------------------------------------------------------------------ Domnic Fernandes continues (Part II) his reminiscence of Mapusa of the 1950s http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=426 ------------------------------------------------------------------ In the backdrop of the Archaelogical Society of India (ASI) maintained Basilica de Bom Jesus , where the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier are held in a silver casket, at Old Goa (Ilhas) Tiswadi taluka Goa the western State of India, over four thousand people assembled this evening at 1734 hrs IST at a specially erected shamiana to partake in the Eucharist Mass to celebrate 500th Birth anniversary of St Francis Xavier (07.04.1506) a native of Navarre in Spain. It was perhaps destined that a native of Spain should commence his missionary endeavours and also find his sacred relics held in one of Asia's most beautiful tiny State of Goa in India which gifted by nature could easily earn the sobriquet of the "Spain of the East". Many faithfiul were taken by surprise of this celebration today, which otherwise received vide publicity in the local print media and on the internet in the past few days. This is because it is not the birth day but the death anniversary of the Saint on 3rd December, (and that of another i.e his most trusted friend St Ignatius de Loyola who died on 31st July 1556 ) that is being celebrated, as feast days.
This year incidentally is also the 450th death anniversary of Saint Ignatius de Loyola and 5th centenary celebrations of the birth of Blessed Peter Faber of Villaret in Savoy on 13th April, 1506. The indomitable trio were indeed the co-founders alongwith some others of the Society of Jesus, which has today over 20,000 priests of this order world wide and the Goa Province which constitutes Belgaum Pune and Ajra Sidhudurga. In Goa there are 143 Jesuits. St Francis Xavier set foot on this soil at Old Goa just 100 metres away from the Basilica (where a monument stands testimony to his visit) in then Goa which constituted only Salcete Mormugao and Ilhas (now Tiswadi) the Velhas Conquistas (Old Conquests (1510-1961) nearly 464 years ago. It is "here at Old Goa" that he arrived from Torre de Belem in Lisbon (where a monument is erected as well (Fr Vasco Rego sj who visited the spot in Lisboa Portugal ) after he set sail and reached Goa via the river Mandovi after 6 months of voyage " according to Fr Vasco De Rego ex Rector of the Basilica, and began his works in Asia to reap a good crop of faithful for Christianity. Following his death the Saint is revered not only in Goa and India as "Goemcho Saib" but by people world over. The decadal Expositions where the mortal remains are brought down from the specially erected altar for veneration by the faithful is a testimony to the Saint's following even several hundred years of his death enroute to China. Many a times when tragic incidents or a natural catastrophe e.g. tsunami affect other parts of the world or India, the it is not uncommon to see Goans always heave a sigh of relief and note with pride that nothing will happen so long as "amcho Goemcho Saib" is there. Even the Japanese who had established the first tradelinks for mining of ore from Goa to Japan pay homage to the Saint by describing Goa " in the land of Saint Francis Xavier" . The mass which witnessed the Main celebrant His Grace the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, besides the Bishop Emeritus Most Rev. Dr Raul Niclau Gonsalves, Bishop of Belgaum Most Rev. Peter Machado and the Provincial of Society of Jesus (a society founded on 27.9.1540 ) was a solemn sung Mass as a glowing tribute to the Saint. It may be recalled that the members of the Society of Jesus were responsible for safeguarding the Konkani in the Roman script and setting up the first printing press in Asia to further its written communications to network with the large indigenous natives. They set up many educational institutions in Goa viz St brittos High School and Loyola High School Margao, the Baga Retreat Centre Fr Arrupe Home in Raia the Thomas Stephen Konknni Kendra the Xavier Historical and Research Centre at Porvorim are testimony of the service to the community. The newly appointed Bishop of Belgaum who partook in the celebrations was on his maiden visit to Goa and received a thunderous applause when he was introduced to the gathering by His Grace the Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao. A special Portuguese delegation was also present on the ocassion besides the Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Dr Wilfred A De Souza. A book on the life and times of St Francis Xavier by Minguel Correia Monteiro from Portugal was released by the Archbishop of Goa & Daman Rev Filipe Neri Ferrao. Sidelights a) though the Mass was held in the evening transport arrangements were made (fare Rs 30/-per person) Old Goa to Margao and so on b) cake in plastic packets and cold drinks in tetrapack containers were distributed to all those who partook in the Mass( ironically the place is declared as No plastic zone) d)the beautifully decorated stage had the inscription "Devachea and monxanchea mogan zolltem kalliz" Jesuit Jubilee Year - 500. e) Jesuits from all over India arrived for the celebrations f) a documentary on a VCD on the life and times of St francis Xavier and the works of Jesuits in Goa was shown to the audience after the Mass. g) excellent traffic and police bandobast was made and the crowd dispersed of peacefully h)being a working day and the function being held in the evening was the reason of the low turn out considering the siginifance of the event. i) Konknni Romi lipi version of Fransisk Xavierachea Zolmancho Panchvo Xekddo (1506-2006)and its English version alongwith Jezvit Jublev 2006 write -ups on the trio Peter Faber Inacio de Loyola and Francis Xavier were also distributed alongwith a holy picture of the Saint and a key chain with St Francis Xavier logo. j) a well uniformed choir of youth gave a beautiful rendition of a special song sung to commemorate the celebrations k)another booklet Popular devotions to Saint Francis xavier by Fr Moreno de Souza sj l) the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and the Jesuits though function together otherwise there is a wide gap between the Jesuits who display enthusiasm drive and higher intelligentia then those under the diocesan order. These differences are cold undercurrents that come to surface on issues that affect the socio economic standards of the Catholics in Goa --language issue and script being one such issue. m) there were several foreigners including a Japanese team which covered the proceedings for their cable networks. from the Old Goa end GODFREY J I GONSALVES Borda Margao Goa (India) [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org)