IT IS FOR YOU PE. VIGARS.

Recently, one person brought to my attention the ongoing fight  between the two catholic neighbours because of some property matter, this fight is now going on since last 11 years.  During this long period of court battle, both the parties have undergone lot of expenses totaling to lakhs of rupees, major portion of the money gone into the pockets of the advocates who being non-Christians are enjoying the fun between the two Catholics. Both the advocates of both the warring parties are not prepared to bring the case to the final conclusion because the first aim of these advocates is to see both the fighting parties disgrace the name of their religion thereby indicating to everyone that Catholics are the destructive people where they are ready to do any nonsense to satisfy their personal ego to gain materially even by destroying their own co-religionists and secondly to make their clients exhaust their financial resources and finally fall on the road.

My immediate response to this topic was this: “Go and tell the village Pe. Vigar who is doing nothing good for the Catholic community”.  These Pe. Viiagrs are fit to serve God only but not their fellow human beings.  This is not correct. The purpose of the priest is to stop the souls from going to the Hell by preventing the Catholics from committing the sins.  The fight between the two neighbours indicated above is surely leading them to Hell and hence Pe. Vigar will surely help them in this matter.

Further I said Pe. Vigar is duty bound as the fatherly figure by virtue of being Pe. Vigar not only pleading with them in the name of Christ as a spokesman for the Christ but also speak to them sternly to settle their property dispute amicably because Christian doctrine does not permit them to be belligerent.  The priests got lot of ideas to settle such disputes but many of them are not taking any pain to solve such problems.

I remember having read about 30 years back in Kuwait Times the living story in Brazil where in one particular area with the dynamic leadership of the local Pe. Vigar, all the locals joined together and agreed to withdraw all the court cases filed against one another and never in future to go to the court to settle their disputes, their disputes must be solved by their Pe. Vigar who enjoyed the allegiance of the locals being all Catholics. They openly said it is not right for one Catholic to fight against another catholic, it is even against their own religion.

I think we catholics are so shameless that we take pleasure in fighting amongst us only thru the Court. And many of our local Pe.Vigars and Pe. Curs are more shameless for being silent spectators to see these fights between Catholics and Catholics instead of directly stopping the warring parties, the priests are in place of Christ and as such they wield lot of spiritual power to educate the warring persons. It is time now for us to involve our local Pe. Vigars in our disputes and thru his goodwill we solve our problems.  No doubt many of our Pe. Vigars will be reluctant to involve themselves in such matters not because they are incapable to solve such problems but they want to lead a cozy life and doing things which are better suited to others.

For example, is it the job of the Pe. Vigar to devote his time in the school as Principal of the local Church School of Diocesan Society?  If he spends his major part of the day in the School then when he will do the work of the Pe. Vigar? 

The problem with our Pe. Vigars and Pe. Curs is that many of them are become worldly  leading them to be money conscious.  I know one Pe. Vigar was involved in buying and selling property and ready made Flats.  Is this the job of the priests?  When one’s mind goes on money and sex then one act selfish. Priestly robes are not meant for selfish people.

Secondly, I don’t know what our Samudai members are doing, They are dubbed as gossipers and useless people. They should have found out where are erring Catholics, where are the suffering catholics and who are the catholics who deserve top attention. And accordingly they should do something to eradicate the problems and disputes existing among the Catholics.

In my village only one Pe. Vigar, Pe. Nicholau Noronha in llate fifties and early sixties used to directly go to those Catholics fighting fighting court cases against eeach other and get their problems sorted out amicably in the name of Jesus Christ.

A.Veronica Fernandes.                

ARPORA SCHOOL SPORTS MEET.

Cibaria – Necessaria – Sumite – Et – Abite when translated from Latin it becomes: Take the necessary food and depart.

Seen at right seated is the Chief Guest Raymond D'Sa

That was the motto of the school then when it was established by Fr. Lyons a non Goan who got himself cured of his dreaded skin desease bcause of which he was thrown out of the Seminary where he was doing his priestly studies. When somebody told him to go to Goa where there are Springs whose curative water will cure you, he came to Goa and went to Sinquerim where after doing the needful he was cured.

Welcoming the Chief Guest with a Flower Bouquet.

Almost after quarter of a century I got an opportunity to witness the Sports Day of Arpora St. Joseph’s High School, where I studied up to my SSC  and won laurels for me during the School Meets by winning 100, 200, 400 & 800 mtres races and thereby winning individual Championship. Later on representing my School in the All Goa Inter-School Athletics Meets also winning individual Championship and even declaring as the fastest runner of  Goa. I am grateful to my Alma Mater for giving me so many opportunities in my life as a student  to develop myself not only in sports  but also in many other segments of my life.

Seen addressing the gathering is Fr. Urbano Menezes - Principal of the School.

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If  today what I am it is only because of the excellent discipline, coaching and guidance I got from my school. All my teachers were not only teachers for me but they were also fatherly figures to me, they were Gurus to me  and above all they were true friends to me.  I salute them all because they were sincere, devoted and genuine teachers. For this reason I still remember them. Of course those were the days of Fr. Mendonsa and Fr. Peter.

