MARGAO: In a heart-warming initiative, several children, along with parishioners of Our Lady of Monsereta Chapel in Manora-Raia, gathered to witness and participate in planting paddy seedling in the fields.
The atmosphere was filled with excitement and joy as the community came together to contribute to the local agriculture. Each child eagerly took part, learning the importance of farming and environmental stewardship firsthand.
The parishioners, guided by a sense of unity and purpose, worked alongside the children, nurturing a sense of responsibility towards the land and its resources.
On Sunday, nearly a hundred parishioners gathered to witness the above activities, where the field was adorned with colourful balloons to mark the celebration. Excitement filled the air as children and adults alike joined in planting paddy adding a festive touch to the agricultural endeavour.
This initiative aimed to breathe new life into an abandoned paddy fields that lay dormant for nearly four decades, sparking renewed enthusiasm among the parishioners.
Chaplain Fr Cristo Pinto’s leadership and vision galvanized the community into action, igniting a sense of purpose and determination. The land cultivated on Sunday was once-neglected and had long been believed by parishioners to be cursed. Despite these lingering beliefs, the initiative to revive the land sparked hope and determination among the community.
However, on Sunday, even the children, besides attending catechism classes, enthusiastically joined the elders in stepping into the field to plant paddy saplings. It was a hands-on learning experience where the younger generation eagerly absorbed traditional agricultural practices from their elders.
Speaking to O Heraldo, Fr Cristo Pinto revealed that the agricultural land had been abandoned for more than four decades.
“My intention was to revive agricultural activities here,” Fr Cristo Pinto stated. “After the Eucharistic celebration, I gathered all the children into the field so that they could learn and carry forward farming activities in their lives in the near future,” said Fr Pinto.
He emphasized that it is now the responsibility of the youth and children to learn about agricultural activities before the knowledge
is lost.
Seminarian Lawrence Vaz, who actively took part in the event, described it as a perfect example of returning back to agriculture.
“There is vast barren land in Goa that we need to bring into cultivation. This land is more precious to us than gold and must be protected at any cost,” he stated.
Cosia Oliveira, a catechist and youth from Manora, expressed gratitude to Fr Pinto for his encouragement towards agricultural activities.
“As stated by the Pope Francis, this land is our heritage and all of us need to protect it,” she stated. “It is highly commendable that all parishioners who participated have cooperated with the initiative taken by Fr Pinto,” she stated.
