Venerable Father Agnelo de Sousa: Son of Goa *Dr.Ivo da Conceicao Souza Introduction: We seldom think of our own sons and daughters living a saintly, holy life, with the power of God. Goa has produced marvelous people. We think of Venerable Father Agnelo de Sousa and of Blessed Father Joseph Vaas. Yes, there are many who have not been, and will not be, canonized. Our parents will surely be among the chosen. In spite of our strenuous efforts, Father Agnelo de Sousa is still on the way to he altar. Father Agnelo revealed himself as a shepherd, a preacher, a confessor and an administrator. We shall reflect on his human existence within the Goan context: Anjuna, Rachol and Pilar. His Family: Faith… Rachol: Pilar: Born on January 21, 1869 at 7 p.m. in the ward of Ganvaddi of Anjuna, in the taluka of Bardez, to Miguel Arcanjo Mariano de Sousa and Maria Sinforosa Perpetua Magalhaes, he had to be baptized privately at home soon after his birth, as there was danger for his life. Then on February 13, 1869, he was solemnly baptized with the name of Agnelo Gustavo Adolfo de Sousa, by Fr.Joao Baptista de Sousa, Asst.Parish-priest of Anjuna, with the permission of the Vicar-in-charge, Fr.Valentim Constantino Fernandes. His god-father was Gustavo Adolfo de Frias, from Mapusa, through his proxy, Esmeraldo Felicissimo Jesus de Sousa, from Anjuna, , and the god-mother was Ana Piedade Angelina de Brito, from Anjuna. Since he was born on the day of the feast of St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, the child was given the name of Agnelo, a “little lamb”. There is much in the name: Agnelo was gentle, peace-loving, humble, obedient, lover of silence. From among nine children, eight boys and one girl, he was the sixth child of his parents. The atmosphere of faith and love, in which Agnelo grew together with his parents, instilled in him apostolic spirit. His mother would give catechetical instruction to the children of neighbourhood. Agnelo lost his father, when he was only eleven years old (on May 6, 1880), and his mother, two years later, on May 22, 1882. On her deathbed, his mother summoned her children round her and, pointing out to the picture of the Mother of Jesus, told them: “My darling children, I am about to leave you for good. From now onwards your true Mother is our Lady, to whom you should turn in all your needs”. Agnelo grew in his great devotion to the Virgin Mary. Agnelo studied in the government primary school in the village of Anjuna, where he learnt Portuguese from Fr.Inacio Valeriano Rebelo with flying colours. One of his uncles, Fr.Lazaro Fortunato Sousa, seeing his zeal in the catechism classes, prophesied: “Agnelo will one day be a virtuous Priest and a renowned Preacher”. He was an angel of peace among his classmates. Sensing his priestly vocation, his eldest brother, Fr. Manuelinho, asked him regarding priesthood, to which question Agnelo answered affirmatively. Therefore, Fr.Manuelinho sent him for Latin classes, conducted in the parish of Anjuna by Fr. Luis Jose Pais. After two years, he joined the “Aulas Filiais” (Affiliated Classes) of Rachol Seminary at Mapusa; and, later on, he went to the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol for studies in Theology. He was a proficient and a well-disciplined student. After completing the Theological Course on March 22, 1893, he was invited by Fr.Jose Joaquim Lourenco de Sousa, from Khobravaddo, Calangute, Bachelor in Theology (on 13.3.1897) and his erstwhile professor at Rachol Seminary (1883-1901), to tutor to his nephews at his own house at Calangute. For three years he taught Latin and Portuguese to several children in and around Calangute, without any remuneration, until he moved into the house of his cousin, Felicio Santana de Sousa, at Gauravaddo in Calangute, and continued to teach there, where in August of 1896 he had twenty-five students—ten for Latin from the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol, two for Latin from the National Lyceum and thirteen for primary instruction in Portuguese. Only one of them was a girl, studying Latin for Lyceum. He was muttering prayers, whenever he had to address her…(and there is a tradition that he would cover his eyes with umbrella when he had to teach girls…) After teaching for four years in Calangute, Agnelo received the Minor Orders on December 22, 1895, and was ordained Sub-deacon on December 19, 1896. As the Portuguese Government forbade religious societies in Goa, but he ardently desired to join a Religious Order, Agnelo made up his mind to seek admission in the Society of Missionaries of St.Francis Xavier at Pilar. After being admitted as a candidate in the Society of Pilar on July 17, 1897—the feast day of Our Lady of Pilar, patroness of the Convent and of the Society—he was ordained Deacon on December 18, 1897, by the first Patriarch of the East