the goan I network
MARGAO
The Chaplain of St Joaquim's Chapel, Borda Fr Vincent Leitao has expressed his deep pain and distress over what happened at Cristo Rei hall, Borda on last Sunday when some Parishioners of Borda and Raia gathered to protest against the project of a Kabrastan near the Catholic cemetery at Borda.
"Goa has been traditionally a land of religious harmony and peaceful co-existence amongst various communities. It is therefore highly regrettable that some members of our Christian community tried to fan the flame of religious intolerance, by vehemently opposing the Kabrastan from coming up near the cemetery. Every community should have a rightful place for the burial or cremation of their dead and this right is to be respected by all other communities," Fr Leitao said in a statement issued today.
In the statement, he decried and apologised for the offensive behavior and utterances of some of his parishioners towards Fr Maverick Fernandes at the meeting venue.
Fr Leitao has strongly appealed to his Parishioners of Borda to refrain from such unchristian attitudes and behavior and to live by the tenets of Jesus Christ, who always upheld love, peace and respect for the rights of others.
Fr Leitao's statement comes nearly a week after residents of Borda and adjoining Raia on Sunday last demanded the immediate scrapping of the kabrastan proposed at Sonsodo. They had vowed to oppose tooth and nail the kabrastan from coming up adjoining Christian cemetery.
It may be recalled that Caritas Director, Fr Maverick Fernandes, who had attend the meeting was at the receiving end from a hostile crowd who told him to leave the venue for supporting Kabrastan.
Justice
for all
Fr Leitao regretted that some members of Christian community tried to fan the flame of religious intolerance by opposing the Kabrastan
Calls for peaceful co-existence amongst various communities
Says every community should have a rightful place for the burial or cremation
