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From the JOSEPH NAIK VAZ INSTITUTE: Preparations are underway to commemorate the 292nd death anniversary of Blessed Vaz on January 16, 2003 with renewed calls for the Vatican to canonize this deserving Goan saint. In a press release issued on the eve of his death anniversary, the JOSEPH NAIK VAZ INSTITUTE urged the Vatican to include more people of color among saints and among the top positions in the Vatican and not favor only Europeans and Westerners, as has historically been the case. The Institute also urged Goan priests, nuns, and laity to do much more to promote their own people and other people of color. On January 16, 2000, Blessed Joseph Vaz was made the Patron Saint of Goa (formerly St. Catherine was the Patron Saint and not other saints as was widely believed). Visit www.josephnaiknaz.org.

Goa Sudharop Award winner and Advisory Board member, Rene Baretto rbarreto@ntlworld.com, has embarked on a new venture to promote Konkani by starting the World Konkani Forum group. Membership is open to anyone interested in promoting the language. To learn more about the Konkani Forum group, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/konkaniforum. To start sending messages to members of this group, simply send email to konkaniforum@yahoogroups.com or contact rbarreto@ntlworld.com