Indies, Archbishop Dom Antonio Sebastiao Valente (1882-1908), at the Convent of St. Monica, Old Goa, and five months later on May 22, 1898, he made his first profession as a member of Missionary Society of Pilar, in the presence of the Superior, Msgr.Lucio Vaz, the successor of Fr.Bento Martins, the Founder and first Superior of the Society in 1887. Agnelo was ordained a Priest on September 24, 1899—the feast of Our Lady of Merces—by the Patriarch-Archbishop Dom Antonio Sebastiao Valente, at the Cathedral See of Goa. He offered his First Eucharist at the Monastery of Pilar, in the presence of the Members of the Society, friends, relatives and people from the surrounding villages. The Missionary Society of St.Francis Xavier: In 1759 the Marquis de Pombal, Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo, suppressed in Portugal and its colonies the Jesuit Society, till in 1835 all religious orders were banished from Goa. All foreign missionaries had to leave their religious houses, their properties were confiscated to the State, their institutions left without personnel. At this juncture, the Goan Diocesan priests stepped into the breach, till in 1882 Dom Antonio Sebastiao Valente came to Goa as Archbishop and became the first Patriarch of the East Indies. A charismatic Goan priest, Fr.Jose Mariano Clemente Bento Martins, from Orlim, offered his services and threw the seeds of the Missionary Society of St.Francis Xavier. The Society was founded on September 26, 1887, and Fr.Bento Martins was appointed its first Superior for a term of five years. Fr.Bento and his companions worked in Valpoi, Satari, and in the chapel of Agonda, in the taluka of Kanakon. By a Decree of February 4, 1890, Dom A.Sebastiao Valente transferred the residence of the Missionaries of the Society from the district of Kanakon to the Old Monastery of Pilar. His Priestly Ministry: Fr.Agnelo spent the first ten years of his priestly life, almost buried in the recesses of the Monastery at Pilar. Like a hermit, he lived in an atmosphere of faith and silence, and grew in the virtue of love. On September 8, 1908, the day of the Nativity of Our Lady, Fr.Agnelo made the solemn promise of perpetual dedication to the service of the Society, on the steps of the altar of Our Lady of Pilar, in the presence of his Superior and brother-members of the Society. Soon after his perpetual profession, Fr.Agnelo was appointed Confessor of the students of the Seminary of Rachol on August 18, 1908, by Dom Teotonio Manuel Ribeiro Vieira de Castro (1931-1940), Bishop of Mylapore and Administrator of the Archdiocese of Goa. Meanwhile, he resided in the church of Siroda, as an Assistant to fellow-members of the Society of Pilar, to Fr.Jose Nicolau Sousa, and later to Fr.Possidio Gracias, who were successively Vicars of Siroda. A Missionary: By the Decree of December 10, 1909, Fr. Agnelo was appointed as Missionary Vicar of Kumpta in North Kanara (now in the diocese of Karwar), by the new Patriarch of Goa, Dom Matheus de Oliveira Xavier (1909-1929), and took charge of his post on January 6, 1910. He served the missionary parish of Kumpta, for a short period of seven years, till May 21, 1917, when he was transferred to Sanvordem in Goa, as an Assistant to the Parish-priest, Fr.Alcuino da Costa. Very little has been recorded about his work among the people of Kumpta, but there is a tablet on the walls of the church of Kumpta regarding his work. As a shepherd, Fr.Agnelo built a community of faith and a community of love. A Preacher: Fr.Agnelo was known as a saintly preacher throughout his priestly life through is sermons, retreats and missions. During his preaching ministry, from the year 1908 till 1927, he covered almost every parish of Goa. He became a “martyr to preaching”—proclaiming the Word of God, even in his acute physical suffering, until he died—that was his last sermon on the day of Vespers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—his greatest devotion—in the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol. He died at his post as a preacher. Through preaching he drew men and women to God, to his Son, to a renewed life. He would preach with unction, what would render his preaching effective. What was attracting others was that he had within his heart what he wished to share with others. His sermons at Kumpta were simple, like sparks of fire. He touched the hearts of the people. He preached what he lived. He would pray before the Blessed Sacrament or lean on his bed with the Cross in his hands as a preparation for his sermons and spiritual talks. Prayer would give him courage to preach the “crucified love” (cf.1 Cor 2:2; cf. Ga 6:14). He was preaching frequently in Calangute, particularly for the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Once my father, Bernardino da C.Souza, retained and reproduced in an article