Golden Jubilee of Rt. Bishop Godfrey de Rosario.

Bishop Godfrey has completed  50 golden years in the Society of Jesus. He has been a happy journey, full of notable successes. He was one of the small groups of Novices who inaugurated the new Novitiate of the Gujarat Jesuit Province in Mt. Abu 50 years ago.

  During his formation in the Papal Seminary at Pune he fell under the spell of Fr. Tony de Mello, and graduated with honours in practical psychology and counseling. While doing a full time job as Vice-Principal of St. Xavier’s Loyola Hall, he boldly attempted to take a Masters in Education, attending classes on weekends in MS University, Baroda. In spite of the short time he could dedicate to the preparation for his final exams, he stood second in the university, missing the gold medal by a few marks. This success earned him the sobriquet of being “the best educated man in the Gujarat Jesuit Province.”

With these  formidable credentials he was first appointed Principal of the High school in Zankhvav and then for several years he was Principal in St. Xavier’s High School, Gandhinagar. He hobnobbed with ministers and secretaries of the Gujarat Government. He made friends with politicians, but he never played politics. His success in Gandhinagar was cut short by being appointed Provincial of the Gujarat Province. He was just two years in this responsible high post; but this short period became his training ground for a still higher post. He was ordained Bishop of Baroda by Cardinal Pimenta on Innocents day 1998.

 Bishop Godfrey is well known and appreciated for his bonhomie and ingratiating good manners. He treats guests with the most refined courtesy, and that is one of the reasons for his heavy schedule when he is in Baroda. He has plenty of people who come to visit him bringing along problems, asking for advice, begging for help. They go back generally well pleased. He is also regular in visiting pastorally the various districts of his vast diocese.Congratulations, Bishop Godfrey, on your 50 golden years in the Society of Jesus.

Report By Rev. Fr. Vincent Macwan 

(secretary of Bishop, Baroda)

Photo By Shreyas Macwan (Baroda)