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Fr Agnelo's Day celebrated in France
Fr Peter Raposo
Faraway from home, in Paris, France, the Goan community gathered under the
aegis of the association "Les Amis du Père Agnelo" (The Friends of Fr
Agnelo) to commemorate the death anniversary of Venerable Fr Agnelo.
This day popularly called "Fr Agnelo's Day" is traditionally celebrated with
a Mass in French at which a large number of French Catholics participate.
The Mass this year was held on November 9 and was presided over by Père
Gilles Rousselet in l'Eglise de Saint Esprit (Holy Spirit Church).
A Manglorean Capuchin Priest, Fr Allwyn Dias, studying in Paris, preached an
eloquent homily on the life and virtues of Fr Agnelo and called upon the
congregation to emulate the life of Fr Agnelo and to imitate his virtues.
Among the highlights of the eucharistic celebration was the enthralling
singing of Konkani hymns by the choir directed by Juliana Afonso and the
performing of the aarti by Goan girls dressed up in colourful saris.
The parish priest Fr Rousselet was prompted to praise the interculturality
of the moment and expressed his happiness on how this community has enriched
the celebration. Fr Theodore Mascarenhas, the Central Delegate Superior of
the Pilar Fathers in Europe, who arrived in Paris especially for the
occasion concelebrated the Mass.
After the Mass, the Goans present, about 250 in number, took the bust of Fr
Agnelo in a procession singing the hymn, 'Padre Agnel amche ixtta'. In the
hall itself, a lovely Goan banquet with traditional Goan dishes was offered
to those present. Fr Theodore Mascarenhas, who is also closely coordinating
the process for the beatification of Fr Agnelo with the postulator in Rome
Fr Antonio Marrazzo and Fr Tony Fernandes the vice-postulator in Goa, led
the prayer for beatification of Fr Agnelo in Konkani. Fr Mascarenhas later
traced the itinerary of the process of beatification and requested the
people to pray ardently so that the case submitted to doctors in Rome for a
preliminary examination may be declared a miracle. Fr Agnelo will be
beatified only if any miracle credited to his intercession is not medically
explainable.
Fr Mascarenhas explained that Fr Agnelo is Goa's gift to the world and
therefore having him beatified is not only the task of the Pilar Society but
an honourable privilege to every Goan and Indian. "We as Goans should be
proud of this saintly man," he said. He thanked the association of 'Les Amis
du Père Agnelo' for their hard work over the last 20 odd years. "Les Amis du
Père Agnelo" founded in Paris under the inspiration of Fr Sergio Mascarenhas
20 years ago, has been promoting the devotion of Fr Agnelo and organising
funds for the process of beatification. Besides celebrating Fr Agnelo's
birthday in January and death anniversary in November, they organize a
carnival celebration in February, with a dance and a fancy dress competiton,
conduct a summer picnic and celebrate together the Mass for the departed
Souls on November 1. (ENDS)
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOIGO/2008/11/20&PageLabel=4&EntityId=Ar00402&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T
