Tribute for the Soul of Rev. Fr Edwin Mascarenhas by Fr J B Saldanha
- Tribute for the Soul of Rev. Fr Edwin Mascarenhas held at St. Sebastian Church-Permannur, by Fr J B Saldanha -former Parish Priest of St Sebastian Church-Permannur, and present Parish Priest of St Xavier’s Church, Bejai- Mangaluru
Mangaluru: It is said, “The best and the most beautiful things in the world, cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt within the heart”. These are my sentiments about Fr Edwin Mascarenhas as I recall the time I spent with him. He has touched many hearts and he continues to live in the hearts of many. Fr Edwin Mascarenhas was born on 9 July 1963. He is the 7th of the nine children of late Maurice Mascarenhas and late Mrs Faustin Castelinho. After his early education, he joined the seminary on 24th June 1982 and was ordained a priest for Mangaluru diocese in his hometown Kelmbet in Karkal Taluk on 7th May 1991.
As a priest of Mangaluru diocese, he served in various capacities: 1992-93 – Assistant at Shiva; 1992-94 – Assistant at Omzoor; 1994-96 – Assistant at Bendur; 1996-98 – Parochial Administrator of Petri Parish; 1999-03 –Headmaster, St Joseph’s High School,Bidar; 2003-12 – Principal, St Antony P. U. College,Naravi; 2005-12 – Parochial Administrator, Anegundi Parish; 2013-20 – Principal, St Sebastian P. U. College & Degree College, Permannur; 2014-17 – Chaplain, Nirmala Convent; 2017-20 – Parochial Administrator, Mariashram Parish; and 1st July 2020 – Resigned on health grounds
He often shouldered more than one responsibility and he attended on every assignment with earnestness and zeal. Though I knew Fr Edwin Mascarenhas from Seminary days, I spent the past seven years with him in Permannur. I know him personally. I would like to point out a few important aspects of his life that caught my attention.
– He looked serious but he had a loving heart that cared for people.
– He had many friends from every parish he served.
– He had a good rapport with his priest friends and companions.
– He was the uniting factor among his family members.
– He had a clear vision regarding up-building of the parish community.
– He always played a twofold role as pastor and teacher.
– He would reach the school before everyone else after duly attending his parish work.
– He personally took initiative to attend office work both in the school and the university.
– He was a man of teamwork.
– He always volunteered to help in parish ministry despite being so busy in the school.
All these things made him so special. In addition, I would like to highlight some of the qualities and virtues of Fr Edwin Mascarenhas.
Priest of Deep Faith Convictions:
I admire his deep faith. In moments of crisis, he was never disturbed. His family recently saw different types of calamities such as an accident, cancer, and even death of his own brother. Despite these trying situations he continued to trust in the Lord with un-paralleled faith commitment and obedience to the voice of the Lord.
Priest Filled with Hope:
He needed a liver transplant. He was even aware that he had cancer of the bile duct and liver. He was determined to fight out the disease. In fact, the health issues confronted him for the past 12 years. He was aware that there was a steady deterioration of his health condition. But every time he was hopeful of returning to normal health. He even hoped to return to his normal activities in the school and church within a few months. Till the end, he remained positive and hopeful.
Priest who Endured all Sufferings Patiently:
Fr Edwin suffered a lot during the fag end of his life. But he never complained anything about his sickness or pain. He was patient and endured all sufferings till the end. He was appreciative of all the help given to him by the doctors and nursing staff of Fr Muller hospital.
Priest with a Specific Mission:
He had a bold convincing voice. People enjoyed listening to his sermons. He was available to the pastoral needs of the people. Most of all, he was aware that his mission was educating young adults. He went on begging with his family and friends to build schools and to help children in providing for the school fees.
Fr Edwin, you have said goodbye to this world and we believe that you are now living in the company of God. And yet we trust that you will continue to live here on earth in our minds and hearts. Adieu!
So we pray, “Eternal rest grant unto him oh Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon him and may the souls of the departed find rest and peace in you, Amen”.
–Fr J B Saldanha -former Parish Priest of St Sebastian Church-Permannur, and present Parish Priest of St Xavier’s Church, Bejai-Mangaluru
