09 Mar. 1932 – 4 Oct.2013
A Tribute To Fr. Patrick D’lima: A Great Teacher And A Renowned Writer
Persons recall the sight of Fr. Patrick D’ Lima as a Jesuit doing his daily exercises of marching and drill in school building or playgrounds. Such a regular sight of an elderly Jesuit inspired school boys in keeping up their exercises. At that sight others remembered St. Ignatius of Loyola, the marching ‚Noble Knight leader of a brave array struggling to promote God’s greater glory. Indeed Fr. Patrick’s entire life was a disciplined one, touching equally his spiritual and other duties, inspiring others to follow him. At birth Patrick was really at death’s door but was saved by an emergency baptism of an Irish nurse and kept alive by her loving care. Named Patrick by that nurse his parents rejoiced at seeing him alive and in prayerful gratitude took him to St. Francis Xavier’s shrine in Old Goa. Apparently the Lord preserved Patrick’s life to heed his call to him to be a Jesuit.
After that, he kept good health, attended St. Vincent’s school nearby run by Jesuits and later completed his Bachelor of Arts in a Poona College. Athletics and sports gave him further strength in body while he cultivated his taste for music and singing. His father who served in the Indian railways and his mother lovingly faithful to her domestic duties gladly let him join the Society of Jesus as he desired, and happy to have made their own efforts along with others in nurturing his faith life.
His years of formation readied him for priestly life and living out the Society’s charisms. After completing his B.Ed and his tertianship he was appointed as a Goa- Poona Jesuit to St. Paul’s School Community, Belgaum to take part in its educational apostolate. His years of service there lasted over 25 years. Like the faithful servant of the master he brought to bear on this work the flowering of his many talents. He never sought to become nor became a head master or a school manager. Till today he is remembered for his total investment of himself in the field of education at St. Paul’s. In the classroom and on the playfield, stage and platform he sought to bring the best out of his pupils minds and hearts, in their skills of body and voice, and by singing and playing musical instruments for the school band. Every year he found time to prepare the entire school time-table and made sure of moral science and religion for every class within government regulations. He even prepared his own series of moral science books for every class and another series of talks for school assemblies. Above all he gave those whom he taught values for life, especially by his own life style.
His priestly zeal led him to foster his apostleship of prayer and First Friday mass after school hours. In the town he also put up a yearly religious play for people, often on a saint’s life or some religious theme. The money he earned from these plays he distributed to missionaries through his catholic staff and school boys whom he took for visits to mission stations. Likewise collections from Christmas carol singing for which he trained boys to visit the home of Christians. These activities in turn fostered priestly/religious vocations.
After retirement from schools he took up several appointments as parish priest or assistants at Pune, Satara, Panchgani and Kolhapur. After these ministries he was sent to candidate’s houses in Kolhapur and in Pune to teach English and be a Spiritual Father for over 10 years. In spite of being hard of hearing he forged ahead in such assignments. During all these ministries there flowed from his resourceful pen many simple, readable spiritual publications expressed in short practical ways of Christian prayer and living. He offered such earnings from this source for Jesuit works. Thus he passed his spare time profitably.
As regards preparations for offering masses he took pains to write and use short notes for his homilies and preserve these for future use. He readily helped out in writings called for by the provincial when he lived at the provincialate. Naturally he kept his marching and drills till old age and illness began to take their toll on him and he required doctors’ aid and hospital care. He passed away on 4th October, 2013. May he who led many a choir in earthly melodies hear the angelic choirs in heavenly harmony while enjoying the eternal vision of God!
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