Nature is God’s gift to us that has everything needed to sustain life on earth. Our forefathers have bequeathed this earth to us to maintain it and hand it over to the next generation. We are not the owners of this earth, but its caretakers. However, overexploitation of nature by humans has steadily depleted the forest cover over the past decades. If this trend continues, one day in the near future, life on earth will be history. Ironically, there will be no humans to read it.
In order to inculcate the spirit of protecting nature and consequently our own life, the then Union Minister for Agriculture Mr. K. M. Munshi initiated vanamahothsava in 1950.
The Young Catholic Students’ Movement of Guardian Angel Church, in collaboration with Environment Commission and Social Welfare Commission organised Vanamahothsava and Environment Day on 20th August 2023 after the 7.30 a.m. mass.
A brief formal programme was organised in front of the Golden Jubilee Memorial Hall. Mr. Paul Rodrigues, Vice President of Parish Pastoral Council, elaborated on the history of Vanamahothsava as well as on the importance of protecting nature in the modern society. Rev. Fr William Menezes, Parish Priest, highlighted the give-and-take relationship between human beings and nature: he said if we take care of a plant for four years, it will take care of us for the rest of our life. As a symbolic gesture, a mango sapling was planted by the dignitaries. The members of Environment Commission distributed plants to the parishioners to encourage them to take care of them in their compound and contribute to protecting nature.
Rev. Fr William Menezes, Parish Priest; Rev. Fr Jerald Pinto, Socius; Mr. Paul Rodrigues, Vice President of PPC; Mrs. Lolina D’Souza, Secretary of PPC; Ms. Renita Menezes, Animator of YCS and Coordinator of 21 Commissions; Mrs. Anitha Almeida, Secretary of Environment Commission and Mr. Eugene Lobo, Secretary of Social Welfare Commission and Dieon Pinto, President of YCS were present on the dais.
Shalom D’Souza compèred the programme. Grashal Fernandes thanked the gathering for their presence and encouragement.
