Monsg. Filipe Neri Mendonca popularly known as Fr. Mendonca was
the 3rd principal of the fist English High School of Goa, St. Joseph’s
High School, Arpora. About 35 years he
worked as principal of that school. He was the great educationist of Goa having
obtained first class in MA degree in Latin and acquiring second rank. He died in August 1966 and interred at
Arpora/Nagoa. During Portuguese time he
enjoyed highest respect from the Portuguese government for promoting English
education in Goa. During the critical
time of the relationship between Indian government and Portuguese government in
mid fifties, he acted as a peacemaker between the two governments with respect to
educational matters concerning Goan students appearing for SSC thru Poona
Board. Regarding English education in
Goa, the Portuguese Governador of Goa used to consult him on important
decisions on education. Many times he
calmed down the Portuguese authority in favour of Goans in the matter of
education and his voice had great respect before the Portuguese authority.
Immediately after the ouster of
Portuguese from Goa, some Goan “goondas” from that locality came with Guns and
Revolvers to kill Fr. Mendonca for being Portuguese government’s “chamcha” but
a few minutes before the final operation
his personal driver sensed something serious would happen and immediately took
him away from Arpora school to Bastora Nun’s School without anybody’s notice and
thus the faithful driver saved the life of his boss. This driver’s faithfulness towards his boss
was an example of past century’s faithfulness. Though Supreme Court of India in
its landmark judgment on Goa said that on 19th December 1961 Goa was
not liberated but conquered yet Fr. Mendonca went a step forward and remarked openly in his school saying that Goa on
that fateful date was not liberated but in fact was Invaded by Bahrat.
Fr. Mendonca was the first Goan
educationist to receive the national award for being the best educationist of
Goa after the ouster of colonial rule in Goa and this award was presented to
him in New Delhi at Rastrapati Bhawan by the renowned philosopher educationist
president of India Dr. Radakrishnan.
After the presentation of the award the president requested Fr. Mendonca
to delay his return to Goa since he wanted to discuss some private matters with
Fr. Mendonca concerning Portuguese administration in Goa. Not satisfied with the discussion, the
president again invited Fr. Mendonca to Delhi after 3 months to get more
information of the subject about which nobody in Goa knew except Fr. Mendonca
since his relationship with Portuguese government was very friendly especially
with the last Portuguese Governador of Goa, Vassalo e Silva.
After a few days from 19th December 1961 when the
situation became normal in Goa, Fr. Mendonca returned from hiding at Bastora to his school at Arpora and resumed
his school work. Then immediately Goa
Bishop Rebello appointed him as an adviser on Diocesan schools. Candolim St. Theresa’s School was just
shifted to the new location in the Church premises under the principalship of
the Church Pe. Vigar, Pe. Nicholau
Noronha and Fr. Mendonca was advising Pe. Noronha on this school matters. One day during his discussion with Pe.
Noronha, Fr. Mendonca as a representative of the Bishop advised Pe. Noronha to
stick up to only one job, either of Principal of the school or of Pe. Vigar of
the Church because he said both the jobs are independent, each needing
full time devotion and concentration.
However, in the end, Fr. Mendonca suggested to give priority to Pe.
Vigar’s job which is the pastoral job for which Pe. Noronha became priest and not to become school principal. Priest’s
job is to do full time pastoral work and not of educational.
Fr. Freddy J. D’Costa when he
first time came to Kuwait to stage his Tiatro in the Church hall, he approached
the Kuwait Bishop Monsg. Frances Mechallef for permission for hall. Mong. Mechallef refused his permission and immediately
fired a letter to Goa Bishop Raul Gonsalves asking him “Why did you send Fr.
Freddy to Kuwait? To stage Tiatro? Is it
a job of a priest to stage Tiatros by ignoring his pastoral duties? Is he a priest to stage Tiatro or to perform
his pastoral duties? And what pastoral
significance his visit to Kuwait is having?”
Bishop Gonsalves nor Fr. Freddy
had any appropriate answer and they both
kept silence admitting their mistake.
Today Catholic community is in much trouble needing pastoral help from
the priests many of whom have no time to devote their time and energy for this
job because they have to devote their precious time for something else for
which they did not become priests. Pastoral job is a full time job of a priest without
any interference of any other job.
During his first visit to India, the late Pope Paul John advised the clergy to refrain from taking active part in activities other than Pastoral which are yours and nothing else.
Hence, Bishop of Goa will be
doing a great service to the Catholic community by splitting the job of Pe.
Vigar from the job of the school principal. Entrusting both the jobs into one priest will
damage the efficiency of both the jobs.
A. Veronica
Fernandes,
Candolim,
Goa.
Tel: 7507394349.
