Fr Agnelo, a model priest by Fr Ubaldo Fernandes
Venerable Fr Agnelo was born in Anjuna on January 21, 1869, to a very pious couple, Minguel Arcanj Mariano and Maria Sinforosa Perpetua Magalhaes.
Agnelo was God's chosen one. The day he was born, his father saw a bright shooting star, and predicted: "This son is destined to be holy!"
It seemed God had singled out Agnelo for sainthood. He was called to live on a different level of holiness altogether.
After much holy listening, he joined the Diocesan Missionary Society of St Francis Xavier, Pilar on July, 17, 1897. Agnelo was finally ordained a priest on September 24, 1898, by Dom Antonio Sebastiao Valente.
Fr Agnelo lived a hidden life, silently preparing himself for an unique spiritual and missionary life.
He was appointed as Spiritual Director of the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol. Both the professors, as well as the seminarians, referred to Fr Agnelo as a model priest: humble, ascetic and saintly.
He was lovingly known as "our saint". I have heard moving and admirable stories, worth recounting of Fr Agnelo's extraordinary ability to touch and transform the lives of people.
Dr Leon Pinto of Calangute testified that, he was suffering from a nagging problem and was deeply disturbed. Providentially, Fr Agnelo happened to come by. He looked at him tenderly, reached out his anointed hand and blessed him. The man instantly felt comforted and peace returned to him. The grateful doctor said he would forever treasure this great miracle.
My paternal uncle, Valente Fernandes had the privilege of making his Confession to Fr Agnelo.
He often recounted how after pouring one's heart to Fr Agnelo in Confession, one invariably experienced immense peace. The penitent seldom committed the same sins again!
My grandfather spoke in glowing terms about the healing powers of this extraordinary man of God. Francis Fernandes lived in Goa-Velha, a village in close proximity to the Pilar Monastery. Morgad, as he was fondly called, was a simple tailor, who often worked at Pilar. He once planted chillies in his kitchen garden. The man had toiled hard, watered and manured the plants. But they stubbornly refused to yield fruit. He innocently uprooted one of these plants and took it to Fr Agnelo. The remarkable priest pulled out a branch and returned the sapling, with the advice: " Go and plant it again. It will certainly produce chillies". Within three weeks chillies appeared in profusion. The village folk could only look in amazement. To this very day, they narrate the story animatedly.
The devotion to Venerable Agnelo has spead far and wide, in India and abroad. Countless favours have been obtained through his intervention. It is up to each one of us to storm heaven that, our Goan and Indian brother be raised to the honour of the altar.
At Pilar, and numerous novena and devotion centres, every Thursday, thousands of people seek physical and spiritual healing through his meditation, and also pray that he be canonized a saint. On November 20 the Pilar Society will commemorate his 80th anniversary.
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