TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Thousands of people from different walks of life gathered to pay their last respects to Fr Inacio Almeida at the Pilar Seminary Chapel on Friday.
Known as the propagator of agricultural innovations across Goa and India, Fr Almeida, a Pilar priest, passed away peacefully at GMC Hospital on January 1. He was hospitalised after suffering a stroke on December 18.
Bishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, who was the main celebrant for the Eucharistic celebration concelebrated by over 135 priests, stated that Fr Almeida was a humane person and prayerful priest, who not only worked in the field of agriculture but devoted his life for the upliftment of the poor.
Speaking on the occasion, Fr Dominic Alvares, Chairperson for the Mission Commission, stated that Fr Almeida is known for working with the simple and tribal people and also collaborated with the government officials to seek schemes for the poor.
Fr Almeida was a person who lived his life very much connected with nature. He was affectionately called ‘Dharthi Mata’ by the Pilar community and has served the Society of Pilar mainly by looking after the farms and the agricultural properties.
Fr Alvares, who worked with him for six years when the Pilar Society took over the Zagruti Farm at Birondem-Valpoi in 2006, stated that Fr Almeida worked in remote areas in the farm land even late at night and in severe conditions. “But he was never bitten by a snake or attacked by a wild animal, in fact animals came to his rescue when he was working alone, which showed he was a man of God,” said Fr Alvares.
Fr Francis Carvalho, the Superior General of the Pilar Society, Fr Jose Remedios Fernandes, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, Fr Kyriel D’Souza, the Provincial Superior of the Goa Province of Pilar, Fr Diogo Indira Fernandes, the nephew of Fr Almeida and Fr Santiago Fernandes, the Local Delegate Superior of Birondem, Valpoi were present for the ceremony.
Other dignitaries present included St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh, two former MLAs of St Andre, Francis Silveira and Teotonio Pereira, MP Francisco Sardinha, Churchill Alemao, Ravi Naik, Filipe Neri, Christopher Fonseca and various other officials.
