GAURESH SATTARKAR
A profound wave of raw emotion and devas tating grief was on display as thousands of Goans from all walks of life including priests, political leaders, stu dents, and activists, gathered across two major locations – Chicalim and Quepem – to bid a tearful farewell to Fr Bolmax Fidelis Pereira, one of its most courageous sons, a man who wore his priest hood not just as a vestment, but as a shield for the vul nerable and a voice for the voiceless. Earlier in the morning, the mortal remains were placed at St Francis Xavier Church, Chicalim, where Fr Bolmax served devotedly as the Par ish Priest. At the Mass, pa rishioners, who gathered in large numbers to offer hom age, stood in disbelief around his casket. The local youth he had passionately mentored stood in silence, mourning a leader who fought alongside them for the parish’s ecology.
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Many others broke down emotionally as they remem bered the parish priest who had always remained con nected with the people par ticularly from Chicalim and other parts of the State. Elaborate arrangements were made around the church premises while, a huge pandal was erected outside the church to accom modate the large number of mourners attending the Mass. Screens were put up outside the church for the convenience of devotees who could not be accommodated inside. In the afternoon, Fr Bol max’s body was taken to his residence at Borimol in Que pem, as thousands of locals, friends and political leaders lined up to comfort his griev ing family. Later, the funeral cortège departed for a sol emn Eucharistic celebration at Holy Cross Church, Que pem, followed by burial. Several friends, well-wishers, and political leaders visit ed his house to pay tribute and offer condolences to the grieving family. “This is shocking and very sad news for Quepem and for all Goans. Fr Bolmax is no longer among us, and he was a great hope for the people of Goa because he always fought for the environment and for Goa’s issues. He stood with the Goan people till his last breath.
We pray for his soul and also for strength to his family, especially his mother during this difficult time. What Fr Bolmax taught us, and the vi sion he had regarding unity and the protection of the envi ronment, is something people will always remember,” said Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa. “Though some criticised him for his stand, he never stopped fighting for Goa and its future. The movement and awareness that Fr Bolmax started for Goa must now be tak en forward by every Goan. He was truly working tireless ly for Goa, and it is now our responsibility to continue his mission,” Altone added. “Fr Bolmax was not only a priest but also a true son of Goa, a mentor, guide, professor, and environmentalist. I think this is a huge loss in Goa’s history because he always tried to bring the youth forward and inspire them to work for so ciety and the environment. During Covid, he even showed Goans how unused land could be used for organic farming. Goans will always remember his movement and dedication towards protecting Goa’s environment. He took part in many movements and always openly expressed his thoughts be fore the people of Goa,” said Amit Patkar, GPCC President. “I feel that a person who was constantly fighting for the rights and future of Goans has now left us. This is also a personal loss for me because he was someone who guid ed us regularly. I remember when the National Education Policy was introduced and the time came for its implemen tation, Fr Bolmax would closely follow the developments every day and guide our MLAs regarding the corrections and issues that needed to be raised in the Vidhan Sabha.
When the NEET paper leak issue came to light, he was deeply upset and angry. He strongly encouraged us to raise our voice against it. This shows how concerned he always was about the youth, education, and the environment of Goa,” Patkar added. “Fr Bolmax and I were both from the same village, and we used to play together during our childhood. Even from a young age, he had great love for nature and the environ ment, and later in life he continued fighting to protect Goa’s environment. We are deeply saddened that Fr Bolmax is no longer with us. The entire Quepem and Goa are still in shock over his sudden demise. He was very intelligent in his studies and always eager to learn new things. When it came to protecting the environment, he would not even al low a small tree in his garden to be cut. That showed how deeply connected he was with nature. Fr Bolmax also al ways encouraged and supported the youth, giving them op portunities and a platform to move forward in life. He was a guide and inspiration for many young people,” said Filu D’Costa, Councillor and neighbour of Fr Bolmax. “Fr Bolmax was a very good priest, lecturer, and envi ronmentalist who was always concerned about Goa’s land, environment, and the future of the coming generations. He constantly worried about what kind of future the next gen eration would have and worked tirelessly for the protec tion of Goa and its people.
It is very sad that he passed away at such a young age. People across India knew him, and it is very difficult to find a priest like Fr Bolmax. Perhaps God loved him dearly, and that is why He called him so early. May God grant peace to his soul. Whatever Fr Bolmax has done for Goa and for Goans will always be remembered. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time,” Churchill Alemao, chief former minister. Earlier at Chicalim, South Goa MP Capt Viriato Fer nandes, Cortalim MLA Anton Vas, former Ministers Jose Philip D’Souza and Milind Naik, AICC secretary Goa desk incharge Manikrao Thakare, former MLA Francis Silveira, Chicalim sarpanch Kamla Prasad Yadav, Fr Eremito Rebello and historian Prajal Sakhardande, were among those who paid their tributes to Fr Bolmax. It may be recalled that on May 22, Fr Bolmax suffered a sudden syncopal (fainting) attack and collapsed at the Vasco Railway Station while leading a group of youth and parishioners on a weekend picnic to Collem. Emergency doctors immediately rushed him to the hos pital near Tilak Maidan, where they resuscitated him be fore shifting him to advanced care.
Admitted to the Goa Medical College (GMC) and Hospi tal in Bambolim, he showed highly promising signs of re covery by Monday evening, eating his meals and actively speaking with the medical team. At 10:30 pm on Monday night, he suffered a sudden, massive cardiac arrest. Despite receiving continuous ef forts from a dedicated medical team led by GMC Medical Superintendent Dr Rajesh Patil, he could not be revived af ter being placed on ventilator life support. Fr Bolmax breathed his last at 4:30 am on May 26.
