Xit-Koddi - Dec 2013

Another Christmas, another year and Xit-Koddi......

Another Christmas is around the corner. Another year is coming to an end. In a rapidly changing media world, we are honored to have remained with our community of Bahrain Goans, for yet another year.

Through this humble Xit-Koddi, we have been able to share news and information, and raise issues and initiate discussion on matters concerning our community. Throughout the year, we provided material to our readers to make them laugh, or simply made them scratch their heads. We hope our readers found here reliable and respectable information. Our efforts to keep the opinion of our community on face book have at times been a place of personal charges with individuals attacked. We value civil discourse, and we know you do, too. However, at times your opinions help us to look at the subject from different angles and explore ideas we would have not considered. That's a gift to us from our readers. Thanks to all our readers.

Christmas times is a time for greetings. We wish all our readers the special joys of the season and a Happy New Year 2014.

= GR Crasto  

Feast of St. Francis Xavier: The Konkani Community of The Sacred Heart Church, Bahrain celebrated the feast of Saint Francis Xavier (SFX), with a Concelebrated High Mass on December 3. Rev. Fr. Seville Antao was the main celebrant. He is the Spiritual Assistant at Padre Pio Friary in Navelim Goa and a Vocational Promoter of Capuchins in Goa. He was specially flown in to conduct the 9-day Novena and celebrate the Feast of SFX. The services in Konkani were attended in large numbers by Goans and devotees of SFX. Snacks and refreshments were served on the feast day.

Young Goans Club Annual Day: The Young Goans Club (YGC) celebrated its 60th Annual Day with a get-together at the Sea Shell Hotel in Adliya on December 5. The celebrations every year coincide with the festivities of its patron, St. Francis Xavier. Fr. Anthony De Mello, assistant parish priest of Sacred Heart Church and visiting priest from Goa Fr. Seville Antao, graced the occasion and joined the committee in cutting the 60th anniversary cake of the club. (seen in the picture above) The President, Francis Correia, welcomed the gathering and both the priests also spoke on the occasion. The evening also featured the arrival of Santa Claus with Christmas gifts for members’ children. DJ Habebees were in attendance. A membership draw was also held and lucky members were presented with gifts.

Goans New Year Ball: Momentum is building for the highly anticipated Young Goans Club New Year's Eve Ball to be held on December 31. The Youth Wing of the club is organizing this dine and dance event at Al Manzil Suites commencing from 8.30 p.m. This is an evening for members and their guests to bid farewell to 2013 and welcome the New Year 2014 in style. The event is to be held on the 14th floor of the Al Manzil Suites, enabling one to enjoy a stunning panoramic view of Bahrain's skyline while dancing the night away with DJ Bazel in attendance. There will be a special Novelty Dance to start an evening, laden with surprises. Contact Savio on 39587936, Francis on 39659539, Hedwig on 39468064 or Chris on 39881984.

Pio Fernandes (Bahrain): Xit-Koddi was a little bitter this time as its editorial emphasized how the name of the Goan community is tarnished due to the bickering attitude of some. By the way, I saw mostly Goans, who are either members or committee members, doing most of the voluntary work during the Novenas, then it is not clear why the bishop wanted to keep out the name of the YGC. Where were the other members of the Konkani community ? Undrachea ragan ghorak zo uzo pettoila to Goemkaramchem nanvuch lasun galtolo anik hem chodd vaitt.

Domnic Savio Viegas (Bahrain): The Lord will always enlighten the hearts and minds of all. This year St. Francis Xavier interceded with God to fulfill the dreams of those Goans who wanted to put an end to the old tradition which was started by our ex-senior members of the Goan community of which my late father and late uncles were part. Please pray for these Goans so that they do not carry on their ill intentions elsewhere. Let us keep smiling …

New Terminal At Goa Airport: A New Integrated Terminal Building at Dabolim Airport was inaugurated by Minister of Civil Aviation, Ajit Singh, on December 3. The terminal building is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities like passenger boarding bridges, CUTE enabled check-in counters, an online compatible baggage handling system, a software-based building management system, elevators and escalators. The terminal building can handle 2750 peak hour passengers at a time. It is expected to be fully operational by January 2014. Addressing newsmen on the sidelines of a review meeting at the new terminal, Goa CM Manohar Parrikar reiterated that under no circumstances would the Dabolim civilian Airport be shut and the same would continue even after the proposed MOPA airport becomes a reality.