Gstnit at 11:24, 5 March 2026

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{{short description|Portuguese Catholic priest (1869–1927)}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=February 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type= priest
| image=Venerable_Agnel.jpg
| caption = Portrait of de Souza, early 20th century
| honorific_prefix = [[The Venerable|Venerable]]
| name = Agnelo Gustavo Adolfo de Souza, [[Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, Pilar|SFX]]
| birth_date = 21 January 1869
| birth_place = [[Anjuna]], [[Goa]], [[Portuguese India]]
| birth_name = Agnelo Gustavo Adolfo de Souza
| church = [[Roman Catholic Church]]
| nationality = Portuguese
| ordination = 24 September 1899
| ordained_by = [[Archbishop]] [[António Sebastião Valente]]
| death_date = 20 November 1927 (aged 58)
| death_place = [[Rachol]], Goa Portuguese India,
| buried = Our Lady of Pilar Monastery, [[Pilar, Goa]]
| alma_mater = [[Rachol Seminary]]
}}

'''Agnelo Gustavo Adolfo de Souza''' [[Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, Pilar|SFX]] (21 January 1869 – 20 November 1927), was a Portuguese [[Roman Catholic]] priest of the [[Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, Pilar|Society of Pilar]] who performed missionary work in [[Goa]], then part of [[Portuguese India]]. The cause for his [[beatification]] has been accepted for investigation by the [[Holy See]], and has progressed to the point that he has been declared [[The venerable|venerable]].

== Life ==

=== Early life ===
De Souza was born in the village of [[Anjuna]], [[Portuguese Goa]], to Miguel Arcanjo de Souza and Maria Sinforosa Perpetua Magalhães. His parents had nine children, eight sons and a daughter, among whom Agnelo was the sixth child. Even as a small child, all were impressed by his behaviour. From a young age he would remember sermons heard at [[mass (liturgy)|Mass]] and would teach ''doton'n'' ([[catechism]]), to other children, some even older than him. When De Souza was eleven, his parents died suddenly. As his mother was dying, she entrusted her children to the care of [[Mary, the mother of Jesus]].<ref>[http://fragnelpilar.in/life/life.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425232631/http://fragnelpilar.in/life/life.htm |date=25 April 2012 }}, retrieved 19-11-2011.</ref>

=== Seminary ===
With the encouragement of an older brother who was already a priest, de Souza pursued a call to the [[priesthood (Catholic Church)|priesthood]]. He studied philosophy and theology at the [[Rachol Seminary|Patriarchal Seminary at Rachol]]. Always in very poor health, he was allowed to live in a private dwelling off the seminary grounds, where he was able to do his studies diligently. He secured the much coveted and singular honor of ''acessit'' in his final year of study.

Souza wanted to enter a [[religious institute]], but they had been banned in the lands under the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] Crown since 1835. After much prayer and reflection, de Souza joined the Diocesan [[Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, Pilar|Missionary Society of St. Francis Xavier of Pilar]] on 17 July 1897. He was [[Holy Orders|ordained]] on 24 September 1898, by the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa|Archbishop of Goa]] and [[Patriarch of the East Indies]], [[António Sebastião Valente]].

=== Missionary ===
On 8 September 1908, de Souza became a full-fledged member of the Society. His life as a priest took him to Siroda and [[Sanvordem]] in Goa, besides [[Kumta]], near [[Karwar]]. He was their priest, preacher, confessor and administrator.

===Spiritual Director===
The then Archbishop of Goa e Damão and Patriarch of the East Indies, [[Mateus de Oliveira Xavier]], appointed de Souza as the Spiritual Director of the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol on 20 May 1918.

==Death and beatification process ==
De Souza died on the feast of the [[Sacred Heart of Jesus]], which was on 20 November in 1927. He collapsed on the pulpit towards the end of the sermon. He insisted on waiting till the [[Benediction]] of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He was buried in Rachol. The parish priest who buried him roughly said these words "''Hanvem atanch eka Santak matiek laila"'', which means "I have just laid a saint to rest." His remains were brought to [[Pilar, Goa|Pilar]] on 10 January 1939.<ref name="test">{{cite web|url=http://www.churchnewssite.com/portal/?p%3D38770 |title=Venerable Father Agnelo de Souza : Church News Site |access-date=2013-02-15 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003757/http://www.churchnewssite.com/portal/?p=38770 |archive-date=4 March 2016 }}, para 20_line 1 and para 29.</ref>
[[File:Tomb of Father Agnelo,Pilar,goa.jpg|thumb|Tomb of Father Agnel]]

===Beatification process===
The beatification process was begun by the Society with the permission of the Patriarch of Goa in 1947. The second process was presented to the Sacred Congregation of Rites on 5 October 1959. The [[Sacred Congregation of Rites]] approved the third process of ''De non-cultu'' on 27 May 1969.<ref name="test" /> De Souza was declared venerable by the Vatican on 10 November 1986.<ref>[http://indiancurrents.org.in/images/Archives/ic41.pdf "They too are on the Way ..."]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''Indian Currents'', 06 – 12 October 2008, p. 41, retrieved 18-09-2009.</ref> The vice-postulator for his cause is Hilario Fernandes.

==Legacy==
The hymn ''Padr Agnel, amchea ixtta'' (Father Agnel, our friend) was written in his honor,<ref>[[Gaionancho Jhelo]], ank U-16, pan 239.(Konkani Book of Hymns named "Gaionancho Jhelo" Hymn no. U-16, page 239).</ref> besides ''Padr Agnelak, Altaracho Man'' and several others.

A road in [[Panaji]], [[Goa]] is named as Father Agnel Road.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiacom.com/goa/costa-dr-adelia_goa_goa_53624.html|title = Costa Dr Adelia in Panjim, Goa - 403001 on Indiacom}}</ref> A road in Gogol, [[Margao]] is also named in his honour.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003757/http://www.churchnewssite.com/portal/?p=38770 A website with some more information. ]}}
*[http://fragnelpilar.in/], a website with a lot more information, and many important links.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090821101252/http://www.societyofpilar.org/The_Venerable_Fr_Agnelo.htm The Venerable Pilar Father - Fr. Agnelo de Souza] at the website [[Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, Pilar]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070127225019/http://www.fragnelpilar.com/novena.htm Venerable Agnelo D'Souza], a dedicated website
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120425232722/http://fragnelpilar.in/programNovena_k.html Venerable Agnelo D'Souza (Fr. Agnelo) - Main Page], a dedicated webpage in Konkani

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= India}}
{{Canonization}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Souza, Agnelo de}}
[[Category:1869 births]]
[[Category:1927 deaths]]
[[Category:People from North Goa district]]
[[Category:Konkani people]]
[[Category:Christianity in Goa]]
[[Category:Scholars from Goa]]

Agnelo de Souza - Revision history

Gstnit at 11:24, 5 March 2026