The air w
as filled with great joy and thanksgiving on the morning of 29th April 2015, as Fr. John D’Cruz, sj, celebrated his Golden Jubilee of Priesthood in the presence of Bishop Lourdes Daniel, Bishop of Nashik, Fr. Bhausaheb Sansare, sj, Provincial of Pune Jesuit Province, 40 priests and a large gathering of nuns and faithful. The Mass was celebrated in Loyola Sadan Church, Shrirampur.
Born on the 8th February, 1936 in Calcutta, to a family comprising of his parents, two brothers and two sisters, moved shortly to Belgaum where he completed his schooling at St. Paul’s High School. Hearing the call of the Lord he entered the Society of Jesus and completed his novitiate and Juniorate at Vinayalaya Bombay. His elder sister also joined the Holy Cross Congregation. From 1956 – 59 he was sent to Portugal for his Philosophy studies . Later three years of Regency in Goa and then he came to Poona for Theology. He was ordained at Holy Spirit Church in Madgaon on the feast of the Annunciation on the 25th March, 1965. A year of Tertianship and he began his missionary life in the Ahmednagar District serving at various times in Rahata, Kendal, Ghodegaon, Rahuri, Sangamner, Shevgaon, and Songaon. Except for three years as Parish Priest in Beed and three years in Panchgani he has served in Ahmednagar District his entire priestly life. In 2011 he was transferred to Loyola Sadan, Shrirampur, to the present date.
Fr. John treasures his union with the Lord and will not miss his daily celebration of the Eucharist, the recitation of the Rosary, his Breviary and the reading of a spiritual book. He has always been very close to his people and empathetic to their joys and sorrows. His sharp memory assists him to remember the names of the families and the individuals therein. He has a pastor’s heart and has helped innumerable youth to complete their academic and professional studies. He has been encouraging his brother and sister to contribute to his mission work and the help he received was always passed on to help the needy youngsters for their studies. He is a prolific reader and uses the time available to him to read classics and historical literature. He lives a very simple and abstemious life, straightforward in expressing his views but open to corrections.
Fifty years of priestly yeomen service in the mission is a great grace of the Lord and we thank God for having gifted us with such an exemplary priest to imitate. We pray that God may extend to him many more years of fruitful service, good health of mind and body and a peaceful and joy filled life.
AD MULTOS ANNOS
-Joe Menezes, S.J.,
