By Bro. John Malvino Alfonso OCD
Margao: Mapusa Xellim and along with the members of the Secular Carmel and some parishioners gathered at the ruins of the first foundation monastery in Old Goa to celebrate the feast of the first Carmelite Martyrs – Blessed Dionysius (Dennis) and Redemptus on November 29.
Fr. Marlon Rodrigues, who is based at the Carmelite monastery Margao, while delivering homily at the solemn Eucharistic celebration appealed to the congregation to live a life of sacrifice in order to yield the harvest of God’s Kingdom. “The worth of being a true disciple is total fidelity to a person of Christ and to his kingdom even if it means bearing hardships and difficulties,” Fr. Rodrigues said. He added that dying to the world and serving the Lord wholeheartedly are the two ways of making this sacrifice. Reminding the faithful gathered about the process of dying to anything is not easy, it is painful, Fr. Rodrigues said that our dying will bear fruit. He also recalled the life and the sacrifices made by the Blesseds Dennis and Redemptus.
Fr. Walter Lobo, who is the member of the Carmelite Seminary at Peddem Mapusa, presided over the Eucharistic celebration.
Speaking on the occasion, Fr. Silvestre D’Souza, Superior of the Carmelite Monastery, recalling the historical background of the First Discalced Carmelites Monastery (Covento Do Carmo), which was established in 1619, said that, “This is holy and historical place for us. Blessed Dennis and Redemptus lived in this Monastery and they were received by Fr. Philip, a great theologian. These two Blesseds were sent to Indonesia and later they were martyred in Sumatra. So they became the First Martyrs of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites,” Fr. Silvestre added. “Once the Carmelites were expelled from Goa, this site was in ruins. But once again, the Carmelites returned in Goa in 1938, we started taking interest, started visiting and celebrating mass on the feast of these Blesseds. Then we started the process of re-acquiring the place of the ruins. This site measuring 925 sq.m was entrusted back to the Carmelites in 2005 and we are in the process of conserving it. We need to aquire some surrounding area. He appealed the faithful to pray for the cause so that one day the Carmelites may re-established our presence here,” he said further.
It is recalled that Blessed Redemptus had been a Portuguese soldier and had once captained the garrison at Mylapore. He joined the Carmelites and obtained to be a non-clerical Carmelite brother through a profession of vows in 1635 at Old Goa.
The other was Fr Dennis, a French sailor, an excellent seaman and a cartographer, one of whose chart of the Indian Ocean has been preserved in the British Museum till today.
He needed the permission of the Portuguese Viceroy to enter Carmel, because he had been promoted, though a Frenchman, to a position of major significance in the Portuguese navy. He was admitted in the Novitiate at Old Goa in 1635.
First Carmelite Martyrs
When the ambassador, Francis D’Souza was to leave for the East Indies, being requested by the government, his superiors allowed Fr Dionysius to go along with the delegation sent by the viceroy to the sultan of Achen in the East Indies.
The erstwhile cartographer was accompanied by Br Redemptus of the Cross. While the ambassador and his troupe were released, these two were enslaved for some time, and subjected to torture before being martyred on November 29 1638.
These first martyrs of Teresian Carmel were beatified by Leo XIII in 1900.