The All Goa Association of Bakers (AGAB), celebrated a thanksgiving Mass on at St Sebastian Church, Aquem - Alto, Margao on the occasion of The International Bakers Day celebrations in Goa. Traditional Goan bakers and their families from all over Goa participated in the thanksgiving mass, celebrated by Fr Josly Rocha, assistant parish priest, St Sebastian Church, Aquem – Margao in the presence of Fr Agnelo Rodrigues, parish priest, St Sebastian Church. Augustine Gomes, Vice President of AGAB, coordinated the Mass along with various other bakers from Goa.
Fr Josely, in his homily, said that hands of bakers are truly blessed as they mould the dough, pray with folded hands and offer thanks to the Lord with the same hands. Augustine said, “We started celebrating the thanksgiving mass around 12 years ago and wish to carry on this tradition in the years to come to honour and give thanks for God’s profound blessings upon bakers, their families who carry forward the bakery business and all bread consumers in Goa.”
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. Fr Josely blessed the bread presented by the Goa’s bakers.
The choir for the mass was by Terezin D’Costa, while Sarita Alvares did the reading. Bond Braganza, general secretary and Agapito de Menezes, president of AGAB and members of Goa’s baker’s fraternity attended the Mass and expressed solidarity with traditional bakers in Goa.