The All Goa Association of Bakers (AGAB), celebrated their traditional annual thanksgiving mass on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at St Sebastian Church, Aquem – Alto, Margao, on the occasion of ‘’The International Bakers Day’ celebrations in Goa.
Since the past few years, the AGAB has been celebrating their annual thanksgiving mass in our parish.
In his message Fr Agnelo Rodrigues, Parish Priest, St Sebastian Church, said that it was a happy occasion that our brothers in the bakers trade celebrate their annual thanksgiving mass at St Sebastian Church in a very special way and offer their gratitude and thanks to the Almighty for the many blessings received in their lives and profession throughout the year.
“I pray to God to bless and uplift their hard work and business and for it to grow and progress ahead as per God’s will, as it is not just their valuable profession but a means to earn their livelihood and support families. May the AGAB continue to grow in unity and help each other so that the culture, tradition and heritage of Goa’s bakers may be taken forward and to greater heights with love, enthusiasm and joy”, said Fr Agnelo.
Traditional Goan bakers and their families from all over Goa participated in the thanksgiving mass, celebrated by Rev Fr Josly Rocha – our Assistant Parish Priest.
While recognising and acknowledging the hard work of Goa’s bakers, Fr Josely, in his homily, said that the hands of bakers are truly blessed as they mould dough for the bread with their hands every day, pray and offer their thanksgiving to the Lord with the same folded hands.
“The hands of bakers are beautiful as they lift their humble prayers to the Lord and also produce bread with the same hands, even in the current age of machines, the hands of bakers produce bread not just for themselves and their families but for everyone of us, thereby earning their livelihood, hence the hands of our bakers are both humble and divine”, explained Fr Josely.
“Every bread they produce and we consume is made with union with the Lord”, Fr Josely added.
Augustine Gomes, Vice President of AGAB, coordinated the mass along with various other bakers from Goa.
“We Goa’s traditional bakers under AGAB are very happy to organise our traditional annual mass at St Sebastian Church at Aquem in Margao”, said Augustine who resides and runs his bakery business in our parish, adding, “We started celebrating the thanksgiving mass around 12 years ago and wish to carry on this tradition in future to honour and give thanks for God’s profound blessings upon bakers, their families and all who carry on the bakery business in Goa including our daily bread consumers.,”.
While acknowledging and thanking all bakers who have passed away carrying forward the traditional Goan bakery trade and have successfully handed over the legacy to the existing bakers and their children and vouching to carry on the bakery business with the same traditional means and methods like our ancestors, Augustine said, “Bread is the most important and emergency food item which every human needs every morning which brings nourishment to the body. If your day does not begin with bread, one gets a feeling, during the entire day, that they missed something”.
“In Goa’s culture, tradition and heritage, bread is the most important food item. In daily life Goa’s functions, feasts, occasions, events, celebrations, hotels, restaurants and eateries are not complete without bread in it,” he said.
While raising concerns about the longevity of Goa’s bread and the challenges involved in its production and marketing, Augustine felt that government has to step in to help bakers if the traditional bread production as per quality standards has to continue in our state and Goa’s youth have to undertake it as a profitable career option and profession.
Before the mass, several types of bread like katre pao, undo, baegal (kankonn) and regular pao and poie of various shapes and sizes were displayed and later offered during the mass offertory.
Before the mass began, Fr Josely blessed the bread presented by Goa’s bakers in the presence of families and well wishers of AGAB.
The choir for the mass was sung by Terezin D’Costa and members, while Sarita Alvares did the reading.
Mr Bond Braganza, General Secretary and Mr Agapito de Menezes, President of AGAB and members of Goa’s baker fraternity attended the mass and expressed their support, solidarity and blessings for Goa’s traditional bakers who carry on the legacy of Goa’s traditional baker’s trade.
By Cedric da Costa
