Fr Jácome's death anniversary today
PANAJI: With the recent canonization of St Joseph Vaz, the spotlight is now on the Cause of Fr Jácome Gonsalves, the missionary, erudite linguist and collaborator of St Joseph Vaz in the Ceylon missionionary adventure of the Goa Oratorians.
In Goa, Fr Eremito Rebello in 2015, initiated the spade work for pursuing the cause of canonization of Fr Jacome, and preliminary action has been initiated with the active participation of the islanders of Divar.
The parishioners at Our Lady of Piety Church, Divar, held the first annual commemoration day to pay tribute to Fr Jácome and on the occasion, a plan was formulated to undertake the preliminary work of instituting the cause of his canonization. An executive committee was formed to coordinate all local activities and a prayer group formed to pray for the Cause.
Presently to commemorate his 274th death anniversary on July 17, a religious service will be held at the Our Lady of Piety Church Divar. The main village road, fronting his three-and-a-half-century-old ancestral house, will be named ‘Fr Jacome Gonsalves Road.’ His statue will soon be installed at the ancestral house, where presently the Divar High School is functioning.
A book on his saintly life is also under publication.
