By Matters India Reporter
Panaji, September 12, 2019: The Pilar Monastery Church in Goa has released a gold plated coin to mark the 150 the birth anniversary of Venerable Agnelo D’Souza.
Retired Bishop Alex Dias of Port Blair, a member of the Pilar society, released the memento on September 11 in the presence of devotees of the saintly priest
“The celebrations to mark the year began on January 21, at the birth place of the venerable and will conclude on November 20, on his 92nd death anniversary,” the prelate said.
Speaking about the venerable’s holy life, Bishop Dias said, “Since his childhood, his mother inculcated the Gospel values in the life of venerable Agnelo.”
Introducing the special coin, Pilar Father Tony Fernandes, the vice postulator, said it ought to become a cue to the faith of the Church in Goa to be proud of Venerable Agnelo, who will probably become the second saint of Goa, the fruit of our faith.”
Venerable Agnelo was born at Anjuna, Goa on January 2, 1869, to the family of Minguel Arcanj Mariano de Souza and Maria Sinforosa Perpetua Magalhaes. He lost his parents when he was 11.
On the completion of his studies, he taught for a few years.
0n July 17, 1897, he joined the Diocesan Missionary Society of St. Francis Xavier of Pilar, Goa. On September 24. 1898, he was ordained a priest.
The then Patriarch of Goa, Dom Matheus de Oliveira Xavier, seeing the holiness of Father Agnelo appointed him as confessor and then the spiritual director of the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol in 1918.
During his lifetime, the venerable was referred as “our saint” by professors as well as students.