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Pune diocese loses its shepherd, the city a vicar of depth and understanding
Cardinal Valerian Gracias ordained Valerian D’Souza as the Bishop of Poona on September 25, 1977
The broad sweep from Quartergate to St Vincent’s High school to the St Patrick’s Cathedral near Empress Garden, is a “Camp” journey that is best described as “typical”.
From the 1940s when the city began to shed its British outpost hangover, right up until the turn of the millennium, “Camp”, would describe as much a kind of person, as it would a geographical boundary.
Valerian D’souza grew up in a Quartergate bungalow, went to school at St Vincent’s, and then, as shepherd of the Catholic church in the Diocese of Pune –all the way up to Sawantwadi - would bear the title of Right Reverend, Bishop of Pune, living on the Cathedral campus.
Camp had its own Bishop. Valerian D’souza.
And Bishop Valerian (Vally, colloquially), extending his hand with the Bishop’s ring on it, to the many who would rush for a blessing after he said the occasional 8.30pm Sunday mass at the St Patrick’s Cathedral, wore the title and bore the responsibility in a manner that took his Camp credentials and made them worthy of global recognition; at least in the Christian diaspora.
Up until he became a priest, Valerian D’souza excelled in sports, especially in hockey, soccer and cricket.
He captained his college football and hockey teams and represented the Poona University in these games.
The plaudits and platitudes are plentiful. As are the books he authored and the audio recordings of his talks, in particular his Holy Week (Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday) homilies.
However, more than any, it is the title of “Singing Bishop” that best describes Bishop Vally, who was Bishop of Poona from September 1977 until April 2008.
No retreat, or talk, or even presence at a lay gathering, was ever complete without Bishop Vally picking up a guitar and delivering the punch-line in song.
From the Far East to the US, and from the Vatican to the Middle East, Pune’s singing Bishop used music, a sense of humour and joy to touch the hearts of people.
He led the church through a particularly gruesome time of Christian persecutions in the middle-to-late 1990s, sowing the seeds of cross-cultural and multi-religious dialogue, representing the church at various interfaith meets.
Krishna Kumari, working chairperson, Sadhu Vaswani Mission, said, “Bishop Valerian regarded Dada JP Vaswani as a dear friend and confidant. They shared many a fond memories, laughs and insights. Bishop Valerian embraced all religions as many roads to the one God. His spirit of compassion, of tolerance, of comforting the poor and vulnerable and of offering dignity of life to man and all beings, will be remembered.”
His successor, Bishop Thomas Dabre, who was appointed in April 2009, says, “He preached retreats mainly to priests and delivered talks in many countries of the world. He spoke at both the Worldwide Priests’ Retreats in Rome in 1984 and 1990. In India, he has been a speaker at every national Charismatic convention since 1982 and was the Episcopal Advisor to the Charismatic renewal in India.”
“Thirty-six years ago, soon after I had finished a year of scripture study and was looking to use what I had learnt, Bishop Vally encouraged me and gave me the opportunity to serve in the Diocese. That was the push I needed and his constant support enabled me to continue serving ever since. He was always available to offer input and sometimes even took the trouble to wish me on my birthday,” says co-ordinator of a lay association, Luke Lobo.
On September 25, 2000, Pope John Paul II nominated Bishop Vally as a member of the Pontifical Council to promote and coordinate Christian charity and development efforts. In May 2007, his term was extended for another five years.
Fr Malcolm Sequeira, vicar-general, remembers Bishop Vally as being “a man of great substance”.
“All his life, as priest and bishop, he played a significant role in building the lives of many. He set up many institutions to help the poor and the needy. Often he would call me and hand over money that he had received from people and say, ‘Malcolm help a poor person with this money’. He was truly a ‘man for others.”
Bishop Vally survived the roof of the St Patrick’s Cathedral collapsing in 1984. He then led the rebuilding of the edifice to the magnanimous structure it is today.
On Tuesday, February 25, Rt Rev Valerian D’Souza, Bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Poona, aged 86 years, had no more earthly resurrections to engender.
He passed away at 11.15pm in hospital.
Funeral
On Thursday February 27, at 11.30am at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Pune.
Celebrated by Oswald Cardinal Gracias, president CBCI, along with Rt Rev Thomas Dabre, Bishop of Pune
Rt Rev Valerian D’Souza, Bishop (emeritus) of Pune
-Date of birth: Oct 3, 1933; date of demise: Feb 25, 2020
- University degree course (BSc) in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics
-Licentiate in Philosophy at the Papal Seminary, Pune
-Theology at Sankt George, Frankfurt, Germany
-Ordained on June 29, 1961
-Bachelor of Education degree
-Principal of Garrison High School (now St Jude’s High School) Dehu road
-1971 - Appointed Vicar General of the Diocese
-December 1976 - Vicar Capitular
-September 25, 1977 - ordained Bishop of Poona.
Chairman of the Commission for Seminaries, Clergy and Religious; Chairman of the Commission for Youth of the CBCI Western Region; President of the CBCI Western Region; Chairman of the CBCI Commission for Women; Vice-Chairman of CCBI.
