The joyous pealing of the two large and sonorous Saligao Church bells at 5 a.m. heralds the beginning of the patronal feast of Mae de Deus in the north Goa village of Saligao on the first Sunday of May every year. This is followed by the lovely and rousing music of . . . → Read More: A bird’s eye view of the Saligao Feast of Mae de Deus]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

The joyous pealing of the two large and sonorous Saligao Church bells at 5 a.m. heralds the beginning of the patronal feast of Mae de Deus in the north Goa village of Saligao on the first Sunday of May every year. This is followed by the lovely and rousing music of Alvorada played with all enthusiasm by the Saligao Brass band at the residence of the President of the Saligao feast. The continuous firing of crackers by young lads and the people who have now lit up their houses, some with decorative lights, are sights and sounds that linger in our memories.

The chimes of the Saligao Church bells inviting the faithful of the village to attend the patronal Feast Mass strike a vibrant chord in the hearts of Saligaokars. So, dressed in their Sunday best, the villagers walk or drive towards the Saligao Church to receive the blessings of Mae de Deus, the Mother of God. The brass band playing beautiful tunes welcomes one and all to the House of Prayer and Thanksgiving.

The neo-Gothic Saligao Church of Mae de Deus during the day or night presents a structure of beauty and splendour for all to behold. Photographs of the Saligao Church adorn tourist brochures and books about Goa and its postcards are collectors’ items.

Solemn Mass

The ringing of the small sacristy bell reminds all to be ready for the Solemn Mass. It calls the priests to dress for the Eucharistic celebrations while the altar servers also get ready for the service.

The tuning of the string instruments to the right tone and pitch as well as the clearing of throats by the choir singers all turns into a melodious unit once the chords of the organ are struck for the entrance hymn.

In olden times the entrance hymn was solemn; today it is martial with occasional drum beats lending punch to the congregational singing helped by the choir. The deafening and thunderous sounds of crackers and Khon’nes accompanied by the wild ringing of the big bells make the hearts go boong-bang-a-bang and the legs weak at the knees as Paular Pavl is rendered. The altar, well lit and draped with linen and natural flowers looks majestic.

Saligao Church Altars -- Pic by JoeGoaUK

The entrance procession is led by the altar servers carrying a cross and two lit candles, followed by a select number of lay people that will play specific roles during the Eucharistic service. Making up the rear of the procession are the concelebrants of the Saligao Feast Mass in their flowing white and gold vestments. Their dignified walk along the aisle of the Saligao Church adds colour to the ceremonies. The quick count of how many priests have attended the Saligao Feast Mass will invariably be a topic of discussion while returning home. The greater the number the greater the solemnity, hence there always is a mad rush to invite as many priests as possible for the Saligao Feast Mass. The message of the Word of God seems to be of less importance than the attendance of a larger number of the clergy. O Tempora, O Mores!

While all stand during the entrance hymn, the young ladies have something to whisper to each other about their neighbours: “What a lovely pair of earrings, I wonder who gave them to her;” “Lipstick too loud;” “Dress piece from Salgaokars shop in Mapusa;” “Broach not matching.” And mind you, all this in a flash, even before the congregation has replied to the priest’s “The Lord be with you.”

Meanwhile, young chaps aloft in the choir cast down their eyes on the colourful spectacle below and render thanks to God for the presence of the coy young damsels in the nave.

Readings and Sermon

Everybody is eager to see who is going to do the readings. The reader assures everyone that “Nothing is impossible for God.” [Luke 1:37]. And so “Everything is possible to one who has faith.” [Mark 9:23]. The sermon is not too lengthy, quite bearable; surely not as dry as stones. Certainly the overture leads to the blaming of foxes tails. My God! A chorus ascends to heaven – Padarin sermanv koddock uddoilo! But the docile, serene and humble Lady seated on the main altar takes the foxes’ pride in her stride and willfully grants the requests made. Hence so much love for Mae de Deus wherever Saligaokars reside. On this day, worldwide, their hearts and minds are directed towards Her visage. They are back home in Saligao, in spirit if not in the flesh.

The prayer of faithful is for the welfare of the Church and government leaders, the President of the Saligao feast and prosperity of all the people from the village at home and abroad. Another 50 take part in the offertory procession and with added commentary of the gifts, the hearts, minds, joys and sufferings are offered to the Lord.

The rest of the Saligao Feast Mass ceremony goes as planned. During the Feast Mass the fervour of the congregation gradually builds to a crescendo and all partake in the Eucharistic meal.