what Fr. Agnelo preached: “Bhavando, Tumi rabonakat ki dusro vaurtolo mhunn tumchea pasot hea sonvsarant ani tumkam vhortolo mhunnon sorgar. Vortota pisai, bhavando, pisai. Apapnnem vauronk zai sorgincho mokutt zoddcheak”. His voice in the pulpit was like the roar of a lion (particularly when preaching on Death and Final Judgment), by contrast with the gentleness and humaneness, like a lamb (“Agnellus” that he was), in the confessional, as he himself explained it: “We are fishermen in the pulpit—we splash the waters in order to drive the fish into the net; when in the confessional, we gather them”. He was devoted to the Eucharist, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Mary, Mother of Sorrows, and to the Guardian Angel. Spiritual Director: Fr.Agnelo was appointed Spiritual Director of the “internal” students (“internos”) of Rachol Seminary on May 20, 1918, at the request of its Rector, Msgr.Ganganelli da Piedade Rebelo, when he was serving as Assistant to the Parish-priest of the Mission of Sanvordem, and appointment that was confirmed by the Patriarch of Goa, Dom Matheus de Oliveira Xavier. On April 15, 1920, while he was confirmed as Spiritual Director of the Seminary, he was also appointed Director of the Apostleship of Prayer in the same Seminary, where he served till the end. Fr.Agnelo was a “model” in his times, depending on his temperament and mentality. There was a consensus in assessing him as “humble, prayerful, self-denying and saintly”. He was a father, teacher, friend and guide to the seminarians, entrusted to his paternal care, to whose training he devoted himself wholeheartedly. They would hang on to his lips, without getting tired of listening to him, since he was clear, sincere, convinced of what he was saying. Road to perfection for the seminarians was, according to him, to be enamoured of their duties as students and as priests-to-be. “As seminarians, so will the priests be”. He was devoted to the Sacred Heart and would say: “We have to burn ourselves somewhere, either in this world with love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or in the next life in hell”. He would inculcate in them love for the Apostleship of Prayer, as an efficacious means of “winning souls to God”. It is to be on records that by 1920 Fr.Agnelo placed a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the upper corridor of Rachol Seminary, near the staircase, where the professors would come together on Fridays, to pray the prayer of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He would walk through the Seminary corridors, with downcast eyes, with hands in the pocket, praying the Rosary. Fr. Agnelo impressed one and all as being “gripped by God”, leading the students by the force of his example. He would inspire and influence in a charming way all those who came in contact with him. He would console the seminarians and render stability to their priestly vocation, as well encourage those who would like to embrace the religious life. He would recommend them to read the “Imitation of Christ” of Thomas A Kempis. Fr.Agnelo would be concerned, not only with the “spiritual” life of the seminarians, but also wit their holistic well-being, including their material wants. He would help them even financially, chiefly those coming from less privileged families. Once he told one of the Seminary professors to “be scrupulous in failing him (the student), for thereby he suffers the loss of his money, of his energy and of the year of the priesthood”. He lived as an example and died a good death, which was the “apotheosis of his saintly life”. His Death: He was feeling weaker in spite of medical care provided by Dr.Victor Dias, the “beast of burden” (“mon’zat”, as he would call his body) could not stand any longer the strain of his work, austerity and vigils. He had already a presentiment of his death drawing near. While he was preaching the Novena of the Sacred Heart , having reached the last day, at Vespers of the Feast, on November 19, 1927, Fr.Agnelo could not continue to preach, ended it earlier, knelt in the pulpit for a final thanksgiving prayer, lost balance, was borne away in a helpless, but conscious state. Laid on a bench in the corridor of the church at his request, Fr.Agnelo received with folded hands the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. He had suffered a cerebral thrombosis with paralysis of the left arm and leg. While the Seminary physician, Dr.Joao Filipe Figueiredo, was urgently summoned and medical treatment at once imparted, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was given by Fr.Bruno de Menezes, Professor of Liturgy and Gregorian Chant. He received from him also the Holy Viaticum and then lapsed into a coma, on the day of the Feast of the Sacred Heart, at 5 a.m. on November 20, 1927, as he had already during his life expressed a