Priests, seminarians and lay people join hands to cultivate paddy fields at Rachol Seminary
MARGAO
Priests, seminarians and the lay people joined hands at the Rachol Seminary on Saturday to maintain a rich tradition of cultivating the sprawling paddy fields, even as Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao underscored the need to protect and preserve nature as one’s second home.
After blessing the paddy cultivation exercise and all those involved in the activity, the Archbishop reminded that the ancestors had protected nature and the environment as part of the rich tradition, but lamented that this tradition has been given up to a great extent in the name of development.
“Our ancestors had protected nature and the environment by cultivating the fields. We had this beautiful culture and tradition, which we need to carry forward, but somehow we have given up this responsibility in the name of development,” the Archbishop stated.
He added: “Pope Francis has reminded us that nature is the greatest gift from God and is like our second home. We have to protect nature and use it for the benefit of humanity with responsibility and not for our destruction.”
Expressing his gratitude to the volunteers from the villages of Nuvem, Raia, Rachol, Shiroda, Fatorda, Agalli, besides youngsters from Arossim, for having volunteered in the sowing operations, the Archbishop said “you come here every year and lend your helping hands, but shower your love. God bless you and your families”.
Rector, Rachol Seminary, Fr Alexio Menezes thanked the people from Borda, Agalli, Rachol, Rachol, Shiroda, besides the youngsters from Arossim, who have come with Fr Haster to participate in the sowing activity.
Expressing happiness over the participation of volunteers in the paddy sowing activity at the seminary, Fr Jollison Fernandes said, “Nature is a second home and we have to protect it and take it forward with responsibility.”
To a question, Fr Jollison said that the paddy yield helps to meet the requirements of the seminary. “After the harvest, we grow a variety of vegetables in the fields, which again help to meet our vegetable requirements,” he added.