Procession

Under the scorching sun, the Saligao Church Feast procession begins. And whether you like it or not, in Saligao, it is a must. It has something more than penitential indulgence and that is why most wait for this moment. The same suited-and-booted bachelors who where were on the loft are the first ones to descend down. With cameras in hand, hurriedly clicking photos they rush to take their place in the procession and whether they know or don’t know the lines of O’ Brilhante!- they open their mouths wide and sing: Salve Santa Mae de Deus, Nossa Guia e Protectora, Salve Rainha dos cues, Sacratissima Senhora!

And the brass band carries the most loved hymn to new musical heights. As the procession slowly wends its way one notices multicoloured parasols protecting the heads and fashionable sunglasses adorning pretty and rugged faces alike. Relatives and friends coming to Goa from overseas for the Saligao Feast join the ones at home in the prayerful walk. A few have their eye on a prospective bride or groom and ready themselves to make their first move later during the fair, but not before they receive the blessing of their Patroness Mae de Deus. The Mother of God blesses every one as she is carried in the procession: Ghall Maie tujem besanv, bhagi zaum amcho ganv! Pau Maie, Ie Maie, ghe amkam tujea gopant is soulfully sung to the sounds of the Saligao Church bells. The ties with the procession, come what may, are seldom broken.

It is a fashion nowadays to thank each and everyone at the end, from the main celebrant to the sacristan and sexton, not forgetting the mordomo and his family. No one in the audience minds it though, as the thanks are more than justified for the efforts put in by everyone for the Saligao Feast.  The mordomo for the Saligao Feast of the next year is announced together with the weekly programme and names of the donors. Finally the blessing of Our Lady is given and the new mordomo is crowned. With the kissing of the image by one and all, the final hymn is chanted. Happy Feast. All pains and heartaches are forgotten. We are one in the Lord.

The vendors at the stalls of the Saligao Feast fair do roaring business. Inflation or no inflation, in Goa all shell out good money to buy ample quantities of traditional sweets. In my younger days, with just eight annas I carried home a good measure of grams, ladoos, and three packets of firecrackers, besides one balloon, whistle and mialheiro (mellor).

Boas Festas!

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The 312-page book is about the “histories, legends and traditions of Saligao, a typical Goan village”. . . . → Read More: Land of the Sal Tree]]> The launch of “Land of the Sal Tree”, a book on Saligao written by Fr. Nascimento J Mascarenhas, will take place today, the 26th of April 2012, at the Mae de Deus Church in Saligao, after the evening services.

The 312-page book is about the “histories, legends and traditions of Saligao, a typical Goan village”. It would be of interest to anyone who knows this village of Goa, to those who have encountered or seek to understand a Goa of the yesteryears, as well as to the visitor wanting to know more about what makes Goa unique.

An additional attraction in the book is a collection of over 80 artistic illustrations by Mel D’Souza, a Saligaokar based in Brampton, Canada. Check out some of his delightful illustrations at this link.

The book is priced at Rs 350 in Goa.

Copies of the book are expected to make their way to Abu Dhabi (via Maxwell Coutinho), Canada (via Mel D’Souza), and to Dubai. In Saligao, the book can be purchased also from Saligao Supermarket Fernandes Medical Stories (Saligao Panchayat Building), Dilip Kamat’s Stores (Arrarim), Mr D’Souza Fast Food (along the CHOGM Road), among others. It is already available at Golden Heart Emporium (Margao) too, and is expected at other major outlets soon.

For bulk orders, contact the publishers, Goa,1556 (goa1556@gmail.com or +91-832-2409490).

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Had Ermelinda Fatima dos Remedios been alive, she would be celebrating her 59th birthday today.  Ermelinda was affectionately known as Emmie, and when she returned home from Bahrain or Bangalore to Saligao, she always made it a point to visit me, accompanied by her beloved parents and sister Effie. I remember . . . → Read More: The amiable nurse]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Had Ermelinda Fatima dos Remedios been alive, she would be celebrating her 59th birthday today.  Ermelinda was affectionately known as Emmie, and when she returned home from Bahrain or Bangalore to Saligao, she always made it a point to visit me, accompanied by her beloved parents and sister Effie. I remember well how we used to share all our anxieties and concerns, successes and failures, during those visits. 

This was before her untimely death in December 2000, when she left this world to be among the blessed in heaven. Emmie was the daughter of Caetano António dos Remédios and Apolónia (Apolin) dos Remédios from Tabravaddo-Mollembhatt. Emmie was born in Dar-er-Salaam in East Africa on April 13, 1953. She did her basic schooling there and higher education at Lourdes Convent High School in Saligao. Always a pleasant and good tempered person, she was a picture of joy and friendliness at home, in the village, school and hospital.

