Answers please?
The Goan Everyday published the Church statement on the Vanxim land issue as well an article by a reader about it. The church has to answer first and foremost whether she is the owner or caretaker of the property “Vanxim” of Santa Monica fund of Archdiocese of Goa as it is designated today. Was the property Capao/Vanxim purchased by or gifted to Santa Monica Convent? Has the Church acquired right to sell gifted property when the Donee institution of Santa Monica Convent still in operation? The Church of Goa claimed that it had met the requirements of the Civil and Canon law but what about the moral obligation?
The gospel of Jesus has been socialist in core. The Constitution of India is socialist and the Goa Agricultural Tenancy Legislation is to promote the agrarian reforms and implement socialist pattern of the Indian Constitution. The Church of Goa denied the tenancy right to the lawful cultivators of the tenanted land and with all its moral conscience executed the alleged transfer deed for the higher price and justified its action to convey the gifted Vanxim land to a private individual to be used by a corporate body for a purpose, different from agriculture by even swearing false affidavit as it was done in case of the property of “Sorto Major” at Caranzalem?
The Church resorted to the Canon law to cover its sinful act. Had the church disclosed to Rome that it is conveying the gifted tenanted land to used for hotel industry against which Church of Goa often raised its voice and action?
Has the church of Goa raised its voice and action to restore the agricultural use of land which were destroyed by the rulers due to vested motives to use such Khazan land not only for fish culture but also for the residential, commercial and industrial purposes? Has the Church right to sell the gifted land when biblically it has been well-settled and Pope Francis strongly opposed the idea of Sale of land in his recent “Laudato si”?
The Church of Goa having pioneered to maintain Goan ethos as well as to protect our land and its agricultural use has it not bounded duty to preserve the nature of land under its domain unless it was for a public use? The Church of Goa always comes with a begging bowl whenever it has development to be carried out, however, it does not disclose or invite the faithful to offer their price when it secretly does away the perennial assets of the church – who is mischievous and malicious?
Fr. Micael A Fernandes, Vasco
Where is everyone?
The Colva Panchayat is perhaps one of the few panchayats which has not bothered to hold a Gram Sabha or a meeting with regards to the critical RP 2021. They plan to hold a meeting after the government deadline, for accepting RP2021 points from the public. What deceitful game is this being played here? Why is the Benaulim MLA silent on the issue and has not taken any initiative on this critical plan? I appreciate the people who took a stand and attended the RP Colva meet on January 3. But where are the rest overwhelming majority of Colvenkars? Can we force our Panchayat Members to work for Colva?
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
