Mishap, illness claim lives of two parish priests
MAPUSA/VALPOI (TheGoan): Two parish priests serving in two parishes in North Goa passed away in separate incidents on Sunday evening.
In one case, Fr Daniel Alphonso (58), parish priest at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Valpoi, died in a hit-and-run road mishap in Sattari taluka on Sunday evening.
According to reports, the incident took place at Kumbarkand-Valpoi at about 6.30 pm while Fr Alphonso was proceeding on his scooter from Valpoi to Vante. He was struck by a vehicle and sustained grievous injuries.
A 108 ambulance shifted Fr Alphonso to the Valpoi Community Health Centre and he was referred to the GMC hospital at Bambolim, where he died of injuries while undergoing treatment.
Hailing from Panarim-Aldona, Fr Alphonso, a member of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales (MSFS), had been parish priest of Valpoi since the last seven years and this was his second stint as parish priest in Valpoi. He had also served as manager of Our Lady of Lourdes High School and Higher Secondary, Valpoi.
Parishioners of Valpoi were shocked on hearing the news of the death of Fr Alphonso and a large number of people gathered at the Valpoi police station.
Later, Valpoi police detained a man from Colvale in connection with the hit-and-run mishap and took him to the police station. An irate mob assaulted the suspect as he was being taken for a medical checkup.
Many described Fr Alphonso as a smiling priest who was active in various religious, social, cultural, educational and development activities in and around Valpoi.
Health Minister Vishwaji Rane expressed grief over the untimely demise of Fr Alphonso and said the demise of Fr Alphonso had left a deep void in Sattari taluka. In the second case, Fr Arun D’Souza (30), parish priest of Camurlim-Bardez, passed away after a brief illness on Sunday evening.
According to reports, Fr D’Souza, SMM, was a member of the Montfort Fathers and was posted in the Santa Rita de Cascia Church in Camurlim barely two years ago.
He had been admitted in a private hospital in Dona Paula in a critical condition about a week ago and messages seeking prayers for his recovery had been widely circulated on social media.
Fr D’Souza hailed from Kakkeri village near Khanapur in Belagavi district and is the nephew of Fr Cajetan D’Souza, a senior priest with the Diocese of Belgaum.
Incidentally, Fr Daniel Afonso, who died in an accident in Sattari, had also served in the Kakkeri Parish in the past.
The sudden and untimely deaths of these two priests have shocked the clergy and laity in the Diocese of Belgaum.