After completing her SSC she underwent the Diploma Course in General Nursing and Midwifery at the well known school of Nursing at St. Martha’s Hospital, Bangalore, from 1970 to 1973. She was awarded the trophy for the best outgoing student of the institution in 1973 on the basis of excellent all-round performance, academics and extra-curricular activities. “In the SNA, she displayed activity, dynamism and leadership of an excellent order,” says The Nursing Journal of Trained Nurses Association (TNAI), New Delhi.

After qualifying as a nurse, she worked in a large hospital in Bahrain. Within a few years she was promoted as Ward Sister. She worked in that capacity until June 1989 but her heart drew her back to her Alma Mater. She returned to St. Martha’s Hospital where she joined as a Senior Ward Sister of the General Maternity Section and NICU in June 1989. She held this position with great competence until 17th December 2000, only 11 days before death took her away, after a brave battle with a terminal illness.

A life member of TNAI, she was an outstanding officer and a fine human being. “The special objects of her concern were the poor patients in the General Maternity who could always count on her sympathy and care. Her beautiful memory and example, however remain to provide a source of abiding inspiration to the entire Nursing service of St. Martha’s Hospital,” says the Nursing Journal of India.

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Lenten observances have always been elaborate and intense in the churches of Goa, and the ceremonies I witnessed when I was growing up in Saligao during the 1940s and 1950s are etched in my memory.

The liturgy of the Holy Week began at Mae de Deus Church in Saligao with the . . . → Read More: Palm Sunday at Saligao Church and Passo at St. Anne’s Chapel]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Lenten observances have always been elaborate and intense in the churches of Goa, and the ceremonies I witnessed when I was growing up in Saligao during the 1940s and 1950s are etched in my memory.

The liturgy of the Holy Week began at Mae de Deus Church in Saligao with the blessings of palms at the entrance of the Saligao Church on Palm Sunday, where we youngsters gathered with palms in our hands. Those who had coconut trees on their property usually engaged a padai to climb the trees and cut off some palm leaves, others pleaded with their neighbours to give them a few, and a few mischievous fellows nicked the leaves from wherever they could. Regardless, everyone had a saintly look on their faces while assembling in the portico of the Saligao Church the next morning.

There was a wide variety of decorated and intricately woven palms on view in the congregation. Some were embellished with artwork, others were woven together in the form of an alette, and many brought palms draped with crosses and mogrins and rosam. Still others had white tiny flowers on each palm leaf interlaced with other flowers of different colours shapes. It was a colourful, kaleidoscopic public display at Saligao Church on Palm Sunday.

Colourful spectacle

We had an informal competition among us with respect to whose palm was the best decorated one. I remember the boys from Bairro Alto fringed their palms in alette style; the Mudd’davaddi, Tabravaddo and Mollembhatt parishioners had them decorated with rosam from their fields, whilst Donvaddo folks decorated them with white and crimson colours. Arrarim, Cotula, Dhaktem and Vhoddlem Morodd and Goletem brethren highlighted their palms with crisscross patterns along with mogrins and abolim in the background. Sonarbhat and Salmona youth carried palms ornamented with xinvtins, some white and some yellow. The spectacle was fantastic. All stood regally, proudly brandishing their palms.

At the allotted hour, the three celebrants (a priest and two acolytes) ceremoniously walked to the portico where some big palms taken from the Saligao Church property were placed on a table and blessed, then kept aside for use the following year by the sacristan for ash on Ash Wednesday.

The main celebrant together with the acolytes and altar servers came solemnly from the sacristy to the portico of the Saligao Church and the religious ceremony commenced. Prayers were sung in a solemn manner which prepared the congregation for this liturgical occasion. After the palms were blessed with holy water and incensed, came the long-awaited moment of demonstration of power–the shaking of the palms with the greatest possible force and noise, so much so that celebrant had to intervene and put a stop to it by admonishing all of us with a stern and loud “Stop it!”

Stop it we did, but not before exchanging quick sniggers of triumph among ourselves, after which we settled down into complete silence. Next came the Gospel reading and the celebrant read the Word of God outside the Church, reminding us of the solemn entry of the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem and how the people welcomed him with palms in their hands and shouted hosannas to the King who arrived mounted on a donkey.

Palm Sunday Mass

Soon the procession began in the direction of the nave, transepts and sanctuary of the Saligao Church, the processionists with palms in their hand balancing them this side and that, and singing in Latin “Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat or Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, Hosanna Filio David, etc.”

