LOTTERY SALE BY DIOCESAN SCOOL TRHU STUDENTS

In the Herald  dated 17^th of this month, on page No. 5, there appeared a news item which says: “Parents confront school head over lottery sale”. The incident taken place in Chandor where according to the report, parents of the students of St.Joseph’s Educational Institute, Chandor, strongly protested against the school for forcing the students to sell the Christmas Hamper Lotteries otherwise they will not be accepted back in the school.  The pressure on the students of selling these Lotteries was so high that some of these students even having no other choice started begging with the people to purchase these Lotteries.  The parents of the students reprimanded the School authorities saying “we are sending our children to the school to study and not to beg” and also not to sell these Lotteries.

I strongly protest over this type of policies implemented by our Schools mainly the diocesan.  Some time back in my locality our Diocesan school gave Lotteries to the students and put heavy pressure on them to sell these lotteries by all means. One school girl when she approached some young boys with a plea to purchase some lotteries, one of the boys said “Not some lotteries but I will buy the whole book provided you allow me to have sex with you.  Having no choice the young girl showed thru her body language, inclination to surrender to the lust of the boy who volunteered to buy the whole book.  But her friend and collegue prevented her from falling into the sin.

Likewise, during the same time in one household there were 3 students who were given 3 lottery books by the school and since these students coming from the poverty stricken parentage, they were along with their parents were shattered because they neither could sell three books nor were able to absorb these books for them by paying the money from their own pocket because they were very poor. 

It  is very disturbing and disgracing on the part of our Dicocesan  schools and nuns convents too to act like leeches to suck the blood  of the poor.  I don’t know in what way they are following the path given by  Jesus Christ.  These schools are receiving lot of money as rent for the school premises from the government when the investment in the building of these schools from the diocese is Nil. These schools including from my locality were built thru the fund raised by the locals. Inspite of having such a vast amount in the kitty of diocesan schools, I can’t understand why these diocesan schools are taxing the people for more and more money?  Besides, the Churches attached to these schools are getting average 50,000 rupees as weekly collection.  Can’t they utilize some money from this fatty collection for any necessity instead of making the students beggars and whores?  Is this the way our Goa Church under the current Bishop Neri Ferrao dignify our children?  

There is no transparency of where the money collected thru weekly collection is going. Some say it is going for the luxuries of the local priests such as purchasing of luxurious vehicles,  for drinks and for their mistresses. Some say it is going for the extravaganza of the Panjim Altinho where against Christian principles they live the life of feudal lords. !!   If this is correct, then can we respect these priests and bishop?  If you see the limousine of the big man of Altinho you will say that his Jesus Christ was born not in the stable surrounded by the animals but in the Palace with all the Worldly luxuries. Further,  time will come I think slowly the Church leaders will issue a statement saying that the Jesus Christ came from very rich parents with all the luxuries and befitting His status all the clergy and Bishops must live.  As it is the current Pope has come out with the changes in the prayer of Jesus Christ “Our Father” as if all those learned people running the affairs of the Church for the last 2000 years were idiots.

     

Meantime, my advice to the parents not to rely your children especially the young girls into the hands of priests who for the sake of money may even dole their young female students to those who sell out money and more money for the church run schools and activities. Many of the current priests are become worldly, they want to lead the life of Maharajas. Our Church in Goa is least bothered to provide protection for us, the Catholics when our Church is so rich.  What use our Church is making of its vast land and huge financial “pottlo”?  If at this moment our Church in Goa fails us then we as Catholic community will be failed.  Church as our guardian has to take responsibility for our protection in all respects because our enemies are making preparation to liquidate us and along with us the Catholicsm as well from our soil. But still I think our Church will never think something good for us, our Church will go on putting constant pressure on us to dole out money for them to do this and to do that. On the contrary our Church leaders and Clergy will say “makham kiteak poddlam tem”. This is happening because our Church is in the hands of Corrupt people. People must stop as a first step to put money in the collection tray on every Sundays and Holidays because this money is utilized for filthy luxuries by the priests who because of this money flow are tempted to indulge in sinful luxuries.      

A.Veronica Fenandes.

NEW AUDIO CD “SORGA SOUNSARCHI RANNI" BY SALVADOR SILVEIRA.

The recently released Audio CD “Sorga Sounsarachi Ranni” by Jet Speed composer Salvador Silveira from Calangute came to my hand and I found it worth listening.  All the 15 songs are composed by Salvador Silveira himself though they were rendered by besides Salvador Silveira, different well-known singers namely Lawry Travasso, Marcus vaz, Benny de Aldona, Pascoal de Calangute, Bushka, Alex de Calangute, Sucurro, Aniceto,Reagan others. However, the best song I liked was the one “Mati ani Dull” rendered by Alex de Calangute  very beautifully

   

Though all the songs are worth listening and enjoying too but a few among them are excellent such as: the title song Sorga Sounsarachi Ranni by Lawry Travasso, Palkechem Vizmit by Marcus Vaz, Devachem Utor by Benny de Aldona, sorginchem Sukh by Salvador Silveira and Pascoal de Calangute (duo) Dhorom by   Benny de Aldona and Sucor (duo) and a trio “Angoun” by Peter-Domnic-Valency, all these songs based on miraculous power of God and Our Lady of Vailankani. The others  one can enjoy are the duet “Ghorachi Chavi”  by both the beautifully voiced singers Aniceto and Bushka, “Cunhead ani Meunno” by Salvador Silveira and Pscoal de Calangute, Reagan and Bushka a duet “Mogachem License” and the last song “Oressaum” very beautifully rendered by Salvador-Bushka & Chorus.  Kudos to the lady who rendered “Segundo” for this song.

