The Our Lady Mother of the Poor Church in Tilamol, in collaboration with the Diocesan Commission for Ecology, celebrated the Season of Creation on 5th October with great fervour and devotion. The event, themed “Peace with Creation,” saw active participation from the local community and highlighted the importance of ecological conservation.
Fr. Aldrin D’Costa, Parish Priest, welcomed the gathering, while Fr. Bolmax, Convenor of DCE coordinated the event and expressed gratitude to the parishioners for their efforts. The program commenced with the lighting of lamps, followed by the serving of traditional Goan delicacies, including Sooj, as a welcome dessert.
The event showcased the rich cultural heritage of the region, with performances highlighting tribal culture and talents. The students of Our Lady, Mother of Poor School presented a mine on save trees theme. Fr. Aidan Manuel Fernandes and Fr. Denrish Clyde D’Costa, Assistant Parish Priests, provided their support and efforts throughout the event.
The parish youth put an extraordinary exhibition featuring extinct traditional farming tools and equipment, tribal costumes, toddy tapper and carpenter tools, traditional local medicine, poems, and artwork created by villagers was also displayed.
Bishop Simião Purificação Fernandes led the Eucharist celebration, emphasizing the significance of caring for creation. The event also included awards for winners of various at parish and deanery level. Competitions such as video making and poetry competition and special felicitations to traditional craftsmen and farmers.
A presentation on “Bolaikecho Gotto” (health grain) highlighted the importance of traditional grains in agriculture and health. Bishop Fernandes inaugurated the 2026 calendar, focusing on ecological information specific to Goa, and released an ecological rosary developed by the Diocesan Commission for Ecology (DCE).
*Bites*
The celebration concluded with a renewed commitment to environmental stewardship and peace with creation.
This year as the Season of Creation was celebrated in our parish, it was a awakening call to save our Mother Earth. God has created the earth and made us as the steward of the earth, it is our duty to keep it save and to care for it. As our late Pope says “Creation is God’s gift, let us be its stewards and not predators”. So let us come together to care for our Mother Earth. (Fr. Aldrin D’costa Parish priest of Our Lady Mother of Poor Church, Tilamol)
It was a day of immense importance and significance, and I feel privileged to have been a part of this event. The villagers wholeheartedly contributed their skills, making it a resounding success. We will continue to carry forward the message of living in harmony with nature through sustainability.
(Angelo D’Souza, Parishioner of Our Lady Mother of the Poor Church, Tilamol)
Promoting peace with creation and environmental stewardship through community participation, cultural performances, and conservation awareness.”
Kudos to the organizers for making the event truly eco-friendly! Serving soji in coconut shells was a thoughtful touch, perfectly capturing the spirit of peace with creation and environmental stewardship.
(Mabel Menezes DCE member)
Season of Creation 2025 with a Theme Peace with Creation provided us an opportunity to reflect prayerfully on ecological resources as well as environmental crises. The parishioners of previous SoC parishes too participated in prayer campaign. We hope the call to ecological conversion is taken seriously as we celebrate a decade of Laudato Si
Fr Bolmax Pereira,
DCE convenor