In the Church they began the other parts of the Palm Sunday Mass. At the solemn singing of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the main celebrant represented Christ, another read the narrative and a third was assigned the words of the others who spoke. The solemnity of the singing in Latin in three different tones by three people kept all in a meditative mood while they stood continuously for more than 45 minutes. This was followed by a sermon. After the Mass we quickly returned home, hung up the palm near the oratory on the nail where the rosaries were usually hung, to be placed later on inside the oratory.

After the religious service in the Saligao Church, some of us from the three wards of Mudd’davaddi, Donvaddo and Tabravaddo-Mollembhatt directed ourselves to the Chapel of St. Anne to help in getting things ready for the evening service of the Passo.

Passo at St. Anne’s Chapel

The life-size image of the Dead Lord (Senhor Morto), which was offered to St. Anne’s Chapel by Idinha P Dias, wife of Pedro Joao dos Remedios from Tabravaddo, and kept inside the main altar of St. Anne, was cautiously removed and kept on two or three benches. Then Mr. Patru and some elders cleansed it thoroughly with sacramental wine. Next the image was draped in a dark blue vestment studded with false diamonds of different hues and sizes and imitation-gold laced boarders.  The “mogreanche jhelle” decorated the base of the altar case where the image was kept for veneration after been washed and clothed.

Everything was set in its proper place; the candlesticks with candles, the ritual books, the thurible and incense boat, the ceremonial vestments, the sprinkler, the cross, etc. The evening ceremony, based on the liturgy used in those days, began with the singing of a motet in Latin – such as Filiae, Filiae Jerusalem — in four voices accompanied by two violins, two clarinets and a bass. People brought with them more jhelles, and these were handed to the sacristan to be deposited near the Senhor Morto image or tied to the candlesticks of the main altar in semicircular or crescent arrangements.

When all were assembled at the appointed time, the Way of the Cross service commenced.  Three altar servers carrying a cross and two candles on each side walked from one station to the other, with the people following slowly, genuflecting, praying and singing along the way. This Way of the Cross was led by the Chaplain Rev. Fr. Arcanjo de Menezes, dressed in his surplice and purple stole over his black cassock. The singing after each station was in Konkani, rendering the common hymn of the Lenten season, “Papia Re Nibhagea, Tum Pap Na Sandxi…” At the end of the 14th station a prayer was said and Senhor Deus Misericordia was sung three times.

The highlight of the whole religious ceremony was the sermon preached on Jesus the Compassionate, usually by a preacher from outside the parish of Saligao. Then came the procession with irmaos dressed in their white opa and blue mursa, distinctive of St. Anne’s Chapel, wending through the traditional route. At the end came the chaplain dressed in his black cape and carrying the relic of Holy Wood (Santo Lenho), offered to the chapel by Rodolfo Napoleao Fernandes from Donvaddo. The choir singers sang the popular Latin hymn Miserere Mei Deus during the procession, with the chapel bell ringing soulfully, allowing the faithful to meditate on the Merciful Compassion of Jesus.

When all has assembled in the chapel, the relic was kept on a decorated table. The celebrant incensed it, then sang the prayer in Latin and kissed it. Finally people proceeded towards the altar in two lines, where the image of Senhor Morto was kept for kissing and veneration. A tray at the side of the altar was kept for people to place their offerings. The motet Porje Mhoje rendered during the veneration brought to an end to this Passo service.

At sunset we youngsters were given a soda, which satisfied us immensely, while the elders had a light intoxicating drink. All this was a long time ago, and a lot has changed since then, mostly for the better I suppose. I am indeed blessed to have had the experience of the old Trindentine rite and also of the new Vatican Liturgy and the changes it has undergone over the years. This year, I join my fellow bairristas in spirit in their celebration of Palm Sunday at Saligao Church and the Passo at St. Anne’s Chapel in Saligao.

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As we come to the end of the season of Lent, and approach Holy Week 2012, my thoughts go back to about a decade ago, during the time of the Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Seminary of Our Lady, at Saligao in Goa. At that time, I attended the Chrism Mass . . . → Read More: Chrism Mass at Saligao Seminary]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

As we come to the end of the season of Lent, and approach Holy Week 2012, my thoughts go back to about a decade ago, during the time of the Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Seminary of Our Lady, at Saligao in Goa. At that time, I attended the Chrism Mass that was specially held at the Saligao Seminary Chapel. I had written the following description soon after that:

A bishop blows over the amphora of Holy Oils

“The Chrism Mass, which the bishop celebrates with his presbyterium, and at which the oils are blessed, manifests the communion of the priests with their bishop. For at this Mass, priests gather and concelebrate, coming from different parts of the diocese, as witnesses at the confection of the chrism and as fellow workers with their bishop, in whose sacred ministry for the building up, sanctification and government of the people of God they participate. Thus is manifest in a clear way the unity of the priesthood and the sacrifice of Christ living on in the Church.”

