The Santo Estevam Blog

Here's wishing one and all a very happy and prosperous New Year 2011. I am glad to announce that my new CD of Konkani songs entitled Mogachi Kanni (Love Story) composed by Jackson Dias (that's me!) and sung by local singers namely Aloma, Alwyn Gomes, Antoneta Dias, Astria, Chiara Gomes, Joylita Silveira, Reiny, Snayha, Tania, Veleni and Xavier Gomes, and set to music by the talented Mukesh Ghatwal, was officially released on the auspicious occasion of St. Stephen's Feast on 26th December 2010. The CD costs Rs. 200/-. If you would like to avail of a copy you may contact me on my mobile no. 919657031787. You may also obtain the CD from "Jameel" - the residence of Mrs. Soccorina Dias in Marcel, Goa. The house is right by the main road in Marcel. I'd like to thank Joseph de Santo Estevam for posting a review of my CD on the Niz Goenkar blog. Here's the link to the review: http://nizgoenkar.blogspot.com/2011/01/jackson-dias-mogachi-kanni-konkani.html Viva Goa! ...

In a recent issue of the "Goan Observer" (11 Sep. 2010) I came across a cover story about a meagproject being planned in the neighbouring village of Vanxim. The story was about the involvement of the church in affecting the sale to a Bangalore-based developer named Ozone Leisure & Resorts Pvt. Ltd. I do not know how true the story is, but here are a few links to websites where related stories are posted: http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/2010/08/vanxi-capao-face-to-face-with-neo.html http://goanobserver.com/church-in-mega-deal.html http://nizgoenkar.blogspot.com/2010/09/church-mega-project-at-vanxim-divar.html http://goa-kranti.blogspot.com/2010/08/goa-church-robbed-poor-tenants.html

Jackson Dias has recently released his Konkani CD entitled Mogachi Kanni (Love Story) featuring Konkani songs by local youngsters. Singers: Veleni Dias Snayha Menezes Alika Mascarenhas Tania Rosa Astria Fernandes Cindy Mascarenhas Joylita Silveira Carran Monteiro Other credits: Conchita Mascarenhas - Violin Weslee Dias - Guitar Darwin Pereira - Ghumott Jackson Dias - Composer & Instructor Aggie Dias - Video For details on how to obtain the CD please contact Jackson Dias (Mobile: 919657031787).

Lucas Mattos This year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the International Youth Year. Pope John Paul II started the International Youth Year in 1985 and Pope Benedict XVI has taken the same theme for the jubilee year and he speaks of “Youth and Hope”. What does it mean to have hope? A person has hope is a person who has got eternal value, eternal life. We say that the young people are the hope of the world. But you must know that you are the hope not only of the world but of the church – the hope for us – the bishops, the priests and religious and the church at large. 25 years ago, under the able guidance of our parish priest Fr. Almir D’Souza, our parish youth got together and celebrated a 3-day Youth Festival in our village. I remember the banner with Thomas Hardy’s words, “Days of our youth are days of glory”. All our youth participated with full enthusiasm and by the charisma of our youth our elders, especially the seamen, showed the youthful charisma in them and rejuvena...

by Jaime Afonso From the 2006 Souvenir of St. Estevam Sports Club Late Prof. Luis Manuel Afonso wrote an article in the second last edition of this souvenir wherein he had given us glimpses of the earliest developments of our village to the present facade of our church and mentuioning about priestly ordination of his brother Late Fr. Antonio. He is no more among us as this edition unfolds today. He left for his heavenly abode on 4th April 2006. May his soul rest in peace. L. M. Afonso as he was popularly known among the teaching fraternity, obtained his educational degrees from the University of Bombay and served in Mumbai for some time before coming to Goa soon after liberation for which he had made his personal contribution and was later recognised as freedom fighter by the State and Central Governments. An honour to the village indeed! In Goa, he was first appointed as professor of English language in the prestigious Portuguese medium Liçeu Nacional de Afonso de Albuquerque, a leaga...

By Jose Lucas Mattos (From St. Estevam Firgojechi Zap, February 2010 issue) This year (1759-2009) we Zunvenkars got together to celebrate 250 years of our structural church. If we go back to the history of our faith, it is not of suit, boot and glamour of today, but our faith is of our poor "fottekars" who were ready to mortgage their lone possession "fottem" to build this magnificent architectural grandeur. As we see it today, it is not only the faith but a strong commitment and hard work which we inherited and flourished throughout the world. Under the spiritual guidance of our Parish Priest Fr. Olavo D'Souza, our village grandson, and Fr. Alexandre Fernandes, our assistant to the Parish Priest, we began this year's celebrations with a spiritual renewal of heart and mind and family life too. As the saying goes, "The family that prays together stays together" we began a five-day family mission conducted by Fr. Kenneth Telles of the Diocesan ...

Jackson Dias, St. Estevam (Letter to the editor, O Heraldo dated 15th May 2006) Having criticized the Christians before, the author Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code), now advises all believers to read the Holy Bible, as if they do not know the world of God.  I would like to know what pleasure the man derives by hurting the religious feelings of the most peace loving citizens of the world.  He talks about splinter groups in the Christian Church.  He talks of discrepancies in the  Bible, which are caused by Anti Christ like himself. The original book is pure, chaste and sublime.  Dan Brown cannot make the slightest dent in the teachings of the Lord.  When Christ founded his religion, he said to his disciple “Simon Peter, Thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my church and not even the gates of hell shall prevail against it”.  And he went to add, “Heaven and  Earth may pass away, but my Word will not pass away”. And so, the Churc...