Fr. Antonio Rodrigues: A priest’s journey

Perhaps uniquely, Fr. Antonio Rodrigues first discerned his vocation on a motorcycle. Born in Goa, he is the fifth in his family of seven children, whom he credits as a consistent prayer presence in his life.

Fr. Antonio received the sacraments of first confession, first Communion, and Confirmation in 1964, at the age of seven and a half. At the time, his parish had a chaplain, Fr. Angelo D’Souza, a quiet man with considerable influence in the archdiocese, tasked with implementing directives from the Second Vatican Council, including a new catechetical system. Fr. Antonio was in this first class of catechism students, and soon after, he began to accompany Fr. D’Souza on the back of his motorcycle on preaching tours of the diocese.

At the age of 10, Fr. Antonio joined the minor seminary. As Goa was a Portuguese colony, the classes were all in Portuguese. Three years of preparatory classes gave way to classes in Latin beginning in Grade 8. 

To this day, Fr. Antonio can read Latin, but speaking in Latin is still a difficulty. One of his favourite pastimes as a minor seminarian was to play soccer, a mean sport! Every Friday, he and his classmates would inflate the balls, often to the point of bursting them. His rector was suitably unimpressed… Minor seminary was followed by another nine years of study at the major seminary, before ordination on January 30, 1986.

Fr. Antonio’s first 20 years of ministry were spent in various parishes in Goa. He spent much of his time in youth formation, including 12 years as the diocesan chaplain for the Young Christian Students, which led him across India for various youth meetings, and even as far as Malaysia. He also served as a primary school principal and organized training programs for Basic Christian Communities.

Fr. Antonio first came to Canada in 2006 to surprise his niece for her wedding in Edmonton. He had asked his archbishop for a year’s dispensation to check out the situation in Canada before settling in the Diocese of Calgary. Fr. Antonio has become what he likes to refer to as a “peripheral priest.” Aside from his first placements at Sacred Heart and St. Bernadette’s Parishes in Calgary, the last 12 years of his ministry have been spent in far-flung corners of the diocese: Coaldale, Picture Butte, Hanna, Oyen, Acadia Valley, and now, Carstairs.

Prayer is at the heart of Fr. Antonio’s ministry. The best advice he was given was to “live [his] priesthood more prayerfully” — not to set aside his prayer life for all the pressing matters that pastorship demands. The Rosary is especially central to this, having been the centre of his prayer since childhood, as is time spent praying with the Blessed Sacrament, which he recommends for anyone wishing to grow closer to Christ. As for the next generation of vocations, Fr. Antonio recommends that anyone discerning a vocation to priesthood or religious life should “form themselves as Christ would be” — to think as Christ would, and to do what Christ would do. 

​Fresh from a pilgrimage to Rome and a meeting with Pope Leo in the audience hall, we ask God to bless Fr. Antonio as he continues his ministry here in the Diocese of Calgary.

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Written by Solomon Ip, who coordinated the jubilarian features.​ Photo courtesy of Fr. Iqbal Kurshid.