PANAJI
December 16 marks an important day for the SVD Mission (Society Of the Divine Word), as the hillock located at Raia, South Goa, with its lush greenery and its many livestock comes alive for the centenary birth celebration of its founder late Fr Peter Verhaelen.
Highlighting this sombre mega event is a ballet named Vavraddi “ The Worker. The life of Fr Peter has been so magnanimous and exemplary that, hundreds remember him till date for his unforgettable humble nature, indomitable spirit of hard work, passion for nature, animals and of course the holiness of a true missionary. Fr Peter was the last foreign missionary to India. Born in the year 1920 in Goch, Germany, he was ordained a priest on September 24,1951 and left for his mission country that was India. In 1960, he was sent to Mangalore to open a house St Peter’s Apostolic School. As a Founder and Rector he visited Goa on his scooter for future Novitiates. In 1964, Fr Peter rented a house in Fatorda, moved to Mazilvaddo, Raia and built St Francis Xavier’s Ashram. Followed by this Fr Peter started SVD seminaries in Kerala, Mangalore too. Together with the seminaries, he started farms to sustain them. He hailed from a farmers’ family and was passionate about farming. He was the first one to introduce rubber in south Goa, innovative ways in cashew harvesting and crushing and till date the SVD seminary in Raia is famous for its cashew juice Nira. He worked along with the workers in the fields transplanting, harvesting, etc. He bought the place which was a complete jungle and systematically converted it into plantations of rubber, nipper, mango groves, etc. There was cattle, poultry and pigs.
The ballet named Vavraddi by Agnelo de Borim has been directed by Gokuldas Borkar, The play has an opening scene in Germany during the war when Fr Peter was taken to be a male nurse. The story depicts the personality of Fr Peter epitomizing his personality and virtues.
His mornings and evenings were devoted entirely to the Lord. Any free time he could gather, he would use it in scriptural reading. Even a hard days work would not tire him away from prayer.
In1991, Fr Peter was relieved as Rector and made Procurator and Farm in Charge and in the year 1998 he started SVD missions in Kerala. The same year on December 12, Fr Peter returned back to his Master. Laid to rest on December 16, 1998 on his birthday, he epitomized the qualities of a real missionary. Today December 16, Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao will preside over the Eucharistic celebration in remembrance of Fr Peter Verhaelen.
Highlighting this sombre mega event is a ballet named Vavraddi “ The Worker. The life of Fr Peter has been so magnanimous and exemplary that, hundreds remember him till date for his unforgettable humble nature, indomitable spirit of hard work, passion for nature, animals and of course the holiness of a true missionary. Fr Peter was the last foreign missionary to India. Born in the year 1920 in Goch, Germany, he was ordained a priest on September 24,1951 and left for his mission country that was India. In 1960, he was sent to Mangalore to open a house St Peter’s Apostolic School. As a Founder and Rector he visited Goa on his scooter for future Novitiates. In 1964, Fr Peter rented a house in Fatorda, moved to Mazilvaddo, Raia and built St Francis Xavier’s Ashram. Followed by this Fr Peter started SVD seminaries in Kerala, Mangalore too. Together with the seminaries, he started farms to sustain them. He hailed from a farmers’ family and was passionate about farming. He was the first one to introduce rubber in south Goa, innovative ways in cashew harvesting and crushing and till date the SVD seminary in Raia is famous for its cashew juice Nira. He worked along with the workers in the fields transplanting, harvesting, etc. He bought the place which was a complete jungle and systematically converted it into plantations of rubber, nipper, mango groves, etc. There was cattle, poultry and pigs.
The ballet named Vavraddi by Agnelo de Borim has been directed by Gokuldas Borkar, The play has an opening scene in Germany during the war when Fr Peter was taken to be a male nurse. The story depicts the personality of Fr Peter epitomizing his personality and virtues.
His mornings and evenings were devoted entirely to the Lord. Any free time he could gather, he would use it in scriptural reading. Even a hard days work would not tire him away from prayer.
In1991, Fr Peter was relieved as Rector and made Procurator and Farm in Charge and in the year 1998 he started SVD missions in Kerala. The same year on December 12, Fr Peter returned back to his Master. Laid to rest on December 16, 1998 on his birthday, he epitomized the qualities of a real missionary. Today December 16, Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao will preside over the Eucharistic celebration in remembrance of Fr Peter Verhaelen.
