Fr Edward D'Souza, a man with a golden heart

Fr Edward D’Souza, known fondly as Eddie, was born in 1940 in Matunga, Bombay to late Ceasar and late Annie D’Souza. One of the six siblings, Fr Eddie was brought up in spirituality and a good measure of discipline and was enrolled in Don Bosco Matunga Bombay at the age of 12. 

On a retreat organised by the Salesians at Tripattur, Fr Eddie was accompanied by Fr Restelli. Witnessing his strong character and passion for service, he was requested to join the novitiate at Yercaud in 1959, which he willingly agreed to. After completing three years of philosophy at Yercaud, he was temporarily posted at Don Bosco, Panjim. He later travelled to Chennai and Bangalore to continue his further Theological studies and subsequently was ordained a priest in 1969.     

His first posting as a priest was again at Don Bosco, Panjim as a teacher in the school and oratory in-charge. The then Rector Rev Fr Joseph Casti, impressed with the dynamism and enthusiasm of Fr Eddie, put on him the onus of reviving the then defunct oratory; Fr Eddie performed this responsibility diligently. Here he was ably assisted by late Baptist Vaz.  

The oratory soon became such a hub of activity that its football team made its appearance in the then First Division League of Goa’s Professional Football. Maintaining its high position in the league, the oratory became an academy of producing talented footballers. Armando Colaco, one of its products, not only represented India for several years but later became the coach of the Indian football team. 

Francis D’Souza (Mattari) was another product who was the first Goan to join the famed club of East Bengal in Calcutta. The list which is endless includes players such as Anton Juao, Leopoldo, Salim, Andrew, Poko, Diogo Diniz, Dinisio Trinidade, Parekh, Irinew, Custodio, Finian, Jaime Barreto, Santan Pele, Cyril, Alex Mascarenhas and Isidore Fernandes, the present speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. Athletics saw the emergence of Daniel Colaco and Joao Caitan and Philip Fernandes. The sport of basketball saw the likes of Louis Fernandes, Menino D’Souza, Cyril Lopes, Orville and Merwyn Lopes taking the game to newer heights. 

Music was another field Fr Eddie was interested in. An accordionist himself, he was responsible for the emergence of two famous bands, The Impression and Oromins. Their impact on the audience was such that they enthralled the crowd wherever they performed. The music fraternity also produced stalwarts such as Alwyn, Joaquim D’Costa, Domnic Fernandes, Elias Fernandes, Emerico, Daryl Figueiredo, Zito Menezes and Henry, to name a few. 

After his work at Don Bosco, Panjim Fr Eddie completed his BA and BEd (education that would later enable him to become the principal of two schools in Assam).

Between 1993 and 1994, Fr Eddie was handed the biggest challenge of his life. At the request of Don Bosco’s Headquarters in Rome, he was told to proceed to Assam to head the missionary works there. The situation in Assam was fraught at that time; all foreign missionaries were bluntly told to leave Assam immediately and thus the onus fell on the local missionaries. Fr Eddie, who initially volunteered to work there for three years under challenging circumstances, not only completed his tenure but stayed on beyond it and he continues to serve there till date. 

In 1974, he was posted as an Assistant Parish Priest at Bangtol. After completing almost 12 years in that role, he was called upon to open a new mission centre (bifurcation of Bangtol) as the Catholic population had grown considerably there. Fr Eddie became the first parish priest of Dotma in 1986. The Dotma parish consisted of the tribals such as the Boros, Santals, Adivasis and Rabhas. 

The challenges were growing manifold as Fr Eddie had to start the mission was a small piece of land. Soon a small bamboo house with tiled roof was built within a short span of time; that little structure was then converted into a school. After 15 years of hard work and dedication, Fr Eddie set up a full-fledged mission centre there. Soon a fully functional school coupled with two separate hostels for boys and girls and a multipurpose hall was constructed. Then, came the parish church backed up with residence centres for priest and staff.

Just before the turn of the new century Fr Eddie’s health started deteriorating. The constant bouts of malaria and typhoid took a heavy toll on his physical condition. Taking no chance, Fr Eddie’s superiors offered him a break with the opportunity to travel to Europe and America. In the US, he met one of his old colleagues, Fr Joseph Braganza, whose contacts found him a place in one of the parishes in Port Chester, where Fr Eddie sought repose.   

On his return to India, still fatigued, Fr Eddie was offered two options: to lead a peaceful life with his family or to continue his mission in Assam on a subdued scale. He chose the latter. His dedication towards the mission in Assam is such that he managed to win the hearts of the entire population of Dotma and Ramfalbill. The people of these areas hold him in such high esteem for his selfless and dedicated service to humanity that they refer to him as a ‘Man With A Golden Heart’.  (By invitation)