Seen above seated are 4 ladies - 2 at the right, one wearing the red dress, both compeered the proceedings beautifully with their charming mellifluent voices.

Who was Fr. Mendonca?  He was the great educationist interested in the development of Goan youth. Annual Sports Day of the school at Arpora was the greatest day for him and to make it successful he was devoting his more time. He would print Invitations and send to all his friends, ex-students, government officials and important personalities not only to those residing in the vicinity of the school but all over Goa. Separately he would make announcements thru the local media. The greatness of the Meet during Fr. Mendonca’s time surrounded on the Tableau of which type you don’t see anywhere in Goa now, leave aside at Arpora.  He used to display latest incidents and events taken place not only in Goa but all around the globe, the election of the Pope somewhere in 1959 was the most striking display.  The other was this: Somewhere in 1959 the renowned Portuguez  terrorist Galvao Pinto hijacked in the deep sea, off the Azores Coast, the Portuguez Ship Santa Maria  killing its Captain and creating havoc with the passengers.  This was very beautifully displayed by Fr. Mendonca.  

Seen is one section of the huge crowd attending the Meet.

The Chief Guest was none other than the ex-student of this great school, Raymond D’Sa who finished his Matriculation thru this school in  mid-fifties.  Raymond D’Sa was one of the best students of this school during his school days  excelling not only in studies but also in extracurricular activities and sports being his forte and even representing his school soccer team.  Then he went to Kuwait where he joined the prestigious Bank – The National Bank of Kuwait where he worked for about half a century and retired recently.  A father of 3 children all are based in USA and he settling down in Goa at Nagoa-Bardez in the absence of his beloved wife who expired a few years back in Kuwait, Raymond D’Sa’s love for Goa, Goan language Konkani, Goan culture, tradition, history, folk songs and folk tales is supreme.  

Seen above is the School building.

In Kuwait not only among Goans but even among Indians and other nationalities he earned name and fame for himself as a promoter of sports in Kuwait among the expatriates and promoting soccer was his unique especiality.  He was the founding president of one of the renowned Goan organisations the “GOAN OVERSEAS ASSOCIATION” that has created more ripples among Goans than anyother G.O.A. established by the overseas Goans.  Under his dynamic leadership which was based on his understanding carefully of the prevailing situation, patience and logic, he worked successfully as president for about 40 years.  G.O.A. Maroons was the renowned soccer team  of G.O.A. among the expatriates in Kuwait that was the force to reckon with for many years and this Goan team had a unique distinction of winning the “Forest of Dean RA” Throphy.  This team at that time played in the difficult conditions and time even at midnight and defeated all the hard opponents even from the Westerners.

Starting point of Hundred Metres race for boys.

As a president Raymond D’Sa whose craze and extreme love for soccer did everything within his capacity to help his boys to overcome all the hurdles to reach to the top and spent lot of money from his own pocket.  He was the most clean president among all the Goan presidents of Goan teams and associaitons. Besides, he was the unscandalised person among all the prominent Goans always preferring to be a simple, decent and unpompous.    He was even after shouldering the presidency of G.O.A. for such a lengthy period, never found committing a goof in his lengthy public life in Kuwait since the formation of G.O.A.Maroons by amalgamating two existing teams, one headed by Peter D’Souza and the other by Domnick Correia. 

Starting point for 100 metres race for Girls.

This man has got vast potentials to do something for Goa in different fields and he is still having his youthfulness, someone must avail of his talent and experience.  He worked as a high profile executive in the Bank holding the top managerial position of which type none of the Goans in Kuwait held.  He brought great honour for Goa and Goans.

One of the Drill items based on Yoga - all girls displaying their talent .

In his scholarly speech during the sports Meet, with his beautiful eloquence, appropriate vocabulary and perfect clarity he expressed the greatness of this school, his memory of those days’ Sports at Arpora and of course not forgetting Fr. Mendonca who brought honour, respect and dignity for this school. Will we ever get another Fr. Mendonca again?  I doubt, because such personalities comes in our society only once in centuries.

Seen above is Relay Race for girls in progress, 4 x 100 mtrs.

No doubt the level of sports was not as good as it was during my days but during my days we were different type of boys while currently they are like tiny tots dotted with innumerable Allappas, Chalappas, Bassappas.  The meet was well attended by a huge crowd of spectators. At the dais one could see occupying the strategic chairs by the Chief Guest, Principal of the School and Manager of the Meet Fr. Urbano Menezes, Head Master of the school Rodney Pereira and others.

Seen above is my teacher Lino D'Souza.

My nostalgic feelings aroused when I  stepped on the ground and especially when I met some of my old school colleagues and teachers especially Mr. Lino D’Souza from Guirim who was my teacher and the best friend, best guide and best tutor.

Seen above is one of the Drill items

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If I succeeded in finishing my SSC then it was partly because of him who was constantly after my studies knowing well that being the topmost athlete of Goa and one of the best foot-ballers of Goa representing the then mighty SESA GOA, I am having lot of obstacles.  Sir Lino, I am grateful to you for all what you have done to me.

