CHRISTMAS CAROLS:
Theme: Christmas in our Hearts
(by the Music Ministry of the Holy Family Cathedral today (15/12/2011)
at HFC, Kuwait City)
As forwarded to gaspar almeida
by sylvester vaz <sylvester...@yahoo.com>
Posted 15th December 2011
http://goablog100.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-carols-theme-christmas-in-our.html#!/2011/12/christmas-carols-theme-christmas-in-our.html
THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTMAS -By Gaspar Almeida
THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTMAS
- By Gaspar Almeida
CHRISTMAS does something quite miraculous to most of us. We may go to
bed the night before weary of crowds and rush and dozens of last-minute
chores, and fed up with the whole business. And then we arise on the day
itself to find ourselves transformed almost as remarkably as Scrooge
was, and without any ghostly assistance. If we have small children we
find that we love them, even though they wakened us at dawn. The sense
of family unity becomes something to be newly cherished. We greet our
friends with uncritical affection.
Our hearts go out to all our fellow men, and we wish them well. We do
not do these things because we are compelled to or because tradition
says we ought to. We do them simply because the spirit of Christmas is
upon us. Peace and good will, familiar words of the Christmas story,
suddenly become positive and meaningful. The good will recedes, the
peace is disturbed, and we go back to the strivings and the differences
of everyday life. But the spirit of Christmas does not disappear. It is
a part of us, part of our heritage and of our national as well as
individual behavior. Sometimes it seems that we forget, in our zeal for
progress and improvement, that we are a decent, kindly people. We seem
to forget how good a life most of us have, and why we have it. It is
right that we should try to improve that life and share its goodness
more evenly. But in doing that we sometimes tend to emphasize our
disagreements and to take our blessings and our virtues for granted.
The Christmas season is a good time to remember that we live our lives
on Christian ethics as well as on political justice, built upon the
Christian belief in the worth and dignity of the individual. That belief
is absent this Christmas in modern times. In some countries, the
brotherhood of man has been replaced by government edicts of suspicion,
betrayal and class hatred. In others, conformity and obedience are
demanded by a program whose goal seems to be a drab uniformity
masquerading as social equality. And even in our own country there are
people who would have us emulate the one system or the other. We have
not done so, and let us give thanks for it.
Let us look about us and within us and count our very palpable
blessings. Let us remember that, for all our shortcomings, we embody for
the rest of the world the charity and generosity and good will that are
the essence of the Christian and the Christmas spirit. Christmas is not
an institution or an holiday of one particular country. But we have
patterned our best aspirations after its meaning until it has become not
only one day in our year but, in a sense, our way of life.
http://gasparalmeidawrites.blogspot.com/
(circa 2008)
The First Online Konkani Music Station - Started on March 14, 2000
http://www.live365.com/stations/61664
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV46yK_c5DM&feature=related
Our special thanks and good wishes to Dr. Jose Colaco (Bahamas), Basilio
Magno (Spain), Agnelo Gomes (USA), Lino B. Dourado (aitaracho katkutleo
fame -Kuwait), Jose Salvador Fernandes (Sonvarchim sungttam - fame,
Goa), Micheal (Mickky) Fernandes (Kuwait), Agusto Morais (Ribandar.com),
Gasper Crasto (GaspersWorld -Kuwait), Walter Menezes(Goa), Fr. Teo
Fernandes (Sanguem, Goa)a), G.R. Crasto (Bahrain), Publishers of
Xit-Koddi e-Newsletter in Bahrain, Godfrey Gonsalves (Goa), George J.
Pinto (USA), Domnic Fernandes (Domnic's Goa) , Simon D'Silva (Qatar) ,
Wilson & Sharon Mazarello (Goa), Reaven D'Souza (Response Media &
Exhibitions-Kuwait), Benedict Lobo (Dubai), Agnelo Fernandes (Pompurba,
Goa/Kuwait), Rene Baretto (U.K.), Daniel F. De Souza (Goa), Carmo Santos
(Goan Cultural Centre-Kuwait), Cecil Pinto (Goa), Francis Xavier Furtado
(Kuwait), Christopher Fernandes (Don Bosco), Armstrong Vaz (Qatar),
Floriano Lobo (Goa), B.M. Viegas (Kuwait), Dominic Araujo (Kuwait),
Monica Elvira D'Souza & Joseph D'souza (North Kanara Association -
Kuwait), Francis de Verna (and all at KGTS-Kuwait), Navelim Youth
Centre-Kuwait, Sylvester Vaz (Music Ministry of HFC, Kuwait), Tomazinho
Cardozo (and all at Tiatr Academy-Goa), Agnello A.S. Fernandes (and all
at Navelim Youth Centre-Kuwait), Fausto V. Da Costa (Gulab-Mumbai),
Robin Viegas (Mumbai), Don Bosco Past Pupils Association-Kuwait, Tony
Viegas, Menino Fernandes/Jacob Fernandes and all at Colva United
Centre-Kuwait, Joseph (Remmie) Fernandes (Expressions -Mumbai),
Venantius Pinto (USA), Tome Gracias (Kuwait), Minguel Braganza (Goa),
Salvador Dias (and all Kuwait Goan Association), Lucas Mariano Deniz
(Kuwait), Mario Rebello (Kuwait), Bosco D'Mello (Canada), Lino G.
Fernandes (and all at Nuvem Kuwait Parishioners), Domingos Araujo (Kala
Mogui Kuwait), William Fernandes, Julio Cardozo (and all at Goan
Overseas Association-Kuawit), KIFF-Kuwait, Alexyz (Goa's famous
cartoonist), kuwaitsamachar.com, indiansinkuwait.com, Muriel Alphonso
(and all at Indian Women's Association-Kuwait), Jacinto Noronha
(Kuwait), Pio Esteves (Goa), Agnelo Freddy Fernandes (Dubai/Nuem,
Canacona), Pravin Sabnis (Goa), Stephen de Divar (Oman), V-ixtt.com,
JIVIT (Konkani Magazine), Roshan D'Souza (USA), Queenie Mendonca (USA),
Walter Nandalike (Dubai), O'Heraldo, The Navhind Times, Goan Observer,
Targetgoa.com, Gomantak Times editor and staff, Gulab Publishers,
Editors & Staff of Arab Times (Kuwait), The Times (Kuwait), Kuwait
Times, Khaleej Times (UAE), Gulf Daily News (Bahrain), The Times of
India-Goa Edition, Gulf Times (Qatar) among others, Kuwait Vicarate
Newsletter, & all Contributors and supporters.
Well, the list is endless ........ it goes on to the latest subscriber
of Gulf-Goans e-Newsletter (archives at
www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans) and we thank all of you at
Christmas Time 2011.
Let's make a better world at Christmas time and beyond....
Ulysses Menezes/Gaspar Almeida
www.goa-world.com & www.colaco.net
www.goa-world.com/goa/music
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