The Rev. Dr. Fr. Bolmax Pereira Memorial Lecture, organised at St. Anne’s Church, Ponda, On Sunday 13th September, 2026 as part of the 8th Centenary Celebration of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi (1226–2026) and Season of Creation 2026, brought together faith, science and environmental action under the theme “Faith, Science and Action for Our Common Home.”
The programme began with a prayer for creation, followed by a welcome by Rev. Fr. Francis Rozario OFM, Parish Priest of St. Anne’s Church, and an address by Fr. Anthony Carvalho, Convener of the Diocesan Commission for Ecology (DCE). A special audiovisual tribute to Rev. Dr. Fr. Bolmax Pereira (1976–2026) highlighted various dimensions of his life, ministry and deep commitment to ecology. Fr. Anthony Carvalho and Miguel Braganza, Executive Member of the DCE, the Plant man of Goa also recalled the significant contribution made by Fr. Bolmax to the ecological movement and awareness in Goa.The lecture was well attended by parishioners, students, teachers, environmentalists and guests including Dr. Ramesh Kumar Former Chief Scientist at NIO Goa along with Several Research Scholars and Academicians from the Goa University.
The principal lecture was delivered by renowned climate scientist Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, who spoke on “Climate Change: Understanding the Challenge and What It Means for Goa.” Dr. Roxy who has received the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (National Science Award), from the President of India in 2024 and conferred a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the AGU Devendra Lal Medal for outstanding research in Earth and Space Sciences in 2022 is among the top 2% scientists ranked by Stanford University. He pointed out that Goa stands as a green refuge between a rapidly warming Arabian Sea and a Western Ghats landscape facing growing pressure. Climate change, he noted, is intensifying heat, extreme rainfall, flooding and coastal risks, while unplanned development is weakening the natural systems that provide protection to communities.
Dr. Roxy is on the Management Committee, Global Heat Health Information Network, UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and World Health Organization (WHO) emphasised that everyindividual can contribute to climate action by taking responsibility for a small stretch or sphere of the environment within one’s influence. This could be a beach, stream or neighbourhood, or one’s professional sphere as a teacher, doctor, engineer, government official, entrepreneur or artist. He stressed that while scientists can explain the risks and point towards solutions, effective implementation ultimately requires political will and responsible decision-making. Climate resilience, he cautioned, cannot be built while simultaneously destroying forests, wetlands, khazans, waterways and coastal ecosystems.
Padma Shri Norma Alvares, in her address titled “Protecting Goa: From Environmental Awareness to Community Action,” brought the discussion closer to the lived reality of Goa. She emphasised that Goa is not merely a tourist destination but a home comprising its villages, rivers, hills, forests, orchards, fields, biodiversity and cultural heritage. She called upon citizens to see themselves as stewards rather than owners of creation, with a responsibility to hand over Goa to future generations in as good, or better, condition. The programme also featured a conversation on “From Knowledge to Action”, followed by an audience interaction. The speakers encouraged citizens, communities and institutions to move beyond awareness and undertake practical measures to protect Goa’s natural resources.
A significant feature of the evening was the “One Person, One Action, One Year” Legacy Commitment, inviting participants to identify one concrete ecological action they would undertake or promote over the coming year. The programme concluded with the felicitation of the speakers and a vote of thanks by Miguel Braganza, Executive Member of the DCE. The Memorial Lecture served not only as a tribute to the memory of Fr. Bolmax Pereira, but also as a call to continue his ecological vision. The evening left the gathering with a clear messagethat faith gives us the reason, science helps us understand and action gives our faith a witness. The organisers expressed the hope that the Memorial Lecture will become a continuing platform for dialogue and action on climate change, ecology and the protection of Goa’s Common Home, ensuring that the legacy of Fr. Bolmax continues to inspire future generations.
