James deSouza

James “Jimmy” deSouza was born on December 11, 1925, in Karachi, Pakistan. He was educated at St Patrick's High School, Karachi.[1] He received his religious training at the Papal Seminary, Kandy, Sri Lanka, which he entered in 1944 and was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi on 24 August 1951.[2]

Fr. Jimmy taught for a while in St Paul's English High School, and then in St. Anthony's School. Later he was appointed Principal of St. John Vianney’s School and held this post for many years.

One of his many appointments was as pastor to the small Bengali-speaking community in Karachi from 1963–1973. He was also involved with their repatriation to Bangladesh in 1973, working with the ICRC and UNHCR. He also taught at St Patrick's High School, where he recruited students to read to the blind at the Ida Rieu School.

He was appointed Rector of the St. Pius X Minor Seminary in Karachi in 1974. Earlier he had been the first Chaplain of the Monastery of the Angels. When he became the Rector of the Seminary he used to send his Seminarians to help the sisters whenever they had some difficult work like cleaning of the Retreat House, a special planting project in the garden, or other heavy jobs. The sisters in turn supplied them with home – made jam, bakery goods, and fruits and vegetables from their garden.

He was St. Patrick’s Cathedral's 40th parish priest from 1995 to 2000.[3] One of his major achievements was in renovating the cathedral building during 1998-1999 with funds from parishioners, former parishioners and well-wishers in Karachi and abroad.[4] The Cathedral was damaged when a bomb set off by suspected fanatics went off three days before Christmas in 1998.[5]

In 2001 he celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his priesthood.

He was parish priest of St. Lawrence's Church, Karachi in 2006-2007.[6]

Fr. Jimmy celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination on August 24, 2011 with Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Mass was concelebrated by the Archbishop and 34 of the diocesan priests and followed by a Reception for Fr. Jimmy.

See also

Veteran Pakistani Roman Catholic Priests

References

  1. ↑ June 5, 2005 The Indian Express
  2. ↑ "UCANews.com November 10, 1993".
  3. ↑ The Christian Voice, Karachi, April 11, 1999
  4. ↑ "Dawn February 17, 1998".
  5. ↑ "UCANews.com April 24, 2000".
  6. ↑ Christian Voice, August 5, 2007