SAD DEMISE OF REV. FR. FRANCIS MENDONCA S.J.
Rev. Fr. Francis Mendonca S.J. left for his heavenly reward yesterday 28th December. His funeral was today on 29th December at 11.00 a.m. at Rosary Cathedral, Vadodara.
Arch Bishop Stanlislaus Fernandes (Arch Bishop of Gandhinagar), Bishop Godfrey de Rosario (Bishop of Baroda), Bishop Thomas Macwan (Bishop of Ahmedabad), Fr. Jose Changa. (Jesuits Provincial) Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Seminarians, Sisters and the Faithful gathered together in large numbers to bid adieu to our Beloved and Loving "Dada Father" as he was lovingly called by many.
Fr. P.D. Mathew S.J. Superior of Rosary community to which Fr. Mendonca belonged gave a short description of the life and work of Fr. Mendonca. All throughout the Eucharistic celebration one could feel the deep sorrow at the thought of losing a "Father" who brought joy in the life of everyone, great and small. Bishop Godfrey in his soul rendering sermon expressed his own feelings of being totally shattered by the death of Fr. Mendonca. He assured the congregation that we still cling on to the hope of being cared for and loved by a Heavenly Father inspite of our nothingness. He recomended the soul of Fr. Mendonca in the hands of this loving Father whom Fr. Mendonca served all his life. Arch Bishop Stanislaus too expressed his deep felt sorrow at the death of Fr. Mendonca who for him was a person who was always happy and brought happiness in the lives of people and a person who was always obedient to the will of his superiors. Bishop Thomas Macwan while conducting the final rites thanked Fr. Mendonca for his ministry in Anand as a Parish Priest for 10 years and he said that he was trully a person of Faith. He said that he gave Christ to his people and indeed loved all tenderly.
After the Eucharistic Celebration the Final commendation and Farewell rite was done by Rev. Bishop Thomas Macwan. The Arch Bishop, Bishop's and Fr. Provincial then blessed and incensed the body of Fr. Mendonca and then the body was taken to the Cemetry for burial service.
Rev. Fr. Provincial conducted the final rites at the graveyard. The body of our beloved Father was then laid to rest while all through out the people prayed and sang gujarati bhajans asking the Good Lord to grant him eternal rest.
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With the unexpected demise of Fr. Francis Mendonca we have lost a great missionary. If we can use the word polifacetic with all propriety it is if we apply it to Fr. Mendonca. He belonged to a distinguished Goan family, but he was born and brought up in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. He was fluent in four Indian languages, Konkani, Gujarati, English, Hindi and he could handle Latin with ease. He joined the Society of Jesus in Vinayalaya, Mumbai and did his philosophy in Spain where he acquired a good command of the Spanish language, which he liked to practise whenever he met Spanish tourists. Apart from licentiates in Philosophy and Theology he got a Masters in History, which he taught in St. Xavier's College for several years. Being by nature an extrovert and inclined to action, he left St. Xavier's College to be an active missionary. He was a man who was ready to take any job and face any emergency. He was Parish Priest in Anand, Assistant Parish Priest in Rosary Parish, Baroda, Superior of St. Xavier's High School, Gandhinagar, Director of the Pastoral Centre in Baroda.
God had been very generous with Fr. Mendoca. He possessed theatrical gifts which he used to great advantage in his eloquent speeches and homilies. As an Assistant Parish Priest in the Rosary Parish, he excelled also as a good Confessor and effective counsellor. Baroda was the larger field of operations. No wonder so many people from Baroda turned up to say good bye to him in a solemn funeral Mass concelabrated by three Bishops, the Gujarat Jesuit Provincial and dozens of priests.. Prominent was a variety of religious habits from the many congregation of Sisters from North, Centre and South Gujarat. He used his long life, 80 years, for the greater Glory of God, and with his native kindness and approachability he helped innumerable souls. He will be remembered for a longtime, for he touched so many grateful hearts.
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After the Eucharistic Celebration the Final commendation and Farewell rite was done by Rev. Bishop Thomas Macwan. The Arch Bishop, Bishop's and Fr. Provincial then blessed and incensed the body of Fr. Mendonca and then the body was taken to the Cemetry for burial service.
Rev. Fr. Provincial conducted the final rites at the graveyard. The body of our beloved Father was then laid to rest while all through out the people prayed and sang gujarati bhajans asking the Good Lord to grant him eternal rest.
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Fr. Pablo Gil S.J. shares his views on Fr. Mendonca
With the unexpected demise of Fr. Francis Mendonca we have lost a great missionary. If we can use the word polifacetic with all propriety it is if we apply it to Fr. Mendonca. He belonged to a distinguished Goan family, but he was born and brought up in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. He was fluent in four Indian languages, Konkani, Gujarati, English, Hindi and he could handle Latin with ease. He joined the Society of Jesus in Vinayalaya, Mumbai and did his philosophy in Spain where he acquired a good command of the Spanish language, which he liked to practise whenever he met Spanish tourists. Apart from licentiates in Philosophy and Theology he got a Masters in History, which he taught in St. Xavier's College for several years. Being by nature an extrovert and inclined to action, he left St. Xavier's College to be an active missionary. He was a man who was ready to take any job and face any emergency. He was Parish Priest in Anand, Assistant Parish Priest in Rosary Parish, Baroda, Superior of St. Xavier's High School, Gandhinagar, Director of the Pastoral Centre in Baroda.
God had been very generous with Fr. Mendoca. He possessed theatrical gifts which he used to great advantage in his eloquent speeches and homilies. As an Assistant Parish Priest in the Rosary Parish, he excelled also as a good Confessor and effective counsellor. Baroda was the larger field of operations. No wonder so many people from Baroda turned up to say good bye to him in a solemn funeral Mass concelabrated by three Bishops, the Gujarat Jesuit Provincial and dozens of priests.. Prominent was a variety of religious habits from the many congregation of Sisters from North, Centre and South Gujarat. He used his long life, 80 years, for the greater Glory of God, and with his native kindness and approachability he helped innumerable souls. He will be remembered for a longtime, for he touched so many grateful hearts.
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We pray that the good Lord may listen to our prayers for our brother Fr. Mendonca, forgive whatever wrong he may have done due to human frailty and may He grant Him eternal rest.
Fr. Lawrence Louis Rodrigues
(Diocesan Commission for Social Communications - Baroda)
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