REV. DR. ARNOLFO MAZARELO, THE PRIEST AND THE MAN... By Dr. Socorro Mendes WhatsApp: +91 77740 48499
Rev. Dr. Arnolfo Mazarelo, former Rector between 1980 and 1987 of the the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol, Goa, was called by the Lord in the early hours of the morning of the April 15, 2020. He passed away in his sleep in the Clergy Home, in Margão. The Funeral Eucharist was celebrated in the Chapel of the Clergy Home and he was laid to rest in the Cemetery of the Holy Spirit Parish Church, Margão, on the evening of the same day. HE DID HIS VILLAGE PROUD... AND A DOCTORATE FROM ROME Fr. António Arnolfo Mazarelo, fondly called 'Aloxe' by his relatives, was born on August 15, 1934. He was a native of Velim and a son of the famous and much respected General Physician (Cirurgo) Dr. Mazarelo, the first MLA from the Velim Constituency of liberated Goa, Daman and Diu. Dr. Mazarelo would visit his patients in Velim, Betul and Cabo de Rama on horseback. Doing his parents and village proud, Fr. Mazarelo completed his philosophical and theological studies in the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol and was ordained priest on February 2, 1958. He successfully completed his Licentiate and Doctorate in the Stream of Dogmatic Theology in the Gregorian University in Rome in the early sixties. The research paper he defended for the doctoral thesis was on Henry Cardinal John Newman and his vision of Lay Apostolate in the Church. He wished that one day the Church would raise Henry Cardinal Newman to the ranks of the Saints. This dream of Fr. Mazarelo was fulfilled in October 2019, when Cardinal Newman was declared a Saint by Pope Francis. Exactly six months after this landmark event in his life, Fr. Mazarelo was called by the Lord to enter into His eternal abode. WONDERFUL TEACHER, PASTOR After his studies in Rome, he opted to go to England to offer his pastoral services in one of the parishes in the County of Surrey in the Diocese of Arundel and Brington, for roughly a decade. He often spoke of his fruitful ministry in Surrey with great delight. Later, Fr. Mazarelo was recalled to Goa in 1978 by the then Archbishop Raul Gonsalves, to serve the Partiarchal Seminary of Rachol as a Professor. He was soon promoted to Rector at the Seminary, and remained there in this post till 1987. He subsequently worked at the Parishes of St. Michael the Archangel in Taleigão and Jesus, Mary and Joseph Parish in Nuvem, respectively. He then submitted his resignation from active service as a Parish Priest and chose to live in his private bungalow in Raia. From there he would volunteer at many surrounding Parishes. He was appointed Director of Clergy Home, Margão from 2004 to 2006, and later as the Chaplain of Our Lady of Monte Chapel, Margão. One of the positions that he continued to hold till some time before his death was that of the Defendor of the Matrimonial Bond in Marriage cases of the Patriarchal Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. EXCEPTIONAL FINESSE, WITH A FASCINATING SMILE Fr. Mazarelo always displayed exceptional finesse while dealing with everyone. In his sacerdotal ministry he would always sport a fascinating smile and came across as a joyful priest, no matter what pain or struggles he faced. One of the positive attitudes he imbibed in the Seminarians was to offer a welcoming smile and be kind and courteous to all those they encountered. He rigorously trained the Seminarians to make them excellent diocesan clergy and taught them to respect the poor, strangers, migrants and domestic staff equally. He himself was a shining example in this. Whether celebrating the Holy Eucharist or preaching, he always sported a natural and highly contagious smile. A VISION FOR THE FUTURE, AN INNOVATOR Fr. Mazarelo’s fine personality helped him stand out as a promising priest and a man with a vision for the future. After he was nominated Rector of the Patriarchal Seminary, he set about meticulously planning the formation programme for future priests. Coming from a post-conciliar situation from Rome and with the background of Cardinal Newman's openness to the lay ministry, he tried to offer a package of integral formation -- the need of the hour. Against a backdrop of a legalistic and a strongly disciplinarian and formally intellectual formation, he introduced human, emotional, spiritual and pastoral formation. Gathering his own resources, he would propose a self-formative approach, seeking the collaboration of the Seminarians themselves and offering them quality formation by inviting external professors, lay persons, various professionals and even persons with secular experiences to enhance the formative process. He gave a new look to the rooms of the Seminarians, introducing modern electrical equipments, updating the archaic room structures, overhauling the library by introducing many newer and modern periodicals. He introduced courses like typing, public speaking, film-making and exhorted Seminarians to train in journalism, and