There is an obituary of the late Danzil Dias written by Fr Micael Fernandes
on Goanet. Both of them had written a book entitled
Our Goan Personality and The Local Catholic Church a summary of which which
I am appending along with the obituary.
OBIT: Danzil Oscar Serafio Dias
by Fr. Micael Fernandes
Danzil Oscar Serafio Dias continued to be popularly known as
"Father Danzil" to his very end. That is a measure of the
imprint he left from 30-plus years of service to the Church
in Goa, often amidst opposition from the hierarchy. He lived
ahead of his time, read the future much before his
contemporaries, and walked in his thoughts and actions as a
forerunner who at times was mistaken for a rebel.
He was born September 4, 1941 at Sarzora-Chinchinim,
the famed 'Granary of Priests' in Goa. Danzil
hailed from an ancestry that studded several
priests. Heeding the call of priestly vocation, he
offered the prime of his life in service of the
Church, with an ardent hope of ushering a new
relationship in society, shorn of caste and class
trappings, particularly among Goa's Catholic
segment.
This was in line with the teachings of Christ, the Gospel
values and the decisions of Vatican II.
During his pastoral ministry, wherever posted as Assistant
Parish Priest or Chaplain, he set to root out man made
distinctions that divided the community. He naturally took
the side of the underdog.
Society generally resists change and Danzil's path-breaking
'activism' naturally ruffled many feathers. But the seeds
sown were germinating, sprouting and taking root. In fact,
they were illuminating the greenery of the Goa Archdiocese.
Both clergy and lay people were attracted to Danzil's
innovative ideas to create a new Church environ in the Goan
scenario, in tune with Vatican II.
The 451-year feudal set up in Goa felt threatened. The plants
from seeds sown by Danzil were uprooted and transplanted on
different ground. The Council for Social Justice & Peace was
eventually established. This demonstrated that Danzil lived
and thought ahead of time.
He associated with different groups within the Church and in
the secular domain, conceiving and articulating ideas that
were ahead of the times. Both civil and ecclesiastical
society realised the importance of his ideas, but only after
a long period, when society was on the threshold of another
socio-political relationship.
Danzil dedicated his life to bring about changes in
intra-Church hierarchical relations and improvement in the
living conditions of Goan clergy. He strove to unite the
clergy under the banner of Catholic Priests Conference of
India (CPCI), an initiative that was 'hijacked' by the then
local representative of the CBCI through two lieutenants --
later duly rewarded, one as seminary Rector and the other as
pastoral institute Director.
The path of reformation propounded by Danzil, however, was
gradually implemented. He was marginalized. Ingrained with
certain values, he did not raise a ruckus, but quietly went
his own way.
Danzil also strove to address the pathetic work
conditions and insecurity of Church employees like
sacristans and sextons. He was friends with trade
unionists like the late George Vaz, Subhash Jorge
and Christopher Fonseca. Church authorities
eventually moved to improve working conditions and
remuneration of its employees.
On Goa's larger social scene, Danzil played a key role to
bring together leaders of factions representing the backward
classes, particularly Gawdas, traditional fishermen, toddy
tappers and the like.
As a true follower of Christ, he made himself available to
the afflicted and the suffering -- whether individuals or
sections of the community -- and used his considerable
influence to get them succour and relief in their distress.
Always a man in a hurry, a man ahead of time, and a man for
others, he had little time for himself. On the morning of
June 4, 2013, while in Margao and true to his trademark
style, Danzil departed from our midst quite unexpectedly,
quickly and without suffering, and yes -- ahead of time. I
bow to the memory of a close friend and a true Christian.
--
* Fr. Micael Fernandes, MA, LLB, is an archdiocesan priest,
currently serving as Parish Priest at Batim, Tiswadi-Goa. He
can be contacted via +91-9850 630 190
* Danzil
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/8992907059/in/photostream/
...........................................................................................................................................................
Our Goan Personality and The Local Catholic Church by Mr. Danzil Oscar
Diasand Fr Michael
Fernandesk.
This book was privately published through funds raised through
donations and advertisements which constitutes some of the 154 pages..
It has ten chapters the titles of which give an indication its contents:
Catholic Religion in Goa: An Instrument of
Hegemony; Brahminical Hegemony imbued by the RCC in Goa; Our Padroado
da Goa and Her Method of Evangelisation; The Church of Padroado da Goa
no Oriente; Clericism of the RCC and the Whole People of Goa; The
Confrontational Deconstruction of Roman of the Church; Reconstruction
of the Whole People of Goa and the Konkani Culture; Secular
Perspectives of Religion; Spirituality and Faith; The Planned Synod
and its Relevance;
The book contains some peculiar pictures with titles like The Powers
of the State of Goa with photographs of the Archbishop with the Pope
and Manohar Parrikar; The Evil Forces: Clericalism - with a Kangaroo like
devilish figure hovering over a city; Combination of Lord Vishnu and
Shiva ...
The book is a swirling eddy of ideas of all sorts seething with
anger against what it sees as Brahminical Hegemony, and while it might
not always be coherent it does hurl ideas left right and center at
some perceived enemy within the Church. One of the writers was a former
Roman Catholic
priest while the other did not leave it.
.................................................................................................................................................
--
Augusto Pinto
40, Novo Portugal
Moira, Bardez
Goa, India
E pinto...@gmail.com
P 0832-2470336
M 9881126350
