The former Archbishop Raul Nicolau Gonsalves, the first native prelate of Goa-Daman Archdiocese, western India, died on July 1. He was 96.
“We are deeply pained to inform you that our dear Archbishop Emeritus Raul Nicolau Gonsalves has passed away at 08:54 hrs (local time) today morning, in the adjacent JMJ Hospital, where he was ailing for the last 10 days,” said a note from the Director of Clergy Home, Alto Porvorim.
Gonsalves had completed 95 years of age on June 15. He had shepherded the Archdiocese for 37 years.
Funeral details are awaited.
He was born at Bambolim, Goa on June 15, 1927, and ordained priest on December 21, 1950.
He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Goa and Damão on January 5, 1967, and ordained Bishop on March 5, 1967.
He was appointed Archbishop of Goa and Damão and Patriarch of East Indies on January 30, 1978.
He retired from active episcopal ministry on December 13, 2003.
He is a priest for 71 years and a Bishop for 55 years. - Stephen Alathara
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THE ARCHBISHOP OF GOA AND DAMAN
Ad honorem PATRIARCH OF THE EAST INDIES
Around 8pm on June 30, 2022, my wife informed me about a message on WhatsApp from my sister Avita Monteiro to Familia Coelho. “We are deeply pained to inform you that our dear Archbishop Emeritus Raul Nicolau Gonsalves has passed away at 08:54 hrs today morning [2022/07/01 in Goa], in the adjacent JMJ Hospital, where he was ailing for the last 10 days. He had completed 95 years of age on 15th June and had shepherded our Archdiocese for 37 years. May the Good Shepherd receive him in His Eternal Fold.”
There is no doubt that the Eternal Good Shepherd has welcomed him with the words “Whatsoever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters you did that to me.” There was indeed much that he did. According to Cardinal Ferrao of Goa, “Archbishop Gonsalves was called to serve the Church in Goa as a Bishop at a time when it was still facing the effects of Goa’s integration into the Indian Union. He was a man of tremendous endurance, fortitude, humility, loyalty to the Church, devotion to duty and ability to absorb, calmly and serenely, various types of shocks and difficult situations; he had the willingness to do what he could and leave in the hands of the Lord what he knew he could not do, qualities which kept him going where a less gifted leader would have perhaps succumbed to serious breakdown, physical drainage of energies or even despair. He faced and handled controversial problems taking his own time to decide, spending hours in prayer, discussion, evaluation of pros and cons, before deciding and remaining faithful to his decisions even amidst misunderstandings and menaces.” [Goan Reporter on FB 2022/07/01]
The last time I met the Archbishop Emeritus in Pangim was on September 23, 2016. He was active, alert and talkative, but did not remember many details of our encounters or experiences. I cannot say that I knew him well. I am not sure if he remembered me. I am grateful that he recognized me and I was invited by Fr. Valerian to have lunch with him at the Paço Patriarcal or Bishop’s House that afternoon. I joined Fr. Loyola Furtado and other priests. It was a memorable lunch!
Today, I am grateful to him for many graceful memories, especially:
-for ordaining me a priest on 1977/12/21
-for supporting my ministry at Don Bosco Agro-Ed Complex in Sulcorna, Goa [1978-87]
-for accepting me as one the members of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council [1982-84]
-for supporting the Small Communities in South Zone with the Episcopal Vicar [1980s]
-for assisting the Salesians to take over Fr. Edwin d’Souza’s institutions in Quepem in 1985
-for his Letter on 1987/08/12, CP/916/87. (Coelho. 2020. Unless the seed dies pp. 200-201)
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