PANJIM: Parishioners of Taleigao under the leadership of their parish priest Fr Conceicao D’Silva of Jesus and Mary Ministry will be organizing an all-Goa retreat for childless couples from September 21. The retreat will begin at 8 am with the Biblical Rosary by Moses Monteiro. From 8.30 am to 9.30 am, Dioguinho D’Costa will preach the word of God, followed by praise and worship from 9.30 am to 10.30 am by Mario Fernandes and his team. From 11 am to 12 noon, Fr D’Silva will lead the crowd during the Eucharistic adoration. During this time, he
will pray over childless couples and other sick people. The Eucharistic celebration will be held at 12 noon. From 7 am to 12 noon, priests will be available for confession. Buses are available from 7 am to 8 am direct from Margao (near SBI) and the Panjim bus stand to bring people to Taleigao.
Youth retreat at Pilar
PANJIM: Truth 4 Uth of Faith Works India, in collaboration with the Diocesan Youth Centre, will present ‘Holy Spirit unplugged’, a three-day youth retreat at Pilar from September 21 to 23. Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão and Bishop Alwyn Barreto along with other preachers will deliberate on the Word f God. Praise and worship will be led by Swapna Abraham from Dubai, Divine Mercy Choir, Sancho and Espy and others. Counseling by wise and caring counselors will also be available, says a press release.
Grant to known broadcaster’s widow
PANJIM: Prasar Bharti has restored the monthly grant to Mrs Emma De Mello, 95, widow of late Melville de Mello, renowned broadcaster of the All India Radio, and enhanced it from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000. Ambika Soni, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting informed about this to MP Shantaram Naik MP in a letter written by her to him recently. The Prasar Bharti has also sanctioned a special grant of financial assistance of Rs 50,000 as a special award and as a one-time measure to Mrs De Mello. In a mention during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha in May, Naik stated that Melville carried an iconic stature as a commentator and newscaster in the AIR. Melville is remembered for his moving non-stop account for seven hours from a van of All India Radio on Mahatma Gandhi’s last journey from Birla House to Rajghat in 1948. It is strange that the pension that was granted to Mrs De Mello was discontinued in March 2008.
Spanish language classes
PANJIM: Chowgule College has announced commencement of Spanish language classes at its newly established Spanish Centre which was inaugurated earlier this year. The classes will commence from the first week of October 2012. Classes will be held twice a week between 6 pm and 8 pm depending on the convenience of the students. The course includes 60 hours of learning. The course will be conducted by Spanish national Edith Montenegro, an expert in the subject. Certificates will be issued by Instituto Cervantes to candidates on completion of the course. Limited seats are available. For details, contact Spanish Centre at Chowgule College, office of Student Support Services at the earliest on 2759504 (Extension 2215) or 9422062928.
Retreats drawing big crowds
PANJIM: A series of retreats conducted to pray for seafarers (tarvottis) at the St Michael’s Church in Taleigao drew large crowds to the church. Last week the series of retreats culminated in a Eucharistic service led by Fr Feroz Fernandes, Editor of ‘Vavraddeancho Ixtt’. It was concelebrated by seven other priests including, parish priest Fr Conceicao D’Silva and his assistant Fr Francis Fernandes. Ever since Fr D’Silva took over as the parish priest at Taleigao, such retreats have become a regular feature and the same are drawing crowds from Karnataka and Maharashtra as well, says a press release issued here.
IPA convention at Ponda
PONDA: Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Community Pharmacy Division, in collaboration with IPA Goa branch, will organize a one-day national convention for practicing community and hospital pharmacists on October 28. About 450 delegates will attend the convention at PES’s Rajaram and Tarabai Bandekar College of Pharmacy, Farmagudi.“This is for the first time that a convention for practicing pharmacists is being organized in Goa,” states a press note. The aim is to bring together pharmacists and to educate/update them on various aspects of diseases/medicines. It is open to practicing pharmacists (community and hospital), pharmacy students and academicians. Detailed brochure is available on www.ipapharma.org or at Kurtarkar Medical Stores, Ponda (2312666/2315984).
Suspend ‘inefficient’ SP Allen, demands Mickky
MARGAO: In an interesting development, Nuvem MLA and Goa Vikas Party supremo Mickky Pacheco on Thursday demanded the immediate suspension of South Goa district police chief, Allen De Sa. Pacheco told Herald that the Superintendent of Police, South have failed to control matka in the district and also crack the murders and thefts in recent times. “The SP is not interested in stopping matka gambling. I have information that even matka is going on at the residence of a policemen in my constituency. The SP is aware of the situation,” he said. Pacheco said that the police under the leadership of SP Allen have failed to achieve a breakthrough in the cold blooded Seraulim double murder case. “Seraulim has reported as many as three murders in recent times, but SP Allen has no answer to the police inefficiency,” he said, and alleged that matka and dhirios are taking place right under the nose of the police force. He said that district police chief should answer why the police cannot put a total stop to matka gambling in south Goa and detect the spate of burglaries and thefts in the district.
Rs 10,000 burgled from house at New Vaddem
VASCO: Burglars broke into a house at New Vaddem in Vasco on Ganesh Chaturthi day and decamped with cash of Rs 10,000. According to Vasco police, Vinayak Sawant along with his elderly mother had left for their native place in Amona on September 19 at 8 am, on account of Ganesh Chaturthi. Sawant left his mother at their native place and returned to New Vaddem the same evening, when he found his door open and his house ransacked. Sawant said the burglars had stolen cash of Rs 10,000, but could not open the safe of the cupboard. “I had left my late wife’s gold ornaments in the cupboard and was to hand it over to my father-in-law. Lord Ganesh helped me as the burglars could not lay their hands on the gold,” said Sawant. Residents were surprised that the burglary had taken place in a thickly populated area and besides, the house is right in front of a home guard attached to Vasco police station. PSI John Fernandes of Vasco Police is investigating the case.
