Hailing from the serene island village of Corjuem and now connected with a marvelous state of the art cable- stayed bridge to Aldona, situated in Bardez taluka of North Goa, with the Mapusa river, a tributary of Mandovi flowing below it, 74 year old Fr Antonio Xavier D’Souza is celebrating his golden sacerdotal ordination (50 years of priesthood) today, Sunday, 17th April, at the Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim.
Born on June 9th, 1942 and having completed his priestly studies from the first batch of Rachol seminary after his primary school at Saligao seminary in Portuguese was ordained a Roman Catholic Diocesan Priest on 17 April 1966 belonging to the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman by late Bishop Francis Xavier de Piedade Rebello.
After completing his pastoral course at St Pius X Institute at Old Goa, he switched to English studies at St Britto School and St Xavier’s College at Mapusa. Frequenting daily from his home at Corjuem to the Mapusa College he graduated in BSc with Maths as the principal subject.
He was then appointed at Holy Cross Church at Santa Cruz as an Assistant Parish Priest. Later he proceeded with his post graduate studies at post graduate centre in Panjim where he completed his MSc in Maths in the year 1977, and then his Bachelor in Education- B.Edwith Maths and Science as the main subjects, at the Nirmala Institute of Education, Altinho, Panjim.
D’Souza was then posted at Saligao Seminary as the Maths Teacher and then posted at St Xavier’s College for 17 years till his retirement as the Maths Professor. Besides his mathematical ability he is also fluent in three languages, Konkani, English and Portuguese.
Till date Fr Antonio Xavier has the unique quality amongst the diocesan priests of having acquired the post graduate degree in Maths, although he studied his primary education in Portuguese.
Being posted at present at Panjim Church on the staff, his Golden Sacerdotal Ordination will be concelebrated with a Golden Jubilee Eucharistic celebration at 5.30 pm with the Archbishop Emeritus Raul Gonsalves as the main celebrant.
The fifty golden years in the Lord’s service will then be followed with a get together organised by the Parish Council at the Panjim Church Hall soon after the Mass for the parishioners, family and friends.
(The author is a Member of the Panjim Parish Council)
