St. Sebastian Church

More than a century ago, in the small Portuguese village of Fatima, three shepherd children; Lucia dos Santos with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto experienced events that would touch millions of lives. From May to October 1917, Our Lady appeared to them with a message that remains relevant even today. Pray, repent, make sacrifices for peace.

The story begins in 1916, when the children experienced apparitions of the Angel of Peace, preparing them for what was to come.

On 13 May 1917, Our Lady appeared to the children at Cova da Iria and asked them to return on the 13th of each month for six months. She urged them to pray the Rosary every day for peace.

 In today’s fast paced world, it is easier to be occupied or at least pretend to be occupied with no time to spare. So busy, that we have no time to recite the Rosary. October is the month traditionally dedicated to the Holy Rosary. Pope Leo XIII, advocated the devotion in the late 19th century. Although the origin of October, as the month dedicated to Mary is unclear, most attribute it to Fatima and the Battle of Lepanto. Whatever be the origin, the role of Mother Mary in salvation history can never be emphasized enough.

This October let us try to retrace our steps back in time when Mary had stood at the foot of the Cross. Our Lord is close to all who call on Him, especially through the intercession of our Blessed Mother. He never refuses Her. Even when His time had not yet come, at our Blessed Mother’s behest, He performed His first miracle at Canna and saved the honor of a family in anguish.  History has documented evidences that Mother Mary has always shown up and pleaded for us in front of the throne of God, Her Son never refuses Her. Apostle St James called on Mother Mary when he felt that he was failing in his mission of spreading the Good News in the Iberian Peninsula. Our Lady who was still living at that time in Jerusalem appeared to him and reassured him that the region would be responsible for spreading Catholicism to the world. This apparition went on to be known as ‘Our Lady of Pillar’. Mother Mary instructed St James to build a chapel on the exact site and promised that the sanctuary would remain until the end of times. Before returning, she left behind the “jasper pillar” and the wooden image which are traditionally housed today inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain. This is the oldest know apparition of Our Blessed Mother while she was still alive.

Feast Day :15th October

St. Teresa of Avila, also called St. Teresa of Jesus.  She is known as a 16th century Spanish mystic, a reformer of the Carmelite Order, and the first female doctor of the Church. Feast Day is October 15. Jesus spoke to St. Teresa of Avila in several famous mystical visions, sharing messages of deep love, gentle correction, and divine friendship.

Teresa of Avila was born into the Spanish Empire on March 28, in 1515. She lived in an age of exploration as well as political, social, and religious upheaval. It was a time of turmoil and reform. She grew up with strict parents who were pious. When Teresa was eleven years old, her mother died, leaving her grief-stricken. This prompted her to embrace a deeper devotion to the Virgin Mary as her spiritual mother.

A century ago, in 1926, Pope Pius XI established World Mission Sunday to awaken the Universal Church to its foundational vocation. Rooted in the great commission of the Gospel of Mathew 28:19-20, World Mission Sunday embodies Christ’s command to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” It calls the Universal Church to proclaim the Gospel actively through Baptism, teaching His Commandments and extending spiritual and material support to young faith communities worldwide. This Missionary Mandate is sustained by Jesus’ assurance to remain present with His disciples always until the end of the age. Celebrating its centenary on October 18, 2026, this historic milestone invites believers to embrace the theme, “In the one Christ, we are One.” Over the past one hundred years, the Church’s Missionary Mandate has continually unfolded not as an external task, but as the heartbeat of Christian discipleship.

Some saints are remembered for the words they preached; others for the lives they lived. St. John Paul II is remembered for both. His was a voice that reached across nations, generations and cultures—a voice calling the world back to Christ with courage and hope. His unforgettable invitation, “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ,” was more than a message to the crowds gathered before him. It was the very spirit of his life.

Behind that courageous voice, however, was a man who knew sorrow, suffering and loss. Born Karol Józef Wojtyła on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, he lost his mother, brother and father while still young. His homeland also endured the horrors of the Second World War and Nazi occupation. Yet these painful experiences did not weaken his faith. Instead, they deepened his trust in God and helped form the compassionate shepherd he would later become.

Once, a priest said something that stayed with me: “The greatest thing we can do in life is to remain connected to Jesus. When we abide in Him, He gives meaning to everything we do.” Those words made me reflect deeply on the lives of St. Simon the Zealot and St. Jude Thaddeus. They were ordinary men whom Jesus called to become His Apostles, and their relationship with Christ became the foundation of their mission. Although Scripture provides limited information about their personal lives, their witness speaks powerfully about faith, courage, perseverance and hope.

From door to door, the timeless legacy of the Our Lady visits still breathes life into Goan households today. In Aquem, the warmth of hymns, litanies and prayers spreads from one house to another, beginning from the month of October. Although time has changed and reshaped this practice making it look a little different from the past, this tradition holds a special place in the hearts of all Catholics. To understand how the devotion stands strong through time, residents of Aquem from three different generations were asked about their feelings and views towards this tradition.

An invitation to encounter Christ through the Gospels

In a world filled with entertainment on our Mobile phones, associated with Facebook, Instagram etc., wherein we often spend hours on content, I invite you to experience something that can bring us closer to God. The Chosen, a multi-season television series based on the life of Jesus Christ, offers a beautiful opportunity to rediscover our Lord Jesus and the people who encountered Him.

Created by Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen presents the story of Jesus largely through the eyes of those who knew Him—His disciples, Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and many others. It brings the world of the Gospels to life and helps us imagine the people, places, struggles and emotions behind the familiar Gospel passages.  

I write this to my brothers and sisters who are retired from their busy schedules and are now at home feeling lonely, lost, depressed and desperate. Add to this the body that is getting weak and slow with aches and pains and the numerous lifestyle diseases of modern times. I know the feeling. The questions that pops up in our mind are: Why has God forgotten us? Why does God make us suffer so much? Why does He not take us away?

STOP   PONDER:   God loves each one of us. He says “I have carved you on the palm of my hand I AM WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF YOUR WAY”. He is by our side every second. He has kept us in this world because He has a mission for each one of us. Jesus suffered on the cross to save us from sin. Today He wants you to offer your suffering, pain and other emotions to purify yourselves and the world.

Understanding the current rise, prevention and when to seek medical care

Goa has recently seen an increase in respiratory illnesses, with more people—particularly children—presenting with fever, cough, sore throat, cold symptoms and body aches. The Directorate of Health Services has reported a rise in influenza-positive cases, from 6 cases in June to 44 in July and more than 70 by August. Health authorities have advised the public to remain vigilant, while reassuring people that there is no need for panic.

For most healthy individuals, these infections are self-limiting. However, because several viruses can cause very similar symptoms, it is not always possible to identify the exact cause simply by looking at the symptoms.