TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Asserting that destruction of fields means destruction of human beings, the Colva Church on Monday firmly said that priests have a sacred duty to preach to the people and conscientize them on the isuse.
A day after Colva Sarpanch Snowkon Gonsalves and others pointed accusing fingers at the priests for instigating the villagers against the multi-purpose football ground proposed in the paddy fields opposite the Church, Parish Priest of the Church of Our Lady of Merces Fr Joseph Silva said the fields in question are a precious gift of God and have to be cultivated and not turned into a multipurpose ground. “This field is a water body and it is a main drainage which has potential to save the area from floods during heavy rains. Hence, these fields should not be filled up and destroyed. Destruction of these fields means destruction of human beings. There are many other serious reasons for opposing this project,” Fr Silva added.
Apparently referring to the accusation that the Church in 2005 had given the NOC for the acquisition of the fields, Fr Silva said, “In the past recent years, the understanding of ecology and environment has been growing in all of us. After a deep study based on expert and scientific findings and following the teachings of the Universal and local Church, the Priests in Colva Church are bound to preach about their great responsibility to protect the rich and unique low lying fields in front of the Church.”
On the accusations that the priests are involved in instigating the villagers against the football ground, Fr Silva said, “There’s no truth in these baseless allegations. The priests have a sacred duty to preach to the village. We are shocked that some people think that this is instigation.”