desire. Seminarians were near his bed, two by two, trying their best to attend to him throughout the night. Some of them spoke to me about his death: Fr.Walter Mathias, SJ, my Spiritual Father in Rachol Seminary, and Fr.Ludovico A. Figueiredo, my friend who was a Parish-priest in Ribandar church. He did not have even a shirt in his box for the burial. Such was his self-annihilation and his love towards the poor. One could hear everyone saying: “He was a saint; a saint has died!” He was regarded as “illuminated”. The solemn funeral revealed the admiration of people from all walks of life and from all corners of Goa for him. Everyone would agree with the Parish-priest of Rachol, Fr.Manuel Albuquerque, who after the last rites, exclaimed: “ I have just laid a saint to rest”. On January 10, 1939, after twelve years, his bones were transferred to the Monastery of Pilar, which since then became a renowned pilgrimage centre, from where Fr.Agnelo is radiating his powerful message to the world. Man of Faith and Love: I remember having heard during my Seminary days about two episodes of his priestly life. Once when Fr.Agnelo was in Panjim together with his relatives, a young urchin came to him, lifted up his cassock, and exclaimed in fun: “I wanted just to see whether you are a man or a woman”. Fr.Agnelo remained calm and silent, amidst protests on the part of his companions. Another time, when he was Vicar in the missionary parish of Kumpta, at dead of night some drunk troublemakers from the parish knocked at his door and demanded the parish accounts. They had taken to the court a previous Parish Priest over the accounts, but the Judge had acquitted him. Now they had decided to harass Fr.Agnelo. But being mild and gentle by nature, he received them like a gentleman and asked them: “Would you like to see the accounts? Well, that is but fair and proper. The money is yours and you have every right to examine the accounts. Here is the account book”. The poor drunkards were flabbergasted. With apologies, the trouble-mongers went away. Fr.Agnelo was a model of accountability, he revealed his acumen as an able administrator. When his colleagues spoke to him about the decline of vocations for their Society, Fr.Agnelo assured them: “Be not afraid. The Society is not going to die. The finger of God is here!” His Physique and Character: Being gaunt of frame, frail, weak in health, melancholic look, with downcast eyes, eating frugally for God’s love, Fr.Agnelo would not “impress” through his physique, but he would influence through his keen sight and spiritual looks. He would look lovingly at his seminarians, like Jesus (cf. Mk 10:21: “And Jesus looking upon him loved him—the young man”). Simple, humble, unassuming, austere by nature, obedient to the Superior, even if it be a stick (or of wood), not photogenic, never hitting the headlines nor facing the floodlights, he had stubborn courage of his convictions in action. In the Vineyard of the Lord all are, in the ultimate analysis, “unworthy servants” (cf. Lk 17:10). Fr. Agnelo was cultivating the presence of God, finding him in every person and place (cf.Acts 17:28: “In him we live and move and have our being”). He would repeat some of his short, pithy maxims, full of simplicity and wisdom. Let me quote some of them: “We ought to be saints in order to attain our goal”. “There is nothing better than to be a saint, even the bones of saints are venerated”. “By amusing ourselves we cannot reach heaven, the saints were not fools to do penance”. “Holiness does not consist in hearing Masses, in receiving Holy Communion many times, in reciting many Rosaries, but in this: turn from evil and do good”. “Trust in God and rest like a dog at the feet of the Master”. “We ought to obey our Superiors, even if they were of wood”. “One must not leave off a good action on account of the criticism of others”. Very few readers will know that Fr.Agnelo was smoking “beedi” (canudo, Indian cigarrette), which he was jocularly saying that it is his “vice”… Conclusion: His Process of Beatification is going on in full swing. Miracles have been recorded from the beginning. In the past, the reports were given by the physicians who have treated the patients. Now, for a long time, they are given by the patients themselves. Let us walk in his steps without losing our own individuality, but by incarnating the Gospel values, which our Venerable Agnelo lived and proclaimed: faith and love… *Fr.Ivo da C.Souza is Professor of biblical exegesis and sociology in the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol. He has delved deeply into the life of Fr.Agnelo de Sousa. As a seminarian, Father Ivo was writing for India’s Call on subjects for young folks: “Hi! Young Folks”. We thank him and hope that he will continue to write for our review…
Tags: Anjuna, Kumta, Padre Agnelo, Pilar, Rachol Seminary