This Album is produced by Peter Farrao – Candolim while the musical score is provided by Neville Pereira.

A.Veronica Fernandes

WHAT IS THE MAIN ROLE OF THE PRIEST?

When the former Pope visited Columbia, he made the following statement:

“THE ROLE OF A PRIEST IS TO SPREAD GOSPEL FULL TIME WITHOUT INVADING OTHER FIELDS AND SECULAR WORK WHICH IS NOT YOURS NOR HAS BEEN INDICATED TO YOU BY YOUR BISHOPS”.

What we notice today is that the priests are more occupied in things which are secular in nature by neglecting the spiritual aspects of the faithful.  Almost every Pe. Vigar of almost every Church in our every village is seen holding the position of a Principal of the diocesan school attached to his Church.  When this is the case, how he will be able to devote his time and efforts to look after the  spiritual aspects of the faithful thereby fulfilling his main obligation as a Pe.Vigar? The job of a principal is a full time job and also very responsible needing total dedication without invading any other activity.  In my  village itself the moral fabric of the so many faithful is become corrupt which leads their souls to hell.  The duty of the priests is to save the souls from going into the hell.  But to do this the priests who are the guides and protectors of the souls do not have sufficient time to help the faithful to avoid the sin because the priests are more occupied in the secular work, as indicated above. 

 

In my village during the living memory, only under the Pe. Vigarship of Pe. Nicholau Noronha the moral fabric of the local faithful was better protected because Pe. Nicholau Noronha as Pe. Vigar was strictly guarding the spiritual aspects of the faithful, during his time the concubinage in the village among the faithful was less rampant, the character of the local faithful was much better and those involved in serving the Church activities were more upright.   Pe. Nicholau Noronha was accepted by the locals as their fatherly figure because he proved with his sterling qualities and character  as the most adorable Pe. Vigar in our village. He was not involved in promoting secular activities but engaged himself more in the promotion of moral and spiritual aspects. 

Today we see many of our priests involved in the promotion of education which is good but not as good as the promotion of spiritualism which is their main duty. Sports, Tiatros, Ballroom Dance, indulging directly in politics and private personal business - are these activities meant for the priests? Pe.Nicholau Noronha was directly confronting those faithful who were indulging in anti--Chrisian activities.  He went once to a lady who was living the life of a concubine and not only reprimand her but brought her back to her normal life.  Once he told in the strongest words to one local Panch member that he is harassing the locals in the Panchayat when they come for any help. When the same Panch member asked Pe. Vigar “who are you to question me when Panchayat does not come under the jurisdiction of the Church?”, shot back the Pe. Vigar saying “I am your father by virtue of being the Pe. Vigar and as a Catholic I have all the rights to stop you from going out of the way”.   

In mid eighties, one Tiatrist Priest from Goa came to Kuwait with the letter of Goa Bishop Monsg. Raul Gonsalves to the Kuwait Bishop Mongs. Frances Mechallef, to stage his Tiatro in Kuwait Church Hall.  When the Kuwait Bishop saw this letter, he immediately sent a reply to Goa Bishop asking him, “why did you send your Tiatrist Priest to Kuwait?  To stage Tiatros? Is it the job of a priest to stage Tiatros?”  And further asking this question:  “What pastoral significance his visit is having in Kuwait?"

If at least half of the entire time our priests putting in the non-spiritual activities is invested in the spiritual aspects and in the pastoral work, today the moral fabric of our community would have been much strong.  We as a community in general are become corrupt, in politics most of the members of our community are become rascals and many of our Pe. Vigars and Pe. Curs are pampering them even from the Alter because these priests are recipients of the part of the bribes extorted by the criminal Panchayats from their customers. In business many of our community members are turned into unreliable crooks, first lass “chors and bamtte” thus giving a very bad image of our religion,  in social life we are very much vulgar where many of our females are involved in living a vulgar life because they made money as their God since they are not  thought by the custodians of our souls the real meaning of God as our custodians have no time to do this job because  they are more busy in devoting their time in non-spiritual aspects.

Additionally, we have so many lay groups namely Somudai, Parish Council, Legion of Mary, Charismatic groups and so many other groups but what is their substance? Some of them are in many cases most corrupt people involved in many un-Christian and illicit activities.  Because many of these people are become darlings of the Pe. Vigars and Pe. Curs and also the concubines of some of the Pe Vigars an Pe. Curs, they are ruling in a Hitlerian manner their respective Churches,  not to serve God nor the people but to boss over them because they love bossism since they are suffering from ancestral inferiority complex where they were always kept under the bondage of their Bhattkars and others.  It is mainly the members of some of these groups who are spoiling the peace in our community by doing more politics than serving the God and mankind.  The all round quality of these people is very poor, mainly they are from “hoi-polloi” background.  Qualitatively the people without family grandeur are not involving in this type of activities, these activities mainly confined to low grade people. Many of the locals who are cheap are involved in the Church activities because these activities give them a semblance of good character. Church is the good venue to gain cheap publicity and good character certificate when you are a bad person. Ultimately, these cheap people bring a very bad name to our otherwise excellent religion Christianity.  Many of the “Cheddio” are involved in doing the Church activities to suppress their ill deeds and some of these cheddios are kept in the Church circle by their P. Vigars who use them  as “Temple Girls”.    

I think there must be some change in the working of our clergy who should be entrusted with the task of doing more spiritual work.

A.Veronica Fernandes.