Fr. Melwyn is seen on both the photos during the Farewll function held in the Church Hall.It is 8 months now since Fr. Melwyn bade farewell to Kuwait after finishing his 9 year term in Kuwait. Though it is a long period since he left Kuwait yet people in Kuwait still long for him. This is the result of his good work he did in Kuwait Catholic Church for the faithfuls without antagoning them. Fr. Melwyn, during your 9 year period in Kuwait you never acted wild with any of the faithfuls, like a "goonda" you never used physical force against any faithful, you maintained sanctity of your priesthood and of the Church. During your full term in Kuwait you never levied taxes on the faithfuls for the services Church provided, in fact you fully understood the financial difficulties of the people and dealt with them accordingly. You did not commercialise Church services like what Judas did. For this reason faithfuls still long for you and your services.
Fr. Melwyn, the love you acquired thru your good deeds towards all the faithfuls was immense. You always considered Church and Church premises belonging to the faithfuls and not as your father’s property. You have never decorated the Church premises with cosmetics by taxing the poor Catholics but decorated Church with good Catholics. You did not make the Church and Church compound as Showpieces by harassing the faithfuls. You never allowed rubbish faithfuls to serve the Church in different services. You never gave opportunities to the faithfuls to leave Catholicism and embrace other denominations. You did not show roughness and rudeness as if you are a ‘Dada’ of Kuwait Catholicism. You showed your concern for every deserting faithful. You never took pleasure in seeing a devout catholic leaving Catholicism and embracing non-Catholicsm. Your priesthood was genuine Vocation and not profession to make money and to harass Catholics especially Pastoral Helpers. You never acted revengeful, you never misused your priesthood by fighting with faithfuls like a wild animal and thereby bringing disgrace on your priesthood. Priesthood is a right vocation for you because you are full of humility and kindness.
Fr. Melwyn, during your long inning in Kuwait you never humiliated and insulted any faithful. You never acted as insane with any of the faithfuls. You treated the much suppressed domestic folk with respect and kindness. You never acted harsh with them, you always understood their difficulties and always tried to help them. You always gave due respect for their normally suppressed feelings. Knowing their rigid working timings, you fixed their Mass timing accordingly so that they don’t have to inconvenience themselves. Your priesthood in Kuwait was humility for you and not arrogance to harass innocent people. You never behaved as if you are the owner of the Church. You have no pride, no revenge and no arrogance. You very well knew that you are just a visitor in Kuwait and as such you treated the faithfuls with love and kindness.
Fr. Melwyn, you have inherited all the best and humble characteristics of your predecessors namely Fr. Pinto and Fr. Gabriel who are still remembered for their excellent services they rendered for the human cause. I had previllege to associate with you and your predessors in alleviating some of the hardships of our suffering folks, especialy the domestics. You brought honour for the Carmelites for this reason people still long and admire Carmelites. Under Carmelites Church in Kuwait functioned very well. It was Carmelites who put strong base of Catholicsm in Kuwait, this nobody can deny. You and your predecessors with all your humility integrated with the Konkani community in and out of the Church premises for the promotion of our language, culture, tradition and history. May God help you to serve the society more.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