This is what the Archbishop Patriarch Raul N. Gonsalves said in his homily at the Saligao Seminary chapel during the Chrism Mass. In continuation, His Grace also emphasised that the celebration of the Chrism Mass was an ecclesial and hierarchical communion for the service in the Church. The laity and the priests together with their bishop form an integral part of this communion. We are all one in the Spirit. The priests serve the faithful and the laity helps their priests to live up to their priestly vocation by getting involved in the various services of the Church.

We are all part of this common unity and each one of us has an important place and role to play, which we should recognise in the light of the Holy Spirit. The Archbishop Patriarch particularly called upon the clergy to make good use of the oils and prayers in their healing ministry towards the old and sick especially through the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. His Grace said that we could make use of so many prayers that are found in the ritual when dealing with the old and infirm.

After the homily the priests renewed their priestly vows and in the course of the Holy Mass His Grace blessed the Oils of the Sick, Catecumenate and Chrism. Before the conclusion of the Mass his Grace said: “The newly blessed oils should be borne with honour to the parish churches. The old oils should be burned or poured into the Blessed Sacrament lamp.”

The entire liturgy was conducted in Konkani. The seminary choir sang parts of the Mass beautifully in bhajan style in the vernacular. Liturgical hymns in Latin and English were also rendered under the baton of Fr. Bernardo Cota. At the introductory rite of the Mass, Fr. Manuel Gomes, the Rector of Saligao Seminary, welcomed all those present for the solemn occasion and wished them well.

Before the conclusion of the Mass, His Grace released two books — “Sursum… from Roots to Fruits” (the Souvenir of the Seminary), and “The Old Testament in Konkani” (some parts) to help those using the “Jivitacho Prokas” to further deepen their knowledge. Around 300 hundred priests and religious, besides seminarians and a large crowd of laity attended the Chrism Mass. I was happy to see and meet a large number of faithful from Saligao and exchange with my colleagues pleasant memories of our stay during our formative years in the Seminary of Our Lady, Saligao.

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Today is the tenth death anniversary of Cecilia Cordeiro, mother of Lorna — the nightingale of Goa – from the village of Saligao. Cecilia’s other children are Elvino, Albert, Jean, Oscar, Salvador and Clementine, and her husband was Teofilo Cordeiro.

At the time of her death in Dhobi Talao, Mumbai, on . . . → Read More: Remembering the mother of Goan Nightingale Lorna]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Today is the tenth death anniversary of Cecilia Cordeiro, mother of Lorna — the nightingale of Goa – from the village of Saligao. Cecilia’s other children are Elvino, Albert, Jean, Oscar, Salvador and Clementine, and her husband was Teofilo Cordeiro.

At the time of her death in Dhobi Talao, Mumbai, on 4th March 2002, Cecilia’s daughter Lorna was at her side. Lorna was the only one of the children staying in Mumbai then, and she looked after her mother for several years before that. Cecilia had celebrated her 89th birthday on 4^th February 2002 and died exactly a month later, of old age.

Cecilia Cordeiro, as I remember her, was a mother who inculcated a love for the Konkani language in the hearts of her children. Every year when the family came home for the holidays in May to their ancestral house in Tabravaddo, Saligao, I, their immediate neighbour, was impressed very much by their singing Konkani hymns after the night Rosary. The mother led the family in the daily Rosary prayer, concluding it with the singing of the litany. Their harmonious voices echoed through the ward and we stood at our windows listening to the melodious singing and softly participated too from a distance. Cecilia encouraged her musical children, and ignited a joyous spark in our otherwise sleepy ward during their holidays in Saligao. And she always spoke with her children in Konkani.

Today, whenever Lorna sings, her words in Konkani are crystal clear. Why so? It was Lorna’s mother Cecilia Cordeiro who ensured that Lorna’s diction was perfect and the words in Konkani well pronounced. Of course all her daughters had good, musical voices and the boys did not lag far behind. Though Lorna and Jean were crooners with different bands in Bombay, in Saligao it was the mother and the father who led the singing at the evening fiesta. For the month of May, after their supper each day, it was a treat to hear this family singing different songs in English and Konkani and always ending them with a mando-dulpod sequence.