sent them out to explore different cultural, religious, lingual and ethnic situations of the country, thus culturally and intellectually enriching future priests. PERSON OF PROFOUND PRAYER If Fr. Mazarelo could introduce a lot of innovations in the Seminary formation in a short span of time, it was because he was a person of profound prayer. He was often seen by the Seminarians spending a lot of time in prayer either in the choir loft or in the prayer balcony of the Seminary Church. A lot of his charitable works and his compassionate attitude towards others sprung from his prayer life. He would prepare his homilies well, providing rich fodder for the spirit and mind of future priests. In his addresses he would often exhort Seminarians to imitate the Good Shepherd and to imbibe the spirituality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as the entire Seminary, including the Staff and Seminarians and even the domestic Staff was annually consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In his life as a priest, he was really a man of God with a magnanimous heart that reached out to others in compassion and charity. May God the Father open to Fr. Arnolfo Mazarelo the doors of the heavenly paradise re-compensating him for all the excellent service he has tirelessly rendered in His vineyard and may his fine example inspire all the priests to walk the path of simplicity, honesty and charity. [Received via Olav Athayde <oal...@gmail.com>] Fausto Visitacao DaCosta commented: "He was a great yet simple priest having held high positions including being in-charge of the Seminarians and Parish Priest in Goa and abroad. He was Rector of Rachol Seminary, Parish Priest in Nuvem, Resident Priest at Monte, Margao, and Director of Clergy Home, Margao." Fr Mazarello was Rector and Professor of the Seminary of Rachol and an ex-Director of the Clergy Home, Margao. He hailed from Zaino, Velim, and twas the son of the late Dr Sebastiao/lateBasillia, brother/brother-in-law of Dr Juvencio/Lola, late Elsie/late Jovito, Myra/late Alquio, Dr Wilson/late Olvita, Sarita/Fuaausto and a loving uncle to many nephews and nieces. * * * * * RUI MADRE DE DEUS, A MASTER CHEF WHO BROUGHT RONIL BAGA ACCLAIM [By Sigmund De Souza] I am very sad to hear about the passing on of my one time close friend Rui Madre de Deus. A very humble, kind-hearted and hospitable soul. And most of all, a Master Chef, who brought the Ronil, Baga, world-wide acclaim for its great food, squeaky clean kitchen (which was his pride and joy) and rocking San João parties. He was a proud son of Goa. (He hailed from the quaint and picturesque village of Raia, Salcete.) And, as a policy, employed only Goans at his hotel (that was another USP of the Ronil). That was his way of giving back to his motherland. He was also a great lover of good live music. I have some awesome memories of our times together. Especially, during my early days as a musician. He always made me feel welcome and loved. I will miss him. Goa will miss him. My heartfelt condolences to his wife Valerie, his son and daughter. Heaven has just welcomed a favoured son home. Adeus Rui. Till we meet again! Vasco Alvares commented: "Here's to Rui Madre de Deus, one of the first Goan celebrity chefs, culinary legend and one of the nicest guys and a true Goan at heart. He helped hundreds of Goans with their careers, specially on the cruise liners, including me. Forever grateful. RIP." Sanjeev V Sardesai paid tribute to him as "one of the original men of the hospitality industry in Panaji, when the hotel and restaurant business was just blooming in Goa. Many of us still remember the aroma and taste of his culinary expertise; and all this always served with his iconic smile." Prominent hotelier Babu Quenim termed his death "a great loss of a very old, dear and caring friend, Rui. He'll always be remembered." He passed on condolences to his wife Valerie and children Russell and Vanessa. Music luminary Remo Fernandes commented: "What???!!! Rui gone?! Always loved the guy... So many laughs and jokes to remember him by..." * * * * * FROM SALIGAO, A GREAT-GRANDMUM TO 15: Teresa Pinto Lobo (known as Terezinha). Relict of Leopoldino da Vitoria Lobo. Mother/mother in law: Gil(late)/Judit, Lucilia(Lia) /Ignatius(late), Hugo/Nanette. Grand Mother: Giselle/Ryan, Vernon/Lianne, Marlene/Vittorio. Leston/Larissa, Lurion/Leeanne, Lyncoln/Nguyet, Lennon/Naina. Jeanne, Lynelle. Great grandmother to 15 great grandchildren. Passed away on April 14, 2020. (Received via Hugo Lobo) She was the mother of the late Gil, a popular teacher in Bardez, mother-in-law of Judit, also a prominent teacher for long at the Lourdes Convent, and the mother of Hugo of Saligao, an engineer, among others mentioned above. * * * * * CONDOLENCES TO Maria Fatima Pais of Delhi/Goa, on the death some time back of her mother. Fatima wrote: "My mother, my best friend. What would I be without you! RIP" in a post dated 4 Feb 2020. Compiled by Frederick Noronha fredericknoron...@gmail.com