All who have experienced Fr George D’Sa, S J, assertively say, “We have seen and heard, and encountered God. He has left a trail blazing behind for all of us.”
Fr George was born on April 19, 1916, at Anjuna, Bardez. At six years old, he lost his father Exaltacao Pascoal D’Sa. Within six months, his mother Maria Marcela passed away. Their absence was devastating, but it led him to a spiritual presence. For him, it was a transition from darkness to light. And it sparked off his unique trait, “You are the light of the world, let your light shine.” This attitude has ignited thousands of lives over fifty years.
Whatever Fr George did, he was fully into it. He studied at Sacred Heart High School, Parra. He was exceptional in religious matters and always prayerful. But it dawned on him that “only when we love all men, can we partake of God’s love.” It strongly urged him to consecrate his life to God and man as a Jesuit. On January 22, 1937, he joined the Jesuit novitiate at Calicut. He travelled in India for training in humanities, philosophy, management and theology. He was ordained a Jesuit priest on November 21, 1950. Fully equipped, he was ready to be sent on a prophetic venture to any place.
In 1953, Fr George was chaplain for a year at Yerwada Jail, Pune. He says, “I met a young man who was convicted to death. It was marvelous to see how he responded to the grace of God with the little contact he had with me. I noted how the youth are filled with good will and how sincere they are, provided they are guided with love and understanding and a sympathetic heart.”
From 1954-64, he served as parish priest of Mount Carmel Parish and Fatima Cathedral, and as rector of St Paul’s High School, Belgaum. He was a polyglot, and everyone experienced him as a compassionate and empathetic presence.
Fr George had “begged God at his ordination to grant him at least three years of active service” because of his poor health, but “God granted him 44 years in His vineyard”. On June 1, 1964, he was sent as the rector of Bom Jesus Basilica. The two expositions of the relics of St Francis Xavier (1964, 1974), which he organized, led to the decennial veneration.
In 1966, he was instrumental in founding and directing the ‘Youth Formation Retreats’ for SSC students. For twenty-eight years, he evoked an ever deepening “Holistic God experience” in every retreatant on the second floor of the Basilica.
“It’s an experience I can never forget,” is echoed by every student, both then and now. Last year, 3,500 students from 64 schools attended the retreat. This ‘Youth Formation Movement’, as it is now called, is completing 50 years. Every Sunday through 2016, the students meet batch-wise at 10.15 am at the Basilica to remember Fr George and pledge “to shine like bright stars in this world.” The extension of this experience is catered to by the Lights of the World Movement. It’s meant for higher secondary students.
In 1967, Fr George initiated the second novena of St Francis Xavier called ‘Novena of Grace’. These initiatives of Fr George have not ended with him, but are getting stronger each year through the Jesuits and their collaborators. Thousands of people and students have experienced hope, support, clarity about their future and it has left an indelible mark in their lives through these programs.
On July 24, 1994, at around 8.30 am, Fr George passed away. He was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. His last wish was, “I want my funeral to be simple. Do not toll the church bells and tell all people attending my funeral to shower flowers in my grave.”
The Youth Formation Movement will celebrate its golden jubilee in a unique way, which is a clarion call to all of Fr George’s fans to honor and celebrate his birth centenary (1916-2016) through a thanksgiving mass at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, on April 19 at 6 pm.