Lorna’s mother was a soft-spoken lady and took household chores very seriously. She also saw to it that her children got a good education, were groomed in social graces, and well disciplined too. As they grew up and married, some moved to different parts of Mumbai and others overseas. Ultimately, it was left to Lorna to take care of her mother. But sometimes the singer daughter found it difficult to leave her mother in other people’s hands when she went on singing tours. Nevertheless, she was at her mother’s side when the end came.

Lorna’s grandfather was Salu Cordeiro, and in fact their house in Saligao is generally known as “Salu Cordeiro’s house”. There was a small school for girls housed therein, during the early 1930s. With classes up to standard three, it was a branch of the Costa’s School that functioned in the adjoining ward of Mollembhatt in Saligao.

Cecilia Cordeiro and her husband Teofilo instilled into the hearts of their children genuine love and consideration for their neighbours. It was a treat to meet them when they returned home, as they were visibly and immensely pleased to be in the company of their neighbours and others from the village. We of Saligao are all proud that Mr. and Mrs. Cordeiro gave to the Konkani musical world their daughter Lorna, who is rightly called the Goan Nightingale. On this day I pray in a special way for the soul of Lorna’s mother Cecilia Cordeiro, being fully confident that she has received her just reward in full measure in the Heavenly Kingdom.

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Joseph Anthony Vaz, the first Goan Officer of the prestigious Indian Civil Service (ICS), had roots in Saligao.  Son of Antonio Caetano Vaz from Donvaddo in Saligao, Goa, Joseph was born in Karachi on 22 April 1875. He was the first member of the Goan community and among the earliest . . . → Read More: The first Goan ICS Officer]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Joseph Anthony Vaz, the first Goan Officer of the prestigious Indian Civil Service (ICS), had roots in Saligao.  Son of Antonio Caetano Vaz from Donvaddo in Saligao, Goa, Joseph was born in Karachi on 22 April 1875. He was the first member of the Goan community and among the earliest to pass the Indian Civil Service examination.

St. Patrick's High School, Karachi

A bright student of the famed St. Patrick’s High School in Karachi, he continued his distinguished career at the D. J. Sind College in that same city. Joseph Anthony Vaz then proceeded to England for higher studies. At King’s College, Cambridge, he obtained the B.A. and LL.B. degrees in 1898. Joseph Anthony Vaz sat for the open ICS examination in the same year and passed with flying colours.

On his return to India, he was posted to the Bengal Presidency where he distinguished himself in the various roles assigned to him and soon rose to post of Deputy Commissioner.  Joseph Anthony Vaz was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal in 1921 in recognition of his contribution to the Bengal Gazetteer and also for working tirelessly almost round-the-clock during the Bengal famine. At the time he had risen to the post of Collector and District Magistrate of Bankura. Unfortunately he died suddenly while on a trip to Bangalore while still in office in 1921, abruptly bringing to an end a promising career. He was buried in Nagpur, the birthplace of his wife Matilda.

Joseph Anthony Vaz perhaps inspired other Goans to excel in civil service. His son-in-law Anthony Lancelot Dias was the second ICS officer with origins in Goa (Assagao). Then, one of A L Dias’s sons-in-law, Peter Lynn Sinai, topped the 1956 public services commission merit list and joined the Indian Foreign Service.

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Twelve years ago, on 12 February 2000, Goa’s then Archbishop-Patriarch Dr. Raul Nicolau Gonsalves blessed another new church in Goa. This time it was in south Goa at Tilamola in Quepem taluka. I was there to witness the three-hour-long ceremony at this new Goa church, which was both solemn and spiritually . . . → Read More: Tilamola and Fr. Erlick de Souza of Saligao]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Twelve years ago, on 12 February 2000, Goa’s then Archbishop-Patriarch Dr. Raul Nicolau Gonsalves blessed another new church in Goa. This time it was in south Goa at Tilamola in Quepem taluka. I was there to witness the three-hour-long ceremony at this new Goa church, which was both solemn and spiritually very enriching. The huge modern church was filled to its capacity and the faithful took part in the ceremonies with due respect and attention.

Someone quipped at the end: “We did not feel tired because our hearts are rejoicing today, the time factor of three hours did not disturb us. To place our ancestors and us under the protection of Our Lady, the Mother of the Poor, our Patroness, is a very significant event and today we again pledge our faith in the Lord Jesus and Our Lady to guide us now and in the coming years.”

The new Goa church has been built at the same site where the previous, small church once stood. It took some years to get it ready, and, fighting all odds, the people of the area got together to help either with financial contributions or by working for free at the construction site.

