Agnelo de Souza
Encyclopedia
Agnelo Gustavo Adolfo de Souza (21 January 1869 – 20 November 1927) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Society of Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier who performed missionary work in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...

, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

.

Early Life

Padr Agnel, as he is known, was born in his native village of Anjuna to Minguel Arcanjo de Souza and Maria Sinforosa Perpetua Magalhães and died in Rachol. His parents had 9 children, which included 8 sons and a daughter. Padre Agnelo was the sixth child. From a young age he would remember sermons heard at mass and would teach doton'n, that is Catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...

, to other children, some even older than him. When he was eleven, his parents were snatched away from him. At his mother's death, she recommended her children to Mother Mary. All were impressed by his behaviour even as a small child.

As a Seminarian

Padre Agnelo received a call to the priesthood. He studied Philosophy and Theology at Patriarchical Seminary of Rachol, where he secured the much coveted and singular acessit in his final year of study.
After much prayer he joined the Diocesan Missionary Society of St. Francis Xavier of Pilar, Goa on the 17th of July, 1897.
Ordination

He was ordained on the 24th of September, 1898, by the then Archbishop of Goa e Damão and Patriarch of the East Indies Dom Antonio Sebastião Valente.
Misssionary Life

On the 8th of September, 1908, he made his total oblation to God, as a full-fledged missionary. His life as a true shepherd of souls took him to Siroda and Sanvordem in Goa, besides Kumta, near Karwar. He was their priest, preacher, confessor and administrator. Padre Agnel was very humble and thoughtful.
As Spiritual Director of the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol

Seeing his holiness, the then Archbishop of Goa e Damão and Patriarch of the East Indies Dom Matheus de Oliveira Xavier, appointed Padr Agnel as the Spiritual Director of the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol on 20th of May, 1918. Fr. Agnelo was called a model priest- humble, prayerful, self-denying and saintly- by the professors and students in the seminary. He was caring and loving to the staff of the seminary and was also referred to as Our Saint, in Konkani Amcho Sant.

Death and Canonisation

Padre Agnel died on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was on the 20th of November in 1927. He collapsed on the pulpit towards the end of the sermon. He insisted on waiting till the Benediction
Benediction
A benediction is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service.-Judaism:...

 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He showed the tranquility of a saintly man. He died and was buried in Rachol. The then parish priest who buried him roughly said these words Hanvem atanch eka Santak matiek laila, which means I have just laid a saint to rest. His remains were brought to Pilar
Pilar, Goa
Pilar is a village in Goa, India, some 10 km from the state capital Panaji. It is on a hill top and has a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea and the mountains all around.- Pilar Society :...

 on 10 January 1936.

Canonisation Process

The process of canonization was begun by the Society with the permission of the Patriarch of Goa in 1947. The second process was presented to the Sacred Congregation of Rites on 5th of October, 1959. The Sacred Congregation of Rites
Sacred Congregation of Rites
The Sacred Congregation of Rites was a congregation of the Roman Curia, erected on January 22, 1588 by Pope Sixtus V and dissolved by Pope Paul VI on May 8, 1969....

 approved the third process of “De non-cultu” on 27th of May, 1969. Padre Agnelo was declared venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...

 by the Vatican on November 10, 1986..

Legacy

His day is celebrated on the 20th November every year, with novenas beginning on the 10th November. There is no feast day as yet, because he is not yet canonised. He is said to have wanted to die on the feast of the Sacred Heart, and God granted it.

In 2009, the high mass on his feast day was celebrated by Bishop Aleixo das Neves Dias, S.F.X., bishop of Port Blair. In 2010, the feast mass was celebrated by Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrāo, Archbishop of Goa and Daman. The theme wass "This is the Will of God" from 1 Thes 4/3. In 2011, the feast mass was celebrated on the 19th November as the 20th was the feast of Christ the King
Christ the King
Christ the King is a title of Jesus based on several passages of Scripture. It is used by most Christians. The Roman Catholic Church, together with many Protestant denominations, including the Anglican Churches, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Methodists, celebrate the Feast of Christ the King on the...

. The main celebrant was bishop Allwyn Barreto, bishop of the diocese of Sindhudurg, a suffragan of the archdiocese of Goa and Daman.The theme was Maneavont Agnelachem Xegunni Jivit Apnnavum-ia, Amchem Jivit Novsorum-ia, i.e. Focussing on the Virtuous life of Ven. Agnelo, let us renew our life.

The hymn Padr Agnel, amchea ixtta (Father Agnel, our friend) is written in his honor , besides Padr Agnelak, Altaracho Man and many others.

External links

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