Fr Tony S Fernandes SFX
In the Roman Catholic Church, there are various categories of Saints: Martyrs, Confessors, Pastors, Virgins, Religious etc. Some of these are classified as Mystics. Thus, we have great mystics like St John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena. Mystics are distinguished from other saints. If all saints are called “friends of Jesus”, mystics are exceptional individuals achieving a high degree of spiritual intimacy, setting them apart as extraordinary “lovers of God”. Mystics are men and women who experience, albeit only in moments of spiritual ecstasy, a foretaste of divine love to which all of us as Christians ought to aspire “ if not in this world then surely in the next. The writer is vice-postulator for the Cause of Venerable Fr Agnelo D’Souza
MYSTICAL LIFE
Venerable Agnelo D’Souza was a mystic in his own way, always living as a ‘friend of Jesus’, an intimate lover of God. In his book “Secrets to share”, Fr Alyosius Rego said if Fr Agnelo was not found in his room, he would usually be found in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at Rachol Seminary. Mystics spend hours in contemplation. Nothing gives them more joy than to lay at the feet of their master and Lord. The more time he spent with the Lord, the more Fr Agnelo grew in his compassion and generous love towards the poor and needy. This was particularly evident in the hours he spent in the confessional.
What distinguishes mystics from other saints is not so much the heroicity of their virtue, but their deep personal experience of God. This was the fruit of God’s grace within them. In the life of Venerable Agnelo, there is nothing very adventurous or spectacular, but if one follows the story of his soul, his hidden and silent life, one will inevitably find that his ascetic life ended in a deep mystical union or communion with the Divine. That is why, he is mostly known as the silent saint and true to his name, Agnelo, which is derived from Latin ‘agnus’, a lamb. This is what inspired Fr Sergio Mascarenhas to write a book in Konkani on the life of Venerable Agnelo “Xant ani bollvont”, delineating the character of Fr Agnelo as mild and peaceful. The peace within him, was indeed godly.
MYSTICAL PHENOMENA
Although mystical union is spiritual and interior, some mystics also experience concomitant psychosomatic effects, what experts call “secondary mystical phenomena.” Common phenomena are ecstasies and visions, revelations and prophecies and stigmata and other wounds of Christ’s passion, ability to read hearts and secret sins of others, levitation or bilocation. Some can even forego food for months or years without damaging the body or mind. It is this dimension of mystical life which attracts popular attention. It is also the dimension which most vexes the saint-makers. In his book “The True Man of God”, Fr Mascarenhas writes that being a mystic, Venerable Agnelo could touch the most hardened hearts, both in his preaching and at confession. He had the gift of moving, convincing and converting.
Fr Mascarenhas refers to Fr Antonio Pereira SJ, who saw Fr Agnelo in the air twice. Fr Pereira was then a seminarian and was going to Fr Agnelo for spiritual direction, when he saw Fr Agnelo in the air. He also confirmed that some other seminarians too had seen the same. Mention must be made of the prophetic words of Venerable Agnelo, spoken to the Society’s Superior Fr Remedios R Gomes. The latter went to Fr Agnelo and apprised him of the crises in the Society “ No new members were joining it. Always with union with God, Fr Agnelo is said to have given new hope to Fr Gomes. “The society will not die”, he said, “the finger of God is here”. These prophetic words were realized when his remains were transferred from the Rachol cemetery to Pilar Monastery on January 10, 1939. Providentially in the same year on July 2, the Society of the Missionaries of St Francis saw a new era dawn, when six priests members and two lay-brothers joined and reorganized it.
MYSTIC AND SAINTHOOD
The mystic’s union with the Lord at times is so profound that many unusual things happen. But just as every saint is not a mystic, every mystic need not be a saint. Mysticism in its proper sense is simply a deep and pervasive interior awareness of God’s presence in one’s life. The mystic is then illumined within, which even reflects a halo all-round the person even before death. As a result of mystical graces, the theological and cardinal virtues just overflow effortlessly from such a person. Mysticism is nothing more than a person’s awareness of faith, hope and charity operative in his soul spontaneously. Mysticism in its proper sense is simply a deep and pervasive interior awareness of God’s presence throughout one’s life. Till he breathed his last, Fr Agnelo was aware of God’s presence. This is what made others to see in him ‘a walking saint’.
Why, then, is our mystic Venerable Agnelo not yet raised to the honours of the Altar? That is, why hasn’t the Church declared him a Blessed, a Saint? Many already had considered him a saint while he was alive. So also, many more after his death began to flock at his grave and receive favours prayed in his name. To declare him Blessed, the Church requires proof, namely proof of heroic virtues and intercessory power. There are four steps towards Canonization. The first two: Servant of God and Venerable, these have already been ascertained. What is left now are the last two steps, Beatification and Canonization. For Beatification, an authentic miracle is needed. Post Beatification, another authentic miracle is required. A miracle would not only strengthen our faith, but also enable the Church to declare Venerable Agnelo as Blessed and later, a Saint.
The writer is vice-postulator for the Cause of Venerable Fr Agnelo D’Souza.