I think that a little bit on the history of Tilamola Parish would not be out of place here. The faithful of this hamlet belonged to the parish of Zambaulim (Do you remember Zambaulim and its famous Zatra?). “At the request of the parishioners of the old Goa church of Zambaulim, belonging to the parish of Sanguem, a church was being built at Tilamola in the property donated by Luis Isaac Caridade de Souza, from Aldona on 15 December 1875. This edifice was blessed by Archbishop D. Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos (1875-1879) on 16 February 1879 and elevated to the category of the Parish Church by on 14 December 1880,” says an old Directory of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.

From then on, the people of Tilamola had numerous Parish Priests. One of them was Fr. Ernesto Frederico Erlick de Souza (1917-1977) from Arrarim, Saligao. He was the son of Caetano Xavier Basilio de Souza and of Amarina Clotildes de Souza. He was born on 26 August 1917 and ordained priest by Patriarch D Jose da Costa Nunes on 24 April 1948, in the External Chapel at Paco Patriarcal in Panjim, Goa.

Soon after his ordination he was appointed as curate in Calangute, from 1948 to 1955, then became chaplain of Batpale Chapel in Canacona and worked there from 1955 to 1966. In 1966 he was appointed Vicar Oeconomus of Tilamola and stayed there until 1973. It was a vast parish geographically and he had to walk very long distances to attend to the various needs of his parishioners, administer the sacraments, apart from celebrating the Mass and taking care of his flock with pastoral zeal. He renovated the parish church and the parish house during his tenure and the parishioners installed a plaque in the church premises in recognition of his selfless service to the Tilamolians. This plaque now lies in a small museum built to preserve the old material of this parish.

When I attended the inauguration of the new Goa church in Tilamola, I met some older parishioners who still remembered Fr. Ernesto Erlick de Souza as “a saintly, helpful and dedicated priest who did so much for this missionary area.”

Fr. Ernesto Erlick de Souza’s final parish was Colvale in Bardez where he was the Parish Priest from 1973 to 1977 and where he died on 15 April 1977 all of a sudden. It was Easter season and the blessing of the homes was going on. He had finished blessing the last house when he suffered a massive heart attack and immediately rendered his soul to God being still in active service. The next day, 16 April 1977, he was buried at the Saligao Cemetery in the evening.

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On Friday the 13th of January 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship hit a rock and partially capsized off the coast of Italy. Of the 4252 passengers and crew aboard, 17 died and 16 are still unaccounted for as of yesterday, 30th January. Our hearts and prayers go out to all . . . → Read More: Goa’s worst ferry disaster]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

On Friday the 13th of January 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship hit a rock and partially capsized off the coast of Italy. Of the 4252 passengers and crew aboard, 17 died and 16 are still unaccounted for as of yesterday, 30th January. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families of the victims and those still missing in the Costa Concordia accident, and especially for Russel Rebello from Mumbai, a steward on the ill-fated Costa Concordia, and the only Indian still unaccounted for among the 203 Indians that were on board the cruise ship (202 Indian crew members and 1 Indian passenger).

The capsized Costa Concordia cruise ship. (Pic by Rvongher)

The Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster took place almost exactly a century after the infamous Titanic tragedy of 15th January 1912, and brought to my mind the terrible Goa ferry boat disaster that took place on 3rd December 1901 in Goa.

Goa ferry accident

On that fateful day, the launch “GOA” capsized while crossing the Mandovi river from Verem to Panjim. There were around 170 passengers on the Goa ferry, of which 81 met their watery grave. The passengers were on their way to Old Goa, dressed in their Sunday best to attend the solemn feast Mass of St. Francis Xavier. The dead included 34 males and 47 females, of which 15 were children.  Of the victims on the ill-fated ferry, 21 were from Saligao, 17 from Calangute, 12 from Reis Magos, 10 from Candolim, six from Nagoa de Bardez, six from Parra, two from Siolim, two from Nerul, two from Pilerne and one each from Arpora, Anjuna and Panjim.

Mandovi memorial cross

A cross was built on the southern bank of the Mandovi, near the Caes dos Gujiras, Panjim, in memory of those who perished in the worst Goa ferry accident ever, and installed on 3rd December 1904. Two plaques were fixed on the pedestal, one on the northern side and the other on the southern side, both engraved in Portuguese.  Here is the English translation of the inscriptions:

“In memory of the 81 victims of the tragedy of the launch GOA on December 3, 1901 – dedicates the Goan diaspora of Aden.”

“In memory of the unfortunate 81 victims of the tragedy of the launch GOA that took place on 03-12-1901, this unique landmark is dedicated by the Goan diaspora of Aden requesting all those who pass by this place, a prayer for their eternal repose.”

