In Goa, the buzz in November is not only for IFFI or exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier but also the novena of Venerable Fr Agnelo. November 20th is the 87th death anniversary of Venerable Father Agnelo D’Souza. The novenas are to pray for a first class miracle to declare Father Agnelo a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
People from all walks of life flock to Pilar, every Thursday of the week and from November 11-20,to seek the powerful intercession of Venerable Fr Agnelo D’Souza – popularly called Padr Agnel. During the life time of Fr Agnelo, people who met or heard him were touched by his virtues of holiness and simplicity.
How a simple and holy priest become a powerful intercessor is journey of historical dates and divine interventions. The simplicity exemplifies from the name – Agnelo which means a little lamb. Agnelo was born on the feast day of St Agnes, virgin and martyr on January 21, 1869 in Anjuna. After joining the Society of Pilar on July 17, 1897 on the feast day of Our Lady of Pilar, Fr Agnelo was already ordained a sub deacon on December 19, 1890. Fr Agnelo was ordained deacon while he was still a candidate in the Society of Pilar by Archbishop Dom Antonio Sebastiao Valente on December 18, 1897 at St Monica Convent, Old Goa.
Fr Agnelo made the first profession as a member of the society of Pilar in the presence of Mgr. Lucio Vaz, the Superior General of the Society of Pilar on May 22, 1898. It was in the ancient cathedral of old Goa that he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Dom Antonio Sebastiao Valente on September 24, 1898.
Fr Agnelo was perpetually professed as the member of the Society of Pilar on the feast day of the Nativity of Our Lady in the church of Our Lady of Pilar on September 8, 1908. Fr Agnelo served the flock as pastor and administrator in Shiroda in Goa, Kumta in Karnataka ( 8 years) and Sarvordem in Goa. He served in Rachol Seminary as a spiritual director to the seminarian for ten years till his death.
During the vespers, at the ‘Magnificant’, Fr Agnelo mounted the pulpit and began his sermon. In the pulpit, Fr Agnelo lost his balance and collapsed. The seminarians joined in a night vigil beside the semi-conscious Fr Agnelo. Fr Agnelo breathed his last at 5 am on November 20, 1927.
This was one rare occasion where people after his death started to go to his grave and pray. There are reports of favours being granted through Fr Agnelo’s intercessions. It was only on January 10, 1939, Fr Agnelo’s tomb was shifted to Pilar Monastery – the headquarters of the Pilar Society.
