VANCOUVER
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was an appropriate occasion for the unveiling of ‘All I Have Is Them (flora and fauna)’, the latest book by Goan priest Fr Cannio Cardozo, thus bringing to completion his inspiring trilogy of books.
The event took place at the St Edmund’s Parish, North Vancouver, on September 14, following the 11 am Holy Mass. The honour of unveiling the book was entrusted to Fr Steny Mascarenhas, Pastor of St Edmund’s, while the event was graciously facilitated by Fr Jeevan D’Almeida.
In his address, Fr Cannio, who is based at a parish in Vancouver, Canada, opened with the words, “Thank you, God, for blessing me much more than I deserve.”
He then extended his gratitude to Fr Silvestre D’Souza, Provincial Superior of the Karnataka-Goa Province, for granting the required permissions and for presenting the book with a foreword. He also expressed appreciation to Fr Alexander Braganza, Provincial Delegate to Canada, for his constant support.
Fr Cannio, who hails from Camurlim-Salcete, offered heartfelt thanks to Fr Lawrence D’Mello, Fr Iven D’Souza, and Fr Rathan Nicholas Almeida for generously giving their time and valuable suggestions. His appreciation also extended to his community members, Fr Steny Mascarenhas and Fr Jeevan D’Almeida, for their encouragement.
He concluded by expressing special thanks to the parishioners of St Edmund’s, whose presence and support made the occasion significant.
Fr Cannio had released his first book, ‘All I have is I’, which features day-to-day life examples, parables, stories and poems. His second book, ‘All I Have Is You’, was published in 2023.
CALL TO PRIESTHOOD
Fr Cannio admitted that he had never considered priesthood and writing, while he was growing up in his native village of Camurlim-Salcete.
“My dwelling nestles between the hills of Camurlim-Salcete. I hiked the hillocks and swam in the ponds in my younger days. In my teenage years, the soccer ball and cricket bat never let me focus on my future.”
“Till then I thought, to become a priest, and a writer was not my cup of tea. It was the privilege of the smart cookies. But when I kept my first step in the Carmelite seminary, there was an inner renewal in me,” says Fr Cardozo.
“The inexplicable transformation from an extremely shy kid to a confident priest is what confirms my vocation as God’s gift of love to me.”
Fr Cardozo said the Psalm 18:1, “I love you, Lord; my strength”, became the theme of his priestly ordination in 2014 and the motto of his life.
In the initial years, he assisted the young minds as a ‘Vocation Promoter’ and ‘Youth Director before a sudden transformation in his ministry.
“It all happened because I was transferred from the ocean to a pond, from a large Parish with a strength of 25,000 faithful at St Joseph in Mira Road-Mumbai to a Parish comprising 800 parishioners at St Edmund in North Vancouver, Canada.”
“I considered it a blessing in disguise as it provided me with ample of time. I believe that an idle mind is the workshop of the devil. Sometimes, we do not know what to do when we have plenty of time. I took it as an opportunity to improve my language skills.”
