Dear goanet readers Reading the original article and all the goanet posts relating to the above convention, Melvyn informs me that some work has already started in Goa in organisation and management of the Catholic Church. A useful resource book is "The Concerned Face of the Church" by Fr Desmond de Sousa CSsR. You may wish to volunteer your services, their office is somewhere in Mapusa or send Melvyn your details and he will forward it on to them. His e-mail address is melvynfernan...@virginmedia.com. After all the population of Goa is made up of various religions, including Catholics.
A few years ago, you may be interested to know that an elder, originally from Saligao, living in the United Kingdom, traced his family roots and discovered that his ancestors were firstly Muslim, then converted to Hindus and then converted by the Portuguese to Catholics. I must admit, this came as quite a revelation to me until I looked closely at the history of Goa and found that this could well be possible. Goanet readers are directed to website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianisation_of_Goa - under "Discrimation against native Christians" they will read the following (note "in the courts of Hindu and Muslim rulers"): Quote: The social attitudes of the Portuguese towards the native Christians is exemplified in a memorandum submitted by the Christians of Salcette to the Portuguese monarch João IV in 1642: "It is very painful to realise that when our people were Hindus, they were better honoured and respected in the courts of Hindu and Muslim rulers, but after conversion we have lost much of our self-respect. A Portuguese nobleman or Minister shows greater respect to a low caste Hindu than to a Christian of high caste. It happens quite often that a Hindu is given a chair to sit and a native Christian stands. This attitude of the Portuguese had moved many Christians in the recent years to go to the city with the headgears and the tunic of the kind the Hindus wear. There is no way of talking to Hindus about conversion any more, because they reply that they are not in a hurry to lose their self-respect." Unquote In addition, I wish to remind those of us who are followers of Christ that he was a Jew, born into the House of David. Therefore, at some point in our present and in our past, we have practiced and been part of some of the major religions of the world and we need to particularly show respect for these religions (including those we have not been part of). Changing religions has also extended to us changing our names. Take a look at mine, "Rose Margaret" (English), maiden surname "D'Abreu" changed by my father to "Abreo" (Portuguese) but looking at myself in the mirror, I do not look English, neither do I look Portuguese, but Goan Indian. Finally, please can someone enlighten me, have Catholics around India put forward a proposal for their own convention in Goa and been declined? Anyone replying to this goanet post will have to wait until early July for my response as tomorrow I am off to Italy for some sunshine and a slice of pizza. Rose Fernandes Thornton Heath, Surrey, United Kingdom 7 June 2012
