Frs Denis, Peter and Br Anthony celebrate jubilees at FRH
On : 2023-07-16
Frs Denis Rasquinha, Peter Pinto and Br Anthony Crasta celebrated their jubilees at Fathima Retreat House, Mangalore on July 15. While Fr Denis Rasquinha was celebrating his 6oth anniversary of the ordination, Fr Peter Pinto was celebrating his golden jubilee of priesthood. For Br Crasta, it was the 60th year in the Society of Jesus.
Fr Peter officiated the Holy Eucharist. In his introduction, he remembered how he met Fr Rasquinha at St Joseph’s Boys High School when he was posted there after his ordination. Further, he said that he met Br Tony in Jakhama, Nagaland, when he was posted there in the 80s.
In his homily, Fr Ronald Pais enumerated how the Magnificat of Mother Mary was a significant text for the occasion. “These three jubilarians sing their own Magnificat, thanking the almighty. They have magnified the lives of others and they are grateful today for God’s blessings,” he said.
At the felicitation that followed, Fr Joseph Monteiro raised the toast for the jubilarians. He said that the three jubilarians were like the Buddha. “Br Tony is Praudha Buddha – always majestic in his demeanour; Fr Denis is Prabudha Budha – very cheerful and Fr Peter is Mandasmitha Buddha – smiling with wit and humour,” he said.
Fr Monteiro further added that while Fr Peter Pinto never threw his weight around when he was in power, Fr Denis was gentle and genial and Br Tony was very outgoing. “Br Tony has served two generals and three popes,” he pointed.
Provincial Fr Dionysius Vaz felicitated the jubilarians. In his message, Fr Vaz congratulated the three and said that they were living their daily mysticism. “The mysticism of deep gratitude to God; the mysticism of letting go and letting God; and the mysticism of child like sense of wonder and awe,” he said.
In his response, Fr Peter remembered his formators, especially his novice master Fr Apoline D’Souza. “We were 13 when we joined the novitiate in Calicut. Though we were the first batch for Fr Apoline, he said that we were the worst batch, because we were very mischievous,” he said with humour.
The prenovices from Loyola prenovitiate led the choir. Fr Ivan Sequeira compered the programme.