Every Thursday, Pilar Hillock in Goa, western India, comes alive with hymns and prayers as pilgrims climb the slope, candles in hand, seeking grace through the intercession of Ven. Fr. Agnelo de Souza.
On November 20, the 98th death anniversary of the saintly priest, Auxiliary Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandes of the Archdiocese of Bombay will preside over a solemn Eucharistic celebration at this sacred site, drawing thousands. The Society of Pilar will commemorate this year’s anniversary with the theme: “Venerable Agnelo Inspires Us to Be Pilgrims of Hope.”
The Humble Path of Goa’s Saint in Waiting
Venerable Fr. Agnelo de Souza was born on January 21, 1869 in Anjuna, Goa, to devout parents who nurtured his faith. Drawn to God from childhood, he joined the Rachol Seminary in 1883 and distinguished himself in virtue and study. In 1897, he entered the Missionary Society of St. Francis Xavier, Pilar, and was ordained a priest in 1898. Serving in Shiroda, Sanvordem, and Kumta, he guided souls with humility and compassion.
Appointed Spiritual Director at Rachol Seminary in 1918, he was lovingly called “our saint.” He passed away on November 20, 1927 while preaching.
The Hope for Ven. Agnelo’s Beatification
Fr. Tony Fernandes SFX, Vice-Postulator for the Cause of Canonisation of Venerable Fr. Agnelo, told Radio Veritas Asia that a favour attributed to Fr. Agnelo’s intercession has completed the diocesan investigation and has been sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. If approved as a miracle, it will mark a decisive step toward his beatification.
Urging the faithful to pray fervently in their homes, parishes, and at Pilar during the novena, he said:
“Let us pray that Ven. Agnelo, son of our Goan soil and the fruit of the faith of the Diocese of Goa and Daman, may soon be declared Blessed.”
“Fr. Agnelo healed me from cancer”
Zoraida Vas from Margao shared how devotion to Venerable Fr. Agnelo has been woven into her family’s faith for generations. Her grandmother once met Fr. Agnelo, who assured her, “Trust in Divine Providence, and you will get a son”, a promise fulfilled on his birthday in 1930.
Her father also vividly remembered a sermon by Fr. Agnelo at Holy Spirit Church, Margao, so moving that it brought him to tears. “He was a saintly priest,” Zoraida recalled him often saying.
Years later, when Zoraida was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, she prayed,“Fr. Agnelo, bring healing to me from the Holy Trinity.”
On September 21, 2021, she was declared cancer-free, a miracle she firmly believes came through his intercession.
“He gave us the gift of a child”
For Tony D’Costa from Verna, devotion to Venerable Fr. Agnelo has been a lifelong journey.
“Right from my school days, I used to come to Pilar. Even my SSC exams were a success through his intercession,” he said. After marriage, he and his wife prayed for a child, and their prayers were answered with the birth of their daughter, Anushka. Tony also experienced healing from two eye surgeries.
“If I miss a Thursday Mass at Pilar, I feel something is missing,” he shared. Every year, he celebrates Ven. Agnelo’s Day at home. “I believe Ven. Agnelo will one day be a saint.”
“Ven. Agnelo’s spirit still touches lives”
Recalling her years at Pilar, Sr. Isabel De Souza MSP, General Councilor and former Superior General of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Pilar, said: “The Romar (walking pilgrimage) at Pilar was more than a pilgrimage, it was a journey of the heart. Each step taught me humility, unity, and prayer. Ven. Agnelo inspires me to live with simplicity and gratitude.”
She shared how a devotee once told her that hymns during the novena had brought him healing and hope.
“That’s when I realized that Ven. Agnelo’s spirit still touches lives.”
“At his shrine, I experience peace”
Speaking of her deep attachment to the saintly priest, Dr. Nelly De Sa from Santacruz, Goa, shared: “I have been an ardent devotee of Ven. Fr. Agnelo for many years, and I eagerly look forward to the novena Mass every Thursday.” For her, the holy hillock is a sacred encounter with peace and grace.
“The serenity of Pilar and the presence of Fr. Agnelo’s remains have carved a niche in my heart. I pray he may soon be proclaimed a saint.”
“He gives us what we truly need”
Michelle Colaço from Molcornem, Sanguem, shared how Venerable Fr. Agnelo’s intercession guided her in a major life decision.
“I prayed sincerely for guidance, whether to take a huge loan to study abroad or remain in Goa. Though accepted at the University of Manchester, I entrusted my choice to Fr. Agnelo. In time, I realised he led me to Goa University, where I am now pursuing International Studies, the course I had always desired.”
Reflecting on it, she added: “What seemed like a disappointment was a blessing in disguise. Sometimes we pray for what we want, but God, through His servants like Ven. Fr. Agnelo, gives us what we truly need.”
“He is a living presence”
Fr. Norman Almeida SFX, Rector of the All India Mission Seminary, Pilar, shared that Venerable Agnelo de Souza is not merely a figure of the past but a living presence who continues to inspire, guide, and strengthen the Society of Pilar. His humility, prayer, and silent sacrifice have shaped the lives of priests and seminarians, teaching that holiness lies in faithful service and missionary zeal.
Deeply moved by the devotion of thousands who come to Pilar seeking peace and healing, he noted that devotees see in Fr. Agnelo not a distant saint but a compassionate friend who understands their struggles and intercedes quietly before God, a devotion made enduring by the profound spiritual connection people feel with him.
Nearly a century after his passing, Ven. Agnelo continues to draw pilgrims to Pilar Hillock, where faith meets grace. His humility and prayer still inspire holiness in ordinary life. As the Church studies a possible miracle, the faithful await the day when the humble missionary from Anjuna will be declared Blessed. Until then, every candle lit at Pilar remains a silent prayer of faith and hope.
