click photo to enlarge
When I was in the eighth grade, I had a Jesuit brother, Alloysius Fonceca, who taught my English class at St. Xavier's High School. He was a very simple, humble, prayerful and outgoing man. It was known that the boys from my village and the boys from the town did not mingle. We would sit under a tree, eating our lunch and watch the other boys play. Brother Aloysius sensed our loneliness and came and sat with us regularly. We built a close association with him. He became so friendly that he even visited our village and met all our our family members. Because of his actions, I developed such a liking for him that I wanted to be like him. Thus, the seed of vocation was planted in me.
As soon as I finished my high school studies, the desire of joining the seminary was very strong in me. However, my father wanted me to learn typing so I took the typing course out of sheer obedience. I wrote a letter to my sister, Sister Mary Zena, who was already in the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima, expressing my desire to join the seminary. She advised me to sit and pray in the church for some time and then go and meet the Parish priest Father Philip Tavares.
Since Bishop Joseph Rosario m.s.f.s. had asked my Parish Priest to send boys to his diocese as he was in need, I was directed to Father Felix Gonsalves. He helped me become admitted in the Diocese of Amravati and directed me to St. Charles Seminary in the Archdiocese of Nagpur, India.
I joined St. Charles Borreomeo Seminary on June 21, 1966. Under the strict discipline of the Irish Dominicans, O.P., I was taught Latin, English and Spirituality for one year, along with four years of Philosophy and Theology. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Francis de Sales College.
I received my deaconate in April 1976, and a year later, on Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 1977, I was ordained a priest by the Most Reverend Joseph Albert Rosariao, Bishop of Amravati, at my home church of Our Lady of Fatima, Chulne, Vasai, India.
I celebrated my 25th Anniversary as a Priest on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2002.
My vocation has led me to you, dear parishioners of Assumption and St. Pius X churches. I pray the Holy Spirit will strengthen me so that I may be available and approachable to you and that I am given the ability to serve all of your needs through the imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
