Mystics are men and women who experience, albeit only in moments of spiritual ecstasy, a foretaste of divine love to which all of us as Christians ought to aspire – if not in this world then surely in the next. One contemporary Catholic theologian calls them “icons of agapic love.” To most of the contemporary scholars, a mystic is the paradigmatic religious figure, the one who recognises that reality remains incomplete until it becomes reunited with its source.
Venerable Agnelo too was a mystic in his own little way, he always lived as a ‘friend of Jesus’ intimate lover of God. Fr Alyosius Rego in his book “Secrets to share”, states that if Fr Agnelo was not found in his room, he would usually be found in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, at the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol. Mystics spend hours in contemplation. Nothing gives them more joy than to lay at the feet of their master and Lord. The more time he spends with the Lord, the more he grew in his compassion and generous love towards the poor and the needy. This was particularly evident in the hours he spent in the confessional.
It would appear, then, that what distinguishes mystics from the other saints is not so much the heroicity of their virtue, but their deep personal experience of God. It would transform them. This was the fruit of God’s grace within them. In the life of Venerable Agnelo there is nothing very adventurous or spectacular, but if one follows the story of his soul, his hidden and silent life, one will inevitably find that his ascetic life ended in a deep mystical union or communion with the Divine. That is why he is mostly known as the silent saint and very true to his name Agnelo, which is derived from Latin agnus, a lamb. This is what inspired Fr Sergio Mascarenhas to write a book in Konkani on the life of Venerable Agnelo titled “Xant ani bollvont”. In this book Fr Sergio delineates the character of Fr Agnelo as mild and peaceful. The peace within him, was indeed godly. His union with God enabled him to be a living witness of Jesus, the way, truth and life (Jn 14:6).
Although mystical union is spiritual and interior, some mystics also experience concomitant psychosomatic effects, what experts call “secondary mystical phenomena.” Among most common of these phenomena are ecstasies and visions, revelations and prophecies and stigmata and other wounds of Christ’s passion, the ability to read the hearts and secret sins of others, levitation or bilocation. Some can even forgo food for months or even years without damage to the body or the mind. Needless to say, it is this dimension of the mystical life which mostly attracts popular attention; it is also the dimension which most vexes the saint-makers. Fr Sergio in his book “The True Man of God” writes that, being a mystic Veneral Agnelo could touch the most hardened hearts, both in his preaching and at confession. He had the gift of moving, convincing and converting. Fr Sergio refers to Fr. Antonio Pereira, sj, that he saw Fr Agnelo in the air twice. Fr Pereira was then a seminarian and in the third year of theology and was going to Fr Agnelo for Spiritual Direction, when he saw his Director in the air. He also confirmed that some other seminarians too had seen the same.
Mention must be made of the prophetic words of Venerable Agnelo, spoken to the Society’s Superior Fr Remedios R. Gomes. The latter went to Fr Agnelo and apprised him of the crises in the Society – No new members were joining it. Always with union with God Fr Agnelo is said to have given new hope to Fr Gomes. “The society will not die”, he said, “the finger of God is here”. These prophetic words were realised when his remains were transferred from the Rachol Cemetery to Pilar Monastery on January 10, 1939. Providentially in the same year on July 2, the Society of the Missionaries of St Francis Xavier saw a new era dawning on it, when six priests members and two lay-brothers joined it and reorganised it.
Mystics union with the Lord at times is so profound that many unusual things happen. But just as every saint is not a mystic, so also every mystic need not be a saint. Mysticism in its proper sense is simply a deep and pervasive interior awareness of God’s presence in one’s life. The mystic is then illumined within, which even reflects a halo all-round the person even before death. As a result of mystical graces the theological and cardinal virtues just overflow effortlessly from such a person. Mysticism is nothing more than a person’s awareness of faith, hope and charity operative in his soul spontaneously. Mysticism in its proper sense is simply a deep and pervasive interior awareness of God’s presence throughout one’s life. Fr Agnelo till he breathed his last, was aware of God’s presence. This is what made others to see in him ‘a walking saint’.
Why then is our Mystic Venerable Agnelo not yet raised to the honours of the Altar? That is, why hasn’t the Church declared him a Blessed, a Saint? Many already had considered him a saint while he was alive. So also many more after his death began to flock at his grave and receive favours prayed in his name. To declare him Blessed, Church requires proofs, namely proof of heroic virtues and intercessory power. There are four steps towards Canonisation. The first two: Servant of God and Venerable, these have already been ascertained. What is left now are the last two steps, Beatification and Canonisation. For Beatification an authentic miracle is needed. Post Beatification another authentic miracle is required.
Let us hope and continue praying that God may grant us such an authentic miracle. Such a miracle would not only strengthen our faith but also enable the Church to declare Venerable Agnelo as Blessed and consequently later on a Saint.
