By Tennyson Xavier Fernandes
Today, on the occasion of the bicentenary birthday celebration of St. Don Bosco, I am happy to write a few lines of gratitude about a Salesian priest who was always the face of Don Bosco to me. Meeting him was like meeting St. Don Bosco at Don Bosco’s Panjim. When, I was seven years old, my parents got me admitted in class two at Don Bosco High School, Panjim. At Don Bosco’s Panjim, my school calendar was always full of application to studies remarks given by my teachers. I would get scared whenever a teacher would enter my classroom. Since, I failed in English for the preliminary examination in standard tenth, I was sent out of the classroom by my teacher along with my friend Saji John. I and my friend Saji went and sat in the oratory compound of our school. We saw an old and fat Italian priest Fr. Peter Gatti who was teaching English for the best division of class tenth in our school, limping towards the Don Bosco Past Pupils Hostel. He smiled at us, caught our hands gently and took us to his room. Once we reached his room, he smiled and said to us, “Sons, I left my home at the age of 17 years to be an ambassador of love. I gave up my Italian citizenship with a lot of pain only to dedicate all my life to be the face of St. Don Bosco in India. From that day, Fr. Peter Gatti started training me daily for life. I was instantly attracted to his style of teaching and I immediately decided to be a teacher like him one day. Fr. Peter Gatti trained me till my post graduation. Due to Fr. Peter Gatti’s extensive training, I was able to win the title of the best public speaker of S.S.Dempo College of Commerce and Economics, Panjim for three consecutive years. Representing the post graduate department of the Goa University, I also won the all Goa inter collegiate Orator of Goa contest organized by the Lions club. Fr. Peter Gatti also encouraged me and helped me to develop the art of writing English poetry during my college days. He also guided me in my spiritual growth and development. Once, I was eagerly waiting for the return of Fr. Peter Gatti from Italy, as I got an opportunity to work at Fr. Agnel Higher Secondary School, Pilar as a part time teacher for Secretarial Practice and Accountancy. But my favourite teacher Fr. Peter Gatti passed away peacefully in Italy before he could return to India. A few years later, I got the wonderful opportunity to work as a Grade I teacher for Accountancy and Secretarial Practice at Rosary Higher Secondary Navelim. At Rosary’s Navelim, I started training the students in public speaking and theater and drama. We secured the 2nd prize at the All Goa Inter Higher Secondary one act play competition organized at Guardian Angel’s Savordem. My pupil whom I trained in public speaking, Maria Ramona Almeida secured the first place at many elocution competitions. This was only possible as I was trained by the best teacher, the face of Don Bosco, Fr. Peter Gatti. St. Don Bosco said, “Education is a matter of the heart”. Fr. Peter Gatti always trained his pupils from the heart to make them great citizens of India. A few years later, it was a golden opportunity to teach English and Communication and Management at the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition.
Today, when I train my children Coleridge, Christabel and Devine and help them to prepare for life, I remember the gigantic difference in my life made by the face of Don Bosco, Fr. Peter Gatti. While studying at Don Bosco High School Panjim, I always wanted to participate in the inter house elocution competitions but never got a chance. However, I was happy when my school mate and the principal of Don Bosco Panjim, Rev. Fr. Avin Carvalho complimented me by saying, “Tennyson has been the star of our show” for compering the Don Bosco Panjim P.T.A. annual general meetings fantastically. I was happy as it was a compliment not for me, but for the face of Don Bosco, Fr. Peter Gatti. Last year Rev. Fr. Neville Gracias shortlisted me to play the lead role of St. Ignatius de Loyola in his Konkani tiatr, “Dhorm Porgottnar Zha” based on mission and life of St. Francis Xaiver. After every performance, when my audiences complimented me for a great performance, I looked up to the sky and said, “Thank you Fr. Peter Gatti”. To me, Fr. Peter Gatti was a father, friend, teacher, guide, counsellor, promoter, inspirer, educationist dreamer, priest and a great saint like Don Bosco. I am sure today on his 200th birthday, St. Don Bosco will be proud to have Fr. Peter Gatti with him in thy Heavenly Kingdom.
(The writer of this article is a past pupil of Don Bosco High School, Panjim 1986 batch)