Indian Parish Revives Traditional Games to Unite Youth

When mobile phones and online games started replacing traditional playground activities in Goa, India, one parish decided to fight back with fun.

Tilamola Parish launched FREEDOM 4.0 on August 15, combining India's Independence Day with a celebration designed to pull young people away from screens and into their community. The event brought parishioners together for traditional Goan games like Logorio, Godd'ddeamni, and Talleamni, along with cooking, singing, and cultural activities.

The initiative started in 2023 after parish leaders noticed a troubling trend. Traditional neighborhood gatherings called somudai were fading as busy lifestyles and digital entertainment took over. Father Aldrin D'Costa, the parish priest, teamed up with youth animator Father Aidan Manuel Fernandes to create an event that would reverse this isolation.

The strategy worked brilliantly. Older parishioners teach younger generations the rules of games they played as children, creating natural bridges between age groups. Physical activity replaces screen time, and face-to-face connections flourish.

Auxiliary Bishop Simião Fernandes attended this year's celebration and challenged the youth directly. "You are our future. The future of the Church depends on you," he told them, urging active participation in preserving community unity.

The bishop's message went beyond religious life. As India celebrated independence, he encouraged participants to free themselves from hatred, jealousy, anger, and dishonesty, attitudes that divide communities rather than unite them.

The Ripple Effect

The impact reaches far beyond game day. Fatima Nogueira, a parishioner, says the event has strengthened community bonds and increased participation in other parish activities throughout the year. The revival of traditional games created lasting opportunities for people to spend time together.

Stanley Oliveira noticed young parishioners discovering games that earlier generations loved. "Over the past four years, parishioners have developed renewed interest in playing them with the same enthusiasm with which earlier generations did," he said.

Jenice Fernandes, coordinator of the parish youth group, sees FREEDOM as a unifying force. The event brings different parish wards together through friendly competition, fostering teamwork and friendship that extends beyond the annual celebration.

Father D'Costa expressed satisfaction with growing participation each year. "We may have many wards, but we are one parish," he explained. At this year's event, Gonvoll Ward took home the championship trophy after competitions that drew the largest crowd yet.

The parish plans to continue FREEDOM annually, combining faith, Goan heritage, and community life while giving young people visible leadership roles in building unity that crosses generational lines.