This cross is still standing at the original spot and is protected by a canopy. Incidentally, one of those rescued from the capsized Goa ferry in the waters of the Mandovi was an eight-year-old boy, Faustino de Souza, who later joined the priesthood and became the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth (SFN) in Sancoale, Goa. The nascent congregation was housed in the ancestral house of Blessed Joseph Vaz in Sancoale on 16th June 1935.

Here is a list of those from Saligao who were confirmed as dead in the Goa ferry disaster of 1901.

1. Leopoldina de Sousa, 30 years, married.
2. Crystalina de Mello e Souza, 30 years, widow.
3. Luciana de Figueiredo, 39 years, wife of Santana Vaz.
4. Anna Candida Gomes, widow of Damião Caetano de Mello, 53 years.
5. Pedro dos Remédios, son of Caetano dos Remédios, 58 years.
6. Adelina Vas, daughter of Santana Vaz, married, aged 31 years.
7. Caetano Francisco Nunes, son of Joaquim Manuel Nunes, married, 36 years.
8. Robertina Vaz, daughter of Lourenço Caetano Vaz, age 15 years, spinster.
9. António Vicente Saldanha, son of Caetano António Saldanha, 20 years, married.
10. Joaquim Mariano Fernandes, son of Domingos Fernandes, bachelor, 28 years old.
11. Adelina Coelho, daughter of Manuel Coelho, 50 years old.
12. Escolástica dos Remédios, daughter of Pedro dos Remédios, 18 years old.
13. Rachel Gravatinha de Souza, daughter of Pedro Caetano de Sousa, married, age 17 years.

In spite of a search by divers from Dona Paula and Ribandar, sailors from the naval gunboat “Mandovy” and the crew of a patmari from Chapora, several of the passengers of the capsized Goa ferry remained missing and unaccounted for and were presumed dead.

However, in the case of the Costa Concordia accident 110 years later, we still hope and pray that Russel Rebello will somehow be found and rescued, alive and well.

References:

• PINHO, Vasco, Snapshots of Indo-Portuguese History – I Pangim, 2007
• Death Registration Book, 1901, Mãe de Deus Church, Saligao, Goa.
• The Seer and the Server by Rev. Fr. Faustino de Souza, published by the Congregation of the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth, Sancoale, Goa, 1993.

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In days gone by, Saligao was reputed all over Goa as a nursery of budding Goan musicians. In the 1940s and 50s when I was a young lad, almost every household in Saligao had at least one young member learning music at school, and many took additional private lessons. The violin . . . → Read More: The Goan violinist in Ceylon]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

In days gone by, Saligao was reputed all over Goa as a nursery of budding Goan musicians. In the 1940s and 50s when I was a young lad, almost every household in Saligao had at least one young member learning music at school, and many took additional private lessons. The violin was a very popular musical instrument then, as was the piano.

Even much earlier there had been well known private music schools in the village of Saligao that were famous in Goa and produced Goan musicians that distinguished themselves in Goa, Bombay and far beyond. The music school in Saligao run by Francisco Salvador Campos at the St Cajetan Chapel in Arrarim (Santo Caetano Chapel School) gave to India some of the outstanding Goan musicians from Saligao such as Hermenegildo Coelho and Caetano Paulo de Souza (both violinists) and Otolino de Souza (pianist). There being no pianos easily available in Saligao in those days of the late-1800s, Francisco taught the young Otolino (father of Hubert de Sousa and grandfather of Fr. Desmond D’Souza C.Ss.R.) the rudiments of piano playing on a cardboard with piano keys painted on!

Among famous Goan musicians, one of the remarkable Goan violinists from the village of Saligao was Adriano Daniel Fernandes who hailed from the Cotula ward in Saligao. He made a name for himself in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and often hit the newspaper headlines for his music accomplishments. In that country he conducted the Adrian Daniel School of Violin, which became a nursery for budding violinists and produced top-rankers at the London Trinity College music examinations. The founder of the Calcutta School of Music, Dr Philip Sandre of France, under whose direction Adrian perfected his talent, spoke in laudatory terms of this great Saligaokar, for whom, as Shakespeare said, “Music is the food of love”.

Frank Moraes, that doyen among Indian journalists, who was for some time Editor of The Times of Ceylon, presiding at one of the well-attended public recitals, referred to the Adrian Daniel School of Violin in glowing terms and said that Adrian’s musicianship was of a high order when compared with the best he had heard in the various part of the world. Indeed, the violinist Adrian belonged to that fine brand of Goan musicians and composers for which Saligao has always been known and admired.

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