The most dangerous item performed by the most courageous young boys. 

A.Veronica Fernandes.

I OPPOSE THE NAMING OF 3RD MANDOVI BRIDGE AFTER BANDODCAR.

In the Times of India dated 09.01.19, there appeared a news item saying “Name 3^rd Bridge after Bandodcar” and further elaborating that “Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party’s Mapusa block committee has written to PWD and Transport minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar stating that the third Mandovi bridge be named Bhausab Bandodcar Bridge.  The MGP block committee has passed a resolution to this effect”.

I, on behalf of all the like minded Goans strongly oppose this naming business of third Mandovi Bridge after the most disgraceful anti-Goan and Maharastra/Marathi inclined Dayananda  Bandodcar.  This man was nothing but a curse on Goa and today we are suffering the disease of “bhaile” dominating in Goa it is mainly because of this originally “bhailo” Bandodcar who or whose elders settled in the village of Bandodda from where they derived their Surname for them.  The ”bhaile” who are settled in greater number in the north Goa created a vote Bank for MGP because they inclined towards their ancestry originating in the neighbouring parts of Maharastra. For this reason Bandodcar counted on them vowing to reunite them with their ancestral land and they too were happy about it because they were interested in robbing the Goans of their genuine culture, tradition, language, folklore and everything that is Goan and imposing on Goa everything “bhailem”.

During the Portuguese regime Bandodocar was living as a slave of Portuguese saying every time “Sim Senhor” to the Portuguese personnel and even giving in writing as per one source, his total allegiance to Portugal but once Portuguese were ousted from Goa he indicated his hidden anger not only on genuine Goans but more on Goan Christians by forming MGP to merge Goa with Maharastra and thereby to strip Goan Christians of their culture, tradition, history, language (Konkani in Roman Script), their folk songs, folk plays, folk tales and everything Goans that was protected so tightly by the Goan Christians.   He wanted to make Goan Christian as second class citizens in Goa.  He created an impression that Goan Christians have enjoyed better life in Goa during Portuguese regime and they had better rapport with the Portuguese.  This thought of Bandodcar was wrong.  In fact it is the Hindu community in Goa including Bandodcar himself that enjoyed better facilities and better life in Goa because it is they who held full control of the Trade and Commerce in Goa.  Who were the Chowgules, Dempos, Salgaocars, Shantilals, Caculos, Timblos and so many others?  No doubt a good percentage of the lower strata of Hindus have faced lot of difficulties but the Christians were not responsible for this plight of theirs, along with them even the lower strata of the Christians also suffered. However, Christians always took care of them when charitable food items were distributed to them along with poor Christians at regular intervals in the Church. These items were sent from abroad by the Christian organizations for the poor in Goa. Now,  to improve the quality of these poor Hindus what have all the top millionaire businessmen have done?  To alleviate their financial and social standing all these top businessmen could have done so much but they were crook, they were selfish, instead they on the contrary, at least many of them, told the lower segment of Hindus that their prevailing financial and social plight was due to the step-motherly treatment given to you by the Portuguese affording preferential treatment  to the Christians.

Goaan Christians from the lower segment have  not received any preferential or special treatment from the Portuguese.  In fact they put in extra effort to develop themselves by taking risks and going abroad, first to Bombay, then to  Karachi and then to “Tarvar”, Gulf and many other places in the world. By journeying to the outside world for the sake of their livelihood they made lot of sacrifices facing lot of risks.  Their Church supported this move of theirs and not opposed them in the name of their Gods and Goddesses. By being Christians means to bind oneself by his religious belief to help others, to co-operate with others and to live in harmony and peace with his fellow being and above all to love his fellow human beings.   Because of their iconic principle of Love, Christians are acceptable by anyone, Christians are not much known to own the houses of Bhattkars and of others, Chritstians are not much known to usurp the land of others for them, Christians are not known much for duping those from whom they received loans to purchase Buses, Cars, Bikes and to construct houses and to do the business.  Christians in the greater sense were accepted by anybody because by virtue of being Christians and the followers of Christ, to a much greater extent they are sincere, faithful, truthfull and not crook.

The name for the 3^rd Mandovi Bridge should be given from anyone Goan from any community who has done great service for Goa by being a perfect secular, perfect lover of Konkani, promoter of Goan Culture, tradition, history and other aspects of Goan life. Dayananda Bandodcar was not a true Goan, he was a fake Goan, he worked against the interest of genuine Goans. He worked for the destruction of Goan language Konkani and instead tried to impose a foreign language Marathi on Goa from nowhere. This was the game of lying and cheating which he played well but ultimately failed to win because of our victory in the historic Opinion Poll.  He made open distinction between Hindus and Christians by leaning towards Hindus mainly the lower segment of Goan society, in fact he believed and acknowledged only the “Bahujan samaz” from the Hindus as if among the Christians there was no Bahujan Samaz.  His hatred and disliked for the Goan Christians was open and clear. And for such person to bring him to the pedestal by naming the Third Mandovi Bridge  after him will be doing injustice to Goa and Goans. 

A.Veronica Fernandes.