PADRE AGNEL

Venerable Fr. Agnelo – Model of Poverty Padre Agnel

According to our common thinking that a man who has a huge amount of money, vast properties, posh buildings is a rich man. Everybody honours a rich man. But there is also another way of understanding riches. People who have nothing and yet live a very happy life and are honoured by all. They may even not have enough food to eat and yet they are completely happy.

There are different types of poverty. In the Gospels, Jesus speaks about the Beatitudes – “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and there is a poverty which is called holy poverty. Fr. Agnelo followed this type of poverty of the spirit and was fully committed to it.

According to history, the Franciscan friars of St. Francis of Assisi practiced spiritual poverty. They evangelized the people of Bardez taluka in Goa and built more than 21 churches and preached the same poverty to the people of that area, including Anjuna, the birth-place of Venerable Fr. Agnelo.

The family of Fr. Agnelo had large properties. However, Fr. Agnelo voluntarily adopted and practiced spiritual poverty. His aim was to attain heavenly wealth and show the same path to the people around him.

As he grew in age, he also grew in this spirit of poverty. As the Spiritual Director of Rachol Seminary he also taught the spirit of poverty to the seminarians.

In those days a boy who joined the priesthood also had a share in the properties of the family. It was called the patrimony. Fr. Agnelo also inherited a patrimony from his parents. It was called “the property of Kuddi” at Anjuna.

After joining the Society of Pilar Fr. Agnelo lived a life of material poverty as well. His room in the Pilar monastery, where he lived for 10 years after joining the Society, is in place. In those days the priests who lived in the Monastery did not have self-contained rooms as we have them today. Seeing the poverty of Fr. Agnelo, the Patriarch of that time D. Mathew Oliveira Xavier told the Superior, Msgr. Lucio Vaz to give more clothes to Fr. Agnelo. Msgr. Lucio told the Patriarch that Fr. Agnelo did not accept any clothes given to him. Similarly, Delcia, a cousin of Fr. Agnelo,

Bro. Eusebio Miranda, SFX

who loved him so much, seeing his torn shirts, bought and gave him woollen shirts but he refused to accept them. Finally, she forced him to accept them. Fr. Agnelo told her; “they are full of decorations”. Such was his lifestyle. He is really a model for our times when people are longing to wear luxurious clothes.

On another occasion another cousin of Fr. Agnelo offered him two bags full of pillow cases, but again he refused to accept them. He said, “I don’t use such expensive material in my room”. It was his habit not to accept gifts or he would give them to other people.

At Rachol Seminary, he taught the seminarians to collect used postal stamps and sell them and give its income to the poor people.

He has such a great love for poor & that he sacrificed himself in every way to help such people. Fr. Agnelo made three vows when he joined the Society of Pilar. Poverty was one of those three vows. He fulfilled it so faithfully till his death. When he died there was not a single shirt or pair of pants to dress his dead body, as the Fathers who lived with him had witnessed. By living a poor life in this world he earned rich treasures in the Kingdom of heaven and lived happily in this world. He is a model of poverty for everyone.

Translation credit: Fr. Jesuino Almeida, SFX

The writer is a member of the Society of Pilar. He is the Editor of Vauradeancho Ixtt, Pilar-Goa.

Venerable Agnelo our great intercessor before God

Vice-Postulation Office

Translation credit: Dr. Nelly De Sa

A. Fernandes (Candolim): My son passed S.S.C examination, but we had a lot of difficulty in getting admission for the 11 th standard and he was kept on the waiting list. During this time, I prayed to Jesus through the intercession of Ven. Fr. Agnelo and my son got admission in a good college. I thank Ven. Fr. Agnelo and pray for his early sainthood.

Silvia Albuquerque (Vagator): My son was suffering from kidney stones. I prayed through the intercession of Ven. Fr. Agnelo, that the stones may fall off without any operation. My prayers were heard and my son recovered completely. I thank God and Ven. Fr. Agnelo and pray for his sainthood.

Hilda D’Souza (Candolim): I met with a bus accident and got injuries to my face and spine. After taking an XRay, doctors advised me bed rest for 3 months. I was very frightened and asked Ven. Fr. Agnelo to intercede. I have completely recovered now and I am really grateful to Ven. Fr. Agnelo and pray for his early sainthood.

Janela Fernandes (Santa Cruz): I was suffering from cancer and I had to undergo an operation. I constantly kept on praying through the intercession of Ven. Fr. Agnelo. One year has passed and my reports have come to normal. I thank God and Ven. Fr. Agnelo and pray for his early sainthood.

Margarida Pires (Usgao): I went to Dublin. There I got severe chest pain and I did not know what was happening to me. I was very scared and prayed through intercession of Ven. Fr. Agnelo. I went to the doctor, after doing my tests, doctor said nothing is wrong with me and I have become completely alright. I thank Ven. Fr. Agnelo for praying for me.

Prayer to obtain favours through Ven. Agnelo Almighty God, Our Heavenly Father, we gratefully acknowledge your plan for our salvation, even by working miracles through your chosen servant. We thank you for giving us your faithful servant, Fr. Agnelo, as an example of how to follow in the steps of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. With our whole heart, we pray that you may lead us through your Spirit to imitate his saintly life. Grant us also the favour we ask (mention the favour) as a sign that he now shares in the glory of our Risen Lord.

Prayer for the Canonization of Ven. Agnelo O God of infinite mercy, we humbly prostrate at Your feet, we beg of You, with whole hearted trust, that if it be Your Holy Will, and if it serves our salvation, grant Fr. Agnelo the honours of the Altar through the solemn declaration of Our Provident Mother, the Church. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Miraculous favours obtained through his intercession may kindly be reported to:

Vice-Postulator, Cause of Fr. Agnelo, Pilar Retreat Centre, Pilar, Goa India 403 203 Ph.no. (0832) 2219460, 2218694, 2218553 Email: vpagnel@rediffmail.com