Children & Youth Shine at Ward Meeting Parapade Upper Ward

The children and youth of Parapade Upper Ward, along with their parents, gathered at the residence of Mr. Lancy and Mrs. Laveena Sequeira on June 14th at 4:30 PM. With warm smiles and joyful hearts, they welcomed the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Joseph Martis, and sought his blessings. Mr. Lancy Sequeira then extended a warm welcome to everyone gathered for the meeting.

A beautiful and reverent moment was shared as the children and youth offered respect to the Cross with lighted candles in their hands, while the elders prayed for the blessings of the Holy Spirit upon them.

The ward meeting was conducted under the leadership of Mr. Lenn Sequeira. The Bible reading from John 6:51-58 was read with great clarity by Master Jeethan D’Souza and Ms. Joylin Miranda. Inspired by the scripture, the children selected “He who eats this bread will live forever” as their guiding Word of God, sharing their thoughtful reflections on its meaning.

Following this, the reports for the previous ward meeting and the Ward Day celebration were presented by the Ward Secretary, Mrs. Celine Correa. Upon approval from the ward members, the Gurkarn, Mrs. Clotilda, signed off on the reports, which were then signed by the Parish Priest. Demonstrating their commitment to the community, the children and youth enthusiastically decided to attend all future ward meetings and promised to join the daily evening Rosary on time. The prayer session concluded with prayers led by the children, finishing with the "Our Father."

Rev. Fr. Joseph Martis appreciated and congratulated the children for conducting the meeting with such devotion and clarity. In his message, he advised them to learn at least five languages and encouraged them to strengthen their English skills by reading newspapers daily. He also highly appreciated the ward’s recent visit to an orphanage, encouraging members to continue spending time with the less fortunate in society. He concluded by wishing all the children a bright and successful future.

As a token of gratitude, Mrs. Clotilda honored the Parish Priest with a rose, thanking him for his presence and guidance. The ward also took the opportunity to honor its young achievers: Ms. Arushi D’Silva was recognized for her excellence in Chess, and Master Shavin D’Souza was applauded for his achievements in both Drawing and Cricket.

The atmosphere turned festive as Mrs. Laveena Sequeira conducted fun games for everyone, and the Parish Priest distributed prizes and gifts as a token of love. The ward members also came together to celebrate the birthdays and wedding anniversaries falling in the months of May and June.

The meeting concluded with everyone enjoying refreshments together. The strong sense of unity among the ward members was visible throughout the entire event. Altogether, 10 children and youth and 20 elders were present for the gathering.

Report by: Remy Alvares
Pictures: Susan Alvares