Frazer Andrade
An atmosphere of pro found grief, prayer, and reverence en gulfed the St Francis Xavi er Church in Chicalim on the morning of May 28, as the mortal remains of Fr Bolmax Fidelis Pereira were brought to the church where he had lovingly served as parish priest. From the early hours of dawn, streams of parish ioners, friends, admirers, and well-wishers gath ered in large numbers to bid a tearful farewell to a priest who had deeply touched countless lives through his compassion, courage, and unwavering dedication to both the Church and society.
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More than 1,500 people flocked to the church to pay their last respects to Fr Bol max. From as early as 7 am, mourners steadily arrived carrying flowers, rosaries, and cherished memories of a shepherd who had stood by his people in times of joy, struggle, and uncertainty. The church premises fell into a solemn silence, in terrupted only by the soft murmuring of prayers and the slow tolling of bells as devotees patiently queued to offer their final respects. The sight of Fr Bolmax’s mortal remains placed be fore the altar moved many to tears.
Elderly parish ioners folded their hands in silent prayer, while youth members and par ish volunteers stood with bowed heads, reflecting the immense love and re spect the community held for him. Several mourners struggled to contain their emotions as they recalled his guidance, humility, and tireless service towards the parish and society. “Fr Bolmax was not just a priest, but a fearless voice for Goa’s environment and its people. His life was a lesson in courage, com passion, and service,” said Antoneta Carvalho from Margao, who had come to Chicalim to pay tribute to the beloved priest. Premanand Naik, a strong practitioner of sustainable living, said with emotion, “Goa has lost a shepherd who stood firmly for truth, protected nature with pas sion, and inspired an entire generation to care for socie ty and the environment.” As prayers continued in side the church, the Holy Rosary was recited along side devotional hymns, many of which had been composed by Fr Bol max himself. The deeply moving melodies echoed through the church, stir ring emotions among the faithful who listened in si lence and prayer. Outside the Chruch, snippets showcasing Fr Bolmax’s close association with youth and the com munity were displayed on a screen, bringing smiles and tears to those gathered.
Bible verses were read aloud, inviting the faithful to re flect on the meaning of life, sacrifice, and faith. One of the scripture passages that touched many hearts read: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Youth closely associated with Fr Bolmax offered a heartfelt tribute through a song, expressing gratitude for all that he had done for them and society. Through their voices, they conveyed how blessed they felt to have had him in their lives. The solemnity of the oc casion deepened with the ringing of bells and the presence of a brass band, while various devotion al compositions written and set to tune by Fr Bol max himself filled the air as mourners continued to stream into the church. The Litany of St Joseph was also recited with devotion. Fr George spoke at length about Fr Bolmax’s remarka ble journey of life, his ideals, achievements, and service to humanity. He highlighted the late priest’s relentless efforts in creating aware ness about Goa’s natural heritage and preserving traditional village life. “He is recognised as a peo ple’s priest and remained a symbol of compassion and a soul dedicated to ecological conservation,” said Fr George. The thanksgiving Eucha ristic service held at 10 am witnessed an overwhelm ing turnout, with several priests, religious leaders, nuns, parishioners, and faithful from different parts of Goa gathering to honour the departed priest. The homily reflected upon Fr Bolmax’s life of faith, sim plicity, love for the environ ment, and fearless commit ment to truth, values that had inspired generations across Goa. Even after the Mass con cluded, many remained out side the church, unwilling to say their final goodbye to a priest they regarded not only as a spiritual guide, but also as a mentor, protector, and friend. “Even in his final mo ments, prayers poured in from across Goa because Fr Bolmax had touched lives far beyond the walls of the Church,” stated Savio Almeida from Mapusa. Soon after the mass end ed, Fr Bolmax’s mortal re mains were taken to his residence in Quepem.
