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Fr. M*c Queen Winston Savio Mascarenhas SCJ, Saligao's New
Priest.
Fr. M*c Queen Mascarenhas, is the son of late
Mr. Quintiliano Mascarenhas and of Diana Mascarenhas from Don-vaddo, Saligao. He
is the grand-son of late Mr. Nicefero Mascarenhas and of Mrs. Maninha
Pinto Mascarenhas. It was Mr. Nicefero who built his house in Donvaddo on
01-01-1932 and soon launched the first bus service( caminhao) from Saligao
to Betim and another from Saligao, via Calangute to Mapusa in the early nineteen
thirties.After sometime he gave up this bus service and it was carried on
by another Mascarenhas* family( daiji to Mr. Nicefero).
M*c Queen was born on 16th May, 1967 in Tororo,
Uganda, East Africa.He is the last son of the Mascarenhas' family
and has four sisters namely Tina, Marilyn, Marina, Esther, and one
brother Brian.
He did most of his schooling at Lourdes Convent
High School-Saligao and then later at Monte de Guirim. He passed his
college studies through St. Xavier's and D.M.C.,both in Mapusa,
Bardez.
He was a member of the Parish Pastoral Council,
Saligao, in 1992. He also taught catechism in Mae de Deus Church and was
actively involved in formation of Small Christian Communities and also
Prayer Groups, before his departure to the Seminary..
As he was in search of his vocation , it was
Fr.Michael Martyres from Nachinola ,doing his pastoral work in Mumbai, who sent
him some literature on the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus(SCJ) founded by Blessed Leo John Dehon in France in 1878
and also about the missionaries of this International Congregation that
came to Kerala in 1994. After reading the literature M*c Queen pondered over
his calling and decided to join the Priests of SCJ at Kerala in 1997.. He
did his first profession as a religious on 1st May, 2000. and passed his
Philosophy Course through Sacred Heart Philosophical College. Alwaye, Kerala and
Theological Course at St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary also in Alwaye.He took
the Ministry of Lector in 2001 and Ministry of Acolyte in 2002.He was ordained
Deacon on 15th November, 2004 and Priest on 10th May, 2005 by Most Reverend
Archbishop Daniel Acharuparamil of Verapolly at Carmelgiri Auditorium,
Aluva-Kerala. His collegue Mathew Lalan Vadassery, from Nedungad,
Ernakulam-Kerala was also ordained priest on 10th May.
16 May, 2005 was an auspicious day to Saligao
parish, when Fr. M*cQueen had his Thanksgiving Eucharistic
Celebration. He was accompanied by other concelebrants, Rev. Fr. Francisco
Ataide, the Parish Priest of Saligao, Rev Fr. Martin van Ooij, SCJ,( from
Holland), Superior, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Pitz, SCJ, the Novice Master( Brazil).Fr.
Jose Gouveia, SCJ, and Fr. Amaro Jorge Vieira, SCJ, both fom Portugal, Fr.
Valerio Pilati, SCJ( Italy), Fr. Fr. Louis Mariano Fernandes SCJ( Batpal, Goa),
Fr. Mathew Lalan Vadassery SCJ( Kerala), and our Saligao Priests Frs.
Almir D'Souza, Casimiro D'Mello, Nascimento Mascarenhas, George Dias Other
priests concelebrating were Frs Sertorio Rodrigues( P.P. Aldona), Michael
Martyres( Mumbai),. Salvador Fernandes, M.S.F.S, Anand Paes( Moira),.
Gualberto D'Souza( Cunchelim, Mapuca), Ronnie D'Souza, SJ( Baga), and
Afonso Mendonca( Sangolda) The Assistant of Saligao Fr. Andrew Mascarenhas
was conducting the Saligao choir who sang superbly the liturgical hymns
during the Holy Mass.
As the main celebrant and the concelebrants
made their way into Mae de Deus Church, Fr. M*cQueen lit the ceremonial "
divtti" and incensed the main altar as the Entance hymn was going on.In keeping
with the theme of the Thanksgiving mass " Behold I Come to do Thy Will O
God', the whole ceremony was solemly performed both in English and Konkani.
After the homily Fr. M*c Queen had the symbolic washing of the feet of his
mother and some male and female parishioners of Saligao which was
something new to the assembly. The jam-packed church also saw his dear and near
ones offering gifts and the whole ceremony ended with the kissing of hands of
the newly ordained priest. Mementos were distributed and all were treated with
snacks and refreshments in the Church hall, at the end of the ceremony.The
traditional raising of the toast was not done It is reliably learnt that Fr. M*c
Queen and Fr. Mathew will be sent for further studies to Rome in coming
June. We wish the new priest Fr. M*c Queen a long and fruitful ministry in the
Vineyard of the Lord.
Fr. Nascimento
Mascarenhas.
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