(Remembering my priest companion on his death anniversary...Here is the sermon of the funeral mass celebrated by our then provincial Fr. Tony D'Souza sdb)
FR. ANAND DALMET SDB
FR. ANAND DALMET SDB
NO
MORE WITH US - FOREVER WITH GOD
Dear Confreres,
Once again death
has struck our Province and a little down the rungs of our ladder, claiming
this time a young priest of seven years, our dear Fr. Anand Dalmet, at the age
of thirty-eight.
It was the 9th October 1997, Fr. Anand
had travelled overnight by train to Jaitala, Nagpur to the Church of Our Lady
of Fatima to preach at the novena service. He preached on devotion to Mary and
urged the people to find their hope and Joy in the family rosary. Informed
about an elderly sick parishioner, he volunteered to carry Holy communion to
the sick person accompanied by Sister Isabel of the Fatima Sisters
Congregation. On his return back while driving
across on the Nagpur Highway at 8:15 p.m., he was run over by a speeding
truck. Sr. Isabel fell off the bike and
sustained fractures in the arm and leg and is recovering in the government
hospital in Nagpur. For Fr. Anand It was instant death but it was also I
believe instant Life ! Fr. Anand died with Jesus, in fact, from his lifeless
body I lifted the pix which contained Holy Communion.
With these last
acts of ministry, Fr. Anand concluded his service as a priest in Jaitala, the
very place where he began seven years ago.
St. Paul in 2 Timothy says:
Here is a saying
that you can rely on:
If we have died
with him, then we shall live with him,
If we hold firm,
then we shall reign with him. (2Tim
2:8,11)
Born on 20th
September 1959 at Bassein, his parents Braz-Anton and Merciana brought him up
in a holy family of christian faith. He was baptised on 11th October
1959 at Nirmal, Bassein, and received the sacrament of Confirmation on 26th
March 1970. He entered the Salesian aspirantate in Borivli from 1972 to 1975
and later was transferred to the aspirantate to Lonavla from 1975 to 1978.
While still a student, at home, he completed his Junior college and picked up
tailoring as a trade. He entered the
Salesian novitiate at Nashik on 24th May 1978 and professed on 24th
May 1979 in Nashik. During his studies of philosophy in Yercaud, Madras, he was
privileged to receive the cassock from the hands of the Rector Major, the late
Rev. Fr. Egidio Vigano.
After completing
his practical training in the houses of Don Bosco Matunga and Don Bosco Borivli,
he made his perpetual profession on 24th May 1986. He completed his
theological studies from 1986 to 1990 in Kristu Jyoti College Bangalore and was
ordained a priest by Simon Cardinal Pimenta on 1st April 1990 in
Vasai. He was appointed in Jaitala, Nagpur, as Assistant Parish Priest of Our
Lady of Fatima Church, and Vice Principal of St. Joseph’s High School. After
three years of zealous ministry in Jaitala, he spent a year in St. Dominic
Savio’s Boys’ Home Andheri as Prefect of Studies, and in 1994 he took charge as
Vice-Rector of the community and Principal of Don Bosco High School Yervada
Pune. The life of Fr. Anand Dalmet though brief leaves behind very many happy
memories in grateful hearts among his family members, his confreres and the
youth and people he cared for. He came across to us all as a strong and well
built Salesian and more than his looks, his gentle personality attracted us to
make friends with him. Though a bit shy and reserved by nature, he made great
effort to reach out a helping hand to people and youth in need even at the cost
of sacrifice.
As a Salesian
religious, he lived a very exemplary life and related with much respect
towards his superiors and confreres. Fr.
Anand was a man of unassuming ways and simplicity. He was