a good and humble Pe. Vigar and after my 30 minutes of face to face talk to him, I am convinced that he is the right choice for us in our Parish.  Looks like God has granted our prayers. I can only say with joy that we the Candolim Parishioners got our “Eureka”.

A soft spoken Priest, he has enthusiasm and love for doing something good for our Parish and Parishioners as well.  To one of my questions, “how you will tackle the issue in our Parish where many Catholics, males and females are living an immoral and illicit life with strange partners, replied he saying that he will use the Church Altar to educate the parishioners and secondly  he will personally meet with all these parishioners who are living a filthy and sinful life without legally getting wedded”.  In this way he said he will change their spiritual life.

For another question of mine, “how you will utilize the One Crore of Rupees fund accumulated by the previous Pe. Vigar for our Church?  Will you still tax the Parishioners by asking donations and contributions for any activities in the Church or for any development in the Church?”  For this he replied saying that he is not in favour of unnecessarily taxing the Parishioners many of whom are living a very hard life.  Secondly, when we have a fund in our kitty then there should not be any need for taxing the parishioners.

During the time of Novenas of Our Lady of Hope and even otherwise, Parishioners are forced to cook some eatables at home by spending money from their pockets and sell the same during the Novenas and money collected thus are taken by the Church.  When I questioned him on this topic whether it is right to put financial pressure on the parishioners in this manner, replied he saying that since he is new in our Parish, he will wait, watch and decide accordingly.

Then I raised another issue with him of the Parishioners not  coming to our Parish Church but instead going to the neighbouring Churches to attend the religious services there, as a mark of protest against the previous Pe. Vigar’s arrogance. When I asked him “how you would woo them back?”  With a surprise for knowing some strange happening in our Parish, he replied saying “I will go   deep into this subject and do the needful.

On the topic of “creating a fund for Poor persons in our Parish”, he replied saying it is already in existence.

For yet another question, “what will be your criteria to select laypersons to distribute Holy Communion in the Church”, he replied saying he will select good persons who are morally upright and God fearing”.  It is to be noted that any Ladru-Pedru type of person should be avoided if the holiness of Holy Communion is to be maintained.  The holiness of Holy Communion is lowered by those undeserving laypersons who are given the privilege of distribution of Holy Communion  by the mentally sick Pe. Vigars.  This privilege  is become for some a mode of cheap prominence.

During my course of discussion with him, I found him very humble, sincere, friendly and straight forward Pe. Vigar. He assured me to deal with the Parishioners with Love and Friendship.  Further he assured to be of help to any parishioners anytime and nobody should feel backward to approach him.

Candolim Village is a historical village having given birth to the great man Abade Faria and Pintos Revolutionaries.  Candolim was dotted with great personalities most of these personalities are dead and gone.  They have contributed a lot for the promotion of Candolim Village but unfortunately their replacements are yet to be born.  It looks there is no womb in the mothers of Candolim Village to produce great sons and great daughters.  One of the reasons for this dearth is the lack of required Spiritualism in the Parishioners. Earlier Candolim has produced renowned sons in diverse fields but now you don’t see great stalwarts and great intellectuals, most of the current so called greats are corrupt people and many of them are Catholics, unfortunately.  Some of the sinful people in our village are the Catholic politicians who bring a very bad name to Catholicism.

In the field of Tiatro, Candolim produced two of the finest Tiatrists of Konkani Stage namely Alexinho de Candolim and Young Menezes. After their death, there is none of their calibre.  In the field of Sports, Candolim is yet to produce another footballer like Dioginho Vaz and Foot-ball administrator Dr. Gustavo Monteiro who rose to the Presidency of Goa Foot-ball Association during the Portuguez time and continuing till after Portuguese left.  He gave his life for the promotion of soccer in Candolim. After his death, there did not come another Dr. Gustavo Monteiro in Candolim and if I go a bit further, Candolim will never produce another Dr. Monteiro whose contribution in other fields too, were immense. In the field of Education, Candolim is yet to produce another Pe. Roman.  In Candolim, many Catholics are suffering from lot of deficiencies because they lack basic discipline and guidance at home where the parents are too ignorant and backward to inculcate the sense of greatness and discipline into the minds of their children.

