MARGAO/PANAJI
Well-known Goa Diocesan priest and parish priest of Our Lady of Snows Church, Raia, Fr Conceicao D’Silva, widely known for his retreats and prayer services, passed away in the wee hours of Sunday after a massive heart attack. He was 65.
The body will be taken to the Raia church at 10 am on Monday and a Mass will be celebrated for the soul of the departed parish priest at 10.30 am. At about 2.30 pm, the body will be taken to his native village of Orlim, where the Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 4 pm, followed by final rites.
Fr Conceicao was rushed to a Margao hospital at around 2.30 am on Sunday after he complained of chest pain and uneasiness.
At around 2.30 am, Fr Conceicao woke up assistant priest, Fr Pedro D’Costa, complaining of chest pain. Without wasting any time, Fr Pedro drove Fr Conceicao to the city hospital. He, however, breathed his last while being attended to in the hospital casualty.
“He woke me up at around 2.20 am as he was feeling uneasy. We immediately rushed to the private hospital at Margao. He was being attended in the hospital casualty, where he breathed his last,” Fr Pedro said.
The mortal remains of Fr Conceicao were taken to his home village Orlim on Sunday morning.
Fr Pedro informed that the mortal remains will be brought back to the Raia Church on Monday morning for the people to pay their last respects. The eucharistic celebration will be held at 10 am which will be presided by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao.
As per the arrangements, Fr Conceicao’s mortal remains will be laid to rest at Orlim after the eucharistic celebration at the Orlim church on Monday evening.
Fr Conceicao was well known for his charismatic renewal retreats over the last three decades. Born on February 13, 1955, at Orlim, Fr Conceicao was ordained as a priest in the early 80s and had served in several parishes in his journey as a priest.
He was believed to have started the charismatic renewal retreats in Ambelim village where he was posted as the chaplain.
Since then, Fr Conceicao continued his retreats in the parishes of Mandur, Taleigao and Raia where he was posted.
Fr Conceicao was also well known for his contribution in the field of Konkani language and education. He had served as the vice-president of the Dalgado Konkani Academy.
He had bagged the Gulab Personality of the Year Award in 2015 for his meritorious service to Konkani language and society.
