Varun Rodrigues SJ

He is charismatic. He is jovial. He is systematic. He is known for his love for wisdom. He is a thinker. He is a person who is never satisfied with mediocrity. He is a counsellor and a guide. He has a deep sense of the presence of God in creation. He is a true collaborator in God’s saving work. He is a friend. He is Fermin D’Souza.

In 1958, on 20th June Fermin joined the Novitiate in Vinayalaya, Bombay. Latin was simple for him as he had 5 years of classical Latin in school; however, he was allergic to English poetry although he spoke and wrote it well. The 30-day long retreat was the biggest influence on him and also the experiments, as he tried to be a John Berchmans in a hurry. In this endeavour teaching Catechism seemed to be his second love. After a year of Marathi were 3 years of Philosophy. His thesis was on Teilhard de Chardin and Humanism. He was chosen to defend a Thesis versus the rest of the campus’ representative.

After a year’s Regency in St. Britto’s, Fermin was sent to Innsbruck, Austria to do both Theology and group Psychology. He was ordained in Germany in 1970. After his return to India, he was Junior Master, moulding the minds and hearts of the young sons of Ignatius, and then was asked to be in the Mission of Ahmednagar, followed by his Tertianship in Gujarat. After his Final Vows he was appointed the Rector of Dnyanamata Agricultural High School in Sangamner, and did AICUF, retreat work and counselling Seminars. This gained more impetus in Margao where Fermin fought against the evils of Carnival and the Freedom of Religion Bill. Both St. Vincent’s High School and St. Xavier’s Parish, Poona, had left an indelible mark in his quest to serve. Playing Priest for Fermin was more a know-how of religious life than a game. In 1988 he was the Director of Xavier Retreat House, Baga. Later he went to the Missions of Sindhudurg, and Chiplun, where he was also engaged in inter-religious Dialogue. A year later he was in Panaji giving retreats and formation courses for Priests and Nuns.

In 2003 Fr. Fermin went to West Africa doing Trauma Healing and Retreats in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia. He returned to Goa to begin CLC (Christian Life Community) from scratch as also retreats, formation courses and counselling. After all this, this year, “as an offering of greater value,” he says: “I am planning to go to Liberia for Trauma Healing for two years and after assessment to continue further.”

The Society is truly blessed with a person of this calibre who sees frontiers and boundaries not as obstacles or ends. He is known to his counselees as a star who fills the dark night of their lives and a flower that brightens their day, never once falling short of giving his best even to, (as he says), “the last drop of my blood for a joyous eternity.”

Birth
25 September 1941

Entrance
20 June 1958

Ordained
25 July 1970

Last Vows
22 April 1976