Since, the new Pe. Vigar is known to be sympathetic to the plight of the Catholics, I request him to use the Church forum and Church facilities to help the Candolim Catholics to elevate their level. In Candolim due to flourishing tourism, many of the Catholics are having lot of money which makes them forget of acquiring top education, top discipline and top character.  Many of the bad habits are associated with Catholics.  This has to be changed Pe. Vigar thru your pastoral and fatherly guidance.

Wishing you all the best, Pe. Vigar Joao Santana de Cristo Reis Colaco. 

May God Bless You and may God help you to perform your pastoral duties well.

A.     Veronica Fernandes.

NEW PE.VIGAR OF CANDOLIM CHURCH.

                                                                    New Pe. Vigar

On 20^th of this month, I had an opportunity to meet and talk to our new Pe. Vigar, Fr. Joao Santana de Cristo Reis Colaco.  On first of this month officially he took charge of Candolim Parish as Parish Priest.  His earlier posting was in Agacaim where he served with all his humility.  Originally he is from Navelim Salcette and did his early Seminary education at Saligao and then at Rachol Seminary and ordained as Priest  on 15.12.1988.

We, the Candolim parishioners were praying to God to give us a good and humble Pe. Vigar and after my 30 minutes of face to face talk to him, I am convinced that he is the right choice for us in our Parish.  Looks like God has granted our prayers. I can only say with joy that we the Candolim Parishioners got our “Eureka”.

A soft spoken Priest, he has enthusiasm and love for doing something good for our Parish and Parishioners as well.  To one of my questions, “how you will tackle the issue in our Parish where many Catholics, males and females are living an immoral and illicit life with strange partners, replied he saying that he will use the Church Altar to educate the parishioners and secondly  he will personally meet with all these parishioners who are living a filthy and sinful life without legally getting wedded”.  In this way he said he will change their spiritual life.

For another question of mine, “how you will utilize the One Crore of Rupees fund accumulated by the previous Pe. Vigar for our Church?  Will you still tax the Parishioners by asking donations and contributions for any activities in the Church or for any development in the Church?”  For this he replied saying that he is not in favour of unnecessarily taxing the Parishioners many of whom are living a very hard life.  Secondly, when we have a fund in our kitty then there should not be any need for taxing the parishioners.

During the time of Novenas of Our Lady of Hope and even otherwise, Parishioners are forced to cook some eatables at home by spending money from their pockets and sell the same during the Novenas and money collected thus are taken by the Church.  When I questioned him on this topic whether it is right to put financial pressure on the parishioners in this manner, replied he saying that since he is new in our Parish, he will wait, watch and decide accordingly.

Then I raised another issue with him of the Parishioners not  coming to our Parish Church but instead going to the neighbouring Churches to attend the religious services there, as a mark of protest against the previous Pe. Vigar’s arrogance. When I asked him “how you would woo them back?”  With a surprise for knowing some strange happening in our Parish, he replied saying “I will go   deep into this subject and do the needful.

On the topic of “creating a fund for Poor persons in our Parish”, he replied saying it is already in existence.

For yet another question, “what will be your criteria to select laypersons to distribute Holy Communion in the Church”, he replied saying he will select good persons who are morally upright and God fearing”.  It is to be noted that any Ladru-Pedru type of person should be avoided if the holiness of Holy Communion is to be maintained.  The holiness of Holy Communion is lowered by those undeserving laypersons who are given the privilege of distribution of Holy Communion  by the mentally sick Pe. Vigars.  This privilege  is become for some a mode of cheap prominence.

During my course of discussion with him, I found him very humble, sincere, friendly and straight forward Pe. Vigar. He assured me to deal with the Parishioners with Love and Friendship.  Further he assured to be of help to any parishioners anytime and nobody should feel backward to approach him.

Candolim Village is a historical village having given birth to the great man Abade Faria and Pintos Revolutionaries.  Candolim was dotted with great personalities most of these personalities are dead and gone.  They have contributed a lot for the promotion of Candolim Village but unfortunately their replacements are yet to be born.  It looks there is no womb in the mothers of Candolim Village to produce great sons and great daughters.  One of the reasons for this dearth is the lack of required Spiritualism in the Parishioners. Earlier Candolim has produced renowned sons in diverse fields but now you don’t see great stalwarts and great intellectuals, most of the current so called greats are corrupt people and many of them are Catholics, unfortunately.  Some of the sinful people in our village are the Catholic politicians who bring a very bad name to Catholicism.

