FR. CONCEICAO RODRIGUES
AND HIS CONTRIBUTION
by Edna D'Souza
Fr. Conceicao Menino Rodrigues was born on 27th March 1912, at Betalbatim in South Goa. He joined the Rachol Seminary and became a diocesan priest. During the Exposition of the relics of St. Francis Xavier at Old Goa in 1931, he and his companions were inspired to start a new Society, with St Francis Xavier as their patron (foreign religious societies had been suppressed from 1835). The salient features that would make it different from the diocesan priesthood would be those of living in a community under a Superior, according to a written Constitution, and spreading the message of salvation in India, through the sons of India. The approval was granted, and the society of St. Francis Xavier (sfx), commonly called the Pilar Society, was established at Pilar in 1939.
Influenced by the struggle for Independence in British India, Fr. Conceicao wanted Goa also to be free from Portuguese Rule. This was dangerous ground to tread on as the Church in Goa sided with the Government. He was reprimanded for his freedom of expression and fearing further reprisals, he left Goa and went to Bombay in the early fifties. He took up residence in Bandra where he saw many children on the streets, instead of in school. His concern led him to gather them in one place and try and teach them. He soon realized, however, that they could not cope with formal education and so he tried teaching them various skills, which they were quick to pick up. He consequently started short-term vocational training like carpentry, mechanical and fitters’ courses, and also started a shelter to keep the children off the streets.
Seeing his good work, the people of the neighbourhood donated land and money near the Bandstand in Bandra, and thus was Agnel Ashram founded on 9th June 1957. Later, more branches were opened in other parts of Bombay and India, and requests and donations kept pouring in. A need was felt for such courses in Goa in the 1970’s, and large tracts of land on the slopes of a hill in Verna were donated for the purpose.
It was a challenge for Fr. Conceicao and his assistants to level the ground and plan the projects. Being a visionary, he took it in his stride, making a blueprint of the short-term and long-term projects that could be undertaken to fill up this vast area. The Agnel Polytechnic was founded in 1980 alongside the residence of the priests, offering Production, Automobile and Construction Engineering courses. Agnel Industrial Training Institute was also started in 1980, which was affiliated to the National Council for Vocational Training in New Delhi. An orphanage was started in 1981, the foundation stone of which was laid by the then President of India, Shri Giani Zail Singh. Along with the orphanage, a small clinic, a tailoring shop, and a primary school were started. The High School was started in 1984.
However, Fr. Conceicao was not satisfied with these achievements. He wanted Vocational Education to be recognized on par with other academic qualifications. He strove hard to get University recognition for the Degree course in Engineering. This he finally achieved, but the joy and relief were so great that he got a massive heart attack, and expired in June of the same year, i.e.1984.
Today, there is a Padre Conceicao College of Engineering in Goa, founded in 1997 at Verna, approved by the Government of Goa, affiliated to the Goa University and recognized by the All India Council for Technical Education. Here undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses are offered. There are also short term courses in different skills and trades which, without any discrimination based on caste, creed, or I.Q., help thousands of students get education, develop skills and be assured of a future. The orphanage too was expanded to 22 cottages, which house about 200 children. Most of the projects on the original blueprint have seen completion. During the recent silver jubilee celebrations, a citation was awarded posthumously to Fr. Conceicao by the Government.
Fr. Conceicao’s vision for the less fortunate, therefore, goes on spreading, thanks to those who remain faithful to his mission of taking the message of the “Good News” to all Indians, through the “Sons of India” via Agnel Technical Education Complexes. Credit must also be given to the nephews of Fr. Conceicao, both of them Senior Citizens – Fr. Orlando Rodrigues, who is Director of the Agnel Technical complex in Mumbai and Fr. Peter Martin Rodrigues, who is the Director at the complex in Verna - and to all those who assist them in running these huge complexes.