FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
Rev Dr Socorro Mendes
Words may not be enough to do justice to this great multifaceted towering personality, the Most Reverend Archbishop-Patriarch Raul Nicolau Gonsalves, the first indigenous Goan to be the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, the Patriarch of the East Indies and the Primate of the East.
A man with a vision and insight
As a young Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, he took the reins of the Archdiocese with great enthusiasm and chalked out the plan for the Archdiocese establishing centres and commissions to swiftly run the pastoral activities in the Archdiocese. A major part of the centres and commissions were founded by him and he coordinated well all the pastoral activities. Under his able leadership, the diocesan priests laid a solid foundation to primary and high schools in different parishes and even erected buildings to house the schools. He encouraged the priests to make education the hub of their activities and in fact it was so. So many of the schools and colleges run by the Diocesan Society of Education originated during his tenure.
An excellent administrator
Being a professor of mathematics, he was an adminstrator par excellance. He had a solid knowledge of all the affairs of the Archdiocese. It was during his time that the financial re-organisation of the Archdiocese was done. It was time-tested. In fact, it is one of the best and still functions without any flaws. In the whole of India, the financial re-organisation is one of the best in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. When the Archdiocese was wrestling with the Tenancy Act and when the tenants of the Archdiocese would unduly take advantage of usurping the property under the tutelage of the Tenancy Act, he had the courage to declare those tenants as “deemed owners” and refrained disposing them the said property.
A leader with the heart of a pastor
He was a formidable leader. His dealings with priests were very impartial and without any favoritism. He would never befriend any single priest on any occasion or he is never known to have a coterie. He was a just and an upright person. He would always consult his diocesan bodies as far as the pastoral activities were concerned. With his priests, he would show extra love and concern especially when they found themselves in any difficult situation. He would call them and have a one-to-one basis dialogue with them. At times, he gave an impression that he never knew his clergy, but deep down he knew them thoroughly well. This was a hallmark of his shepherding love.
A man of great faith
He steered the Archdiocese in turbulent situation, especially in the post-Liberation period and after the great Ecumenical Council Vatican II. He, through the visionary priests of the Archdiocese, brought about the desired changes and executed with great wisdom and determination the adaptations envisaged by the Council. The great challenge that he faced was in Cuncolim where he encountered a great set back regarding the renewal brought in by the Council especially because of the “Ganvkaria” and the “Casteism” that marred the image of the Church in Goa. He confronted this great turmoil with his unwavering faith. He fought tooth and nail against the great injustice and the Civil Court gave a judgment in his favour. In this situation, he stood tall.
We salute this great towering personality and pray that he may enjoy bliss in the company of Saints.
(Rev Dr Socorro Mendes is the Parish Priest of
St Anthony Church, Siolim, and former
professor of the Patriarchal Seminary, Rachol,
and a former director of the Family Service Centre, Archdiocese of Goa and Daman)
