News & Pics: Ancy Paladka
Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai (SB)
Mumbai, Sep 2: Mira Road Konkani Welfare Association has been renamed as St Joseph's Konkani Association, Mira Road. The association, which was a private organization, will now come under St Joseph's Church, Mira Road. The induction ceremony was held during the mass on Sunday August 30.
Fr Dominic Vas, the new parish priest of Mira Road accepted and welcomed the association as a part of the church organisations. He also blessed the new office-bearers during the mass. The parish has large number of people of Mangalorean origin.
Speaking on the occasion, Fr Dominic Vas said that "Language, culture and people are three important aspects in our life. If the primary education is given in our mother tongue then it is very easy to grasp anything. It is very easy to learn any language in the world., he said.
Fr Dominic said that whatever effort we put in to learn other languages we cannot be as fluent we are in our mother tongue. It is not possible to be as perfect as British while speaking English. Even if we master English, it is a fact that a British will not accept us as Englishmen, he said adding that one needs to have an own identity for which it is of prime importance to preserve our culture, traditions and practices. If we forget our culture we lose our identity and thereby arises crisis" he said.
He also expressed his happiness that people are lot aaware of Konkani in the present day.
The members of the first committee of the newly inducted association are Fr Dominic Vas as spiritual director), John Crasta as president, Violet Mascarenhas as vice-president, Canute Menezes as secretary, Diago Rodrigues as assistant secretary, Lawrence Mathias as treasurer, Arun Noronha as assistant treasure and Joy Paladka as cultural secretary. Helda Serrao, Celine Mendonca, Paul D'Souza and Calista Cardoza have been inducted as members.
The cultural programme was also organised in the evening to mark the occasion and also to celebrate the Konkani Manyata Divas. Fr Dominic Vas presided. Norbert Mascarenhas the administrator of St Josephs School was the chief guest. John Crasta, Canute Menezes, Lawrence Mathias and Joy Paladka were also present.
The programme started with the prayer dance by Pearl DSouza. School children presented beautiful dances to the meaningful Konkani songs. Felix D'Souza and his group presented hilarious skits. Manddo was presented by Goans. There was also a Konkani drama "Problema Voir Problem" written by Claude DSouza Bendur and directed by Joy Paladka. Clement Lobo and Florine Mathias compered the programme.