Three Bishops, over 25 priests, religious sisters and hundreds of faithful joined in the 150th Birth anniversary celebrations of Venerable Fr. Agnelo at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, New Delhi. His Grace Archbishop William D’Souza of Patna who was the Main Celebrant at the Solemn Holy Mass recalled that Fr. Agnelo with his asceticism, and saintliness inspired people to come to the Lord. His Excellency Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, the Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, and a member of the society of Pilar in his homily described how Fr. Agnelo received his faith from his mother who entrusted the family into the hands of the Heavenly Mother even as she on her death bed knew she was leaving behind very young children. He emphasised the need for mothers to impart the faith to their children. His Grace Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas, the Bishop of Simla-Chandigarh appreciated the Pilar Fathers for the hard work of the Pilar Fathers in very remote and difficult areas.
The choir led by Mr. Franky Cardozo and Norman Almeida led the choir in very devotional and inspiring hymns in English and Konkani. Fr. Alarico Carvalho, Regional Superior of the Agnel Region introduced the celebrations to the gathering and Fr. John Marcus Fernandes, Provincial of the Delhi Province of the Pilar society proposed the vote of thanks. Fr. Anthony Fernandes, Administrator of CBCI Centre and a Pilar Father and Fr. Bento Rodrigues, Director of the grater Noida BalBhuvan of the Agnel Region organised the celebration with elan and efficiency.
Venerable Fr. Agnelo D’Souza (1869-1927) was a saintly Missionary from the Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier (Pilar Fathers Goa). He worked in the missions of Goa and Karnataka and was the Spiritual Director at the Rachol Seminary, Goa. The process for the Cause for his Canonization is at advanced stage in Rome and the process of Miracles has been opened in 2018. Prayers were offered for his early Beatification.
Source: Fr Ashit Toppo, CBCI Centre, Delhi.