In the field of Tiatro, Candolim produced two of the finest Tiatrists of Konkani Stage namely Alexinho de Candolim and Young Menezes. After their death, there is none of their calibre.  In the field of Sports, Candolim is yet to produce another footballer like Dioginho Vaz and Foot-ball administrator Dr. Gustavo Monteiro who rose to the Presidency of Goa Foot-ball Association during the Portuguez time and continuing till after Portuguese left.  He gave his life for the promotion of soccer in Candolim. After his death, there did not come another Dr. Gustavo Monteiro in Candolim and if I go a bit further, Candolim will never produce another Dr. Monteiro whose contribution in other fields too, were immense. In the field of Education, Candolim is yet to produce another Pe. Roman.  In Candolim, many Catholics are suffering from lot of deficiencies because they lack basic discipline and guidance at home where the parents are too ignorant and backward to inculcate the sense of greatness and discipline into the minds of their children.

Since, the new Pe. Vigar is known to be sympathetic to the plight of the Catholics, I request him to use the Church forum and Church facilities to help the Candolim Catholics to elevate their level. In Candolim due to flourishing tourism, many of the Catholics are having lot of money which makes them forget of acquiring top education, top discipline and top character.  Many of the bad habits are associated with Catholics.  This has to be changed Pe. Vigar thru your pastoral and fatherly guidance.

Wishing you all the best, Pe. Vigar Joao Santana de Cristo Reis Colaco. 

May God Bless You and may God help you to perform your pastoral duties well.

A.     Veronica Fernandes.

ADEUS JR. ROD.

ADEUS JR. ROD.

A few months after the death of his father Minguel Rod, over sixty years ago, the great Tiatrist Anthony D’Sa especially came to Goa from Bombay to stage Minguel Rod’s  Tiatro “Open to Close”, with the help of Goa based Jacinto Vaz. Jr. Rod as a small boy of around 8, rendered a beautiful song in that Tiatro, wearing a Chimney Pot Hat in his father’s style and  eulogizing his father’s contribution in the promotion of Konkani  Stage.  Some important lines of this song I state here:

Aikotoch Pai Radiar tosso Gramaphonar tallo tuzo,

Tum assai so dista jivo, pun amchea noxiban Pai tum na favo

Kitlech Pai tuvem Tiatro boroilet bookar,

Pun tanchim solfam sarkim nant mapar

Toxech kitlech tuje Tatro amkam mellonknant sabar,

Haddun dixeat tor vhodd zait upkar.

While he was singing this song, his widow mother was holding her small daughter in one hand and her other son was standing next to her holding his mother’s hand.  Seeing them all on the Stage, I saw many in the audience especially the elders were crying  and while Jr. Rod singing his sorrowful solo he was also crying when describing the hard life they are facing after the death of their  bread winner.  Though I was very young then yet I too was  crying because my mother was crying.  This Tiatro was held in Mapusa while outside it was raining heavily.

In that one particular song rendered by Jr. Rod so beautifully with appropriate timing, indicated  that a mighty Tiatrist was in the making though not of the caliber of his father because Tiatrists of Minguel Rod’s  caliber do not come twice in this world.

A few years back when we brought him to Kuwait to participate in our Show, we kept him at my place for a few days and during this period I observed him as a thorough gentleman, a soft spoken Tiatrist but a Lion once entered the Stage. His love for Goa and Goan causes was supreme and he loved Kuwait Goans especially, for their enormous contribution in the promotion of Konkani and other activities for the cause of Goans.  He even went on record to sing a song in one of his Albums praising Kuwait Goans including me in particular.

During Sixties to Nineties he gained the supremacy of Konkani Stage by singing very good and meaningful decent solos, duets, comedy songs and staging some of the old Tiatros of his father such as, Lembdo Santan, Pobre Fidalgo and others. 

His real ascendancy to the zenith reached when he partnered Rom Tony and Remy in forming their Trio known as Rom-Rem-Rod to expose the ill deeds of MG Serkar.  For some years this Trio created a havoc of politicians in Goa where Jr. Rod played a major role.  It was he who initiated the imitating songs, that is singing songs imitating other singers. 

That he died so early is a sad news and that his death will create a big void on Konkani Stage is another sad reality.  May his soul Rest In Peace.

A.Veronica Fernandes.