Venerable Fr Agnelo D’Souza (1869-1927), a priest son of Goa Archdiocese, a candidate for
Sainthood, whose process is going on in Rome, was born in Anjuna on January 21,
1869. Hence, Monday, January 21, 2019, will mark the one and a half centenary
of his birth.
Young Agnelo grew up with Christian virtues inculcated by his
parents and siblings, humble in his demeanour, weak in health and yet endowed
with high intelligence. His life is a model and his dedicated service has been
an inspiration to all. Fr Agnelo lived a life of detachment. Throughout his
life, in word and deed, he strived to bear witness to Christian values. Burning
in the love of Jesus from a young age, he imbibed this same love and mercy of
God in himself and enkindled it in everyone he came across.
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Ve. Agnelo was a product of the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol,
where he completed his theological studies with distinction and ‘Accessit’ in
1893. As a deacon, he joined the Society of Pilar, making his first profession
on May 22, 1898 and was ordained priest on September 24, 1898. He went wherever
he was sent to spread the fragrance of Christian truths in simple words in his
sermons. It was a difficult time, when the Government in Portugal and all its
colonies, including Goa, had fallen into the hands of Freemasons, who were
anti-clerical and anti-religious, and the Catholic faith and values were being
threatened for 93 years from 1835 to 1928, when all religious orders had been
banned.
The first 10 years of Fr Agnelo‘s priestly life were spent in
meditative silence, prayer and penance at the Pilar Monastery, in total
obedience to the will of his Superior. He often helped the Superior in teaching
the catechumens and preaching during retreats held at the Monastery, in which
priests and the conscientious lay people including judges, lawyers, civil
officers, doctors and businessmen participated. Due to the ban on religious
institutes, nowhere else were closed retreats preached in Goa, during that
period.
He made his perpetual profession in the Pilar Society on
September 8, 1908. Seeing his aptitude, the Archbishop-Patriarch of Goa then
appointed him as confessor of the Rachol Seminary students from 1908; at the
same time he worked as a pastor of souls, first in Shiroda, then in Kumta
(North Kanara, which was then part of Goa Archdiocese, now in Karwar diocese),
and later in Sanvordem.
In 1919, he was appointed resident Spiritual Director at the
same Rachol Seminary where he worked till the end of his life; there he
prepared a legion of future priests who would be great preachers and pastors of
souls. His preaching ministry continued throughout his life, covering almost
all the Churches of Goa. He preached his last nine-day Novena of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus at the Seminary Church, eulogising God’s love in the Most Holy
Eucharist.
He
fell on the pulpit with an attack of apoplexy, while preaching the last sermon
on the Vespers of the same novena. He died a few hours after his fall, at dawn
of November 20, 1927 at the age of 59. Buried in Rachol cemetery, his remains
were exhumed and transferred to Pilar Monastery on January 10, 1939. Since
then, Pilar has become a centre of pilgrimage and thousands of favours are
reported, thanks to his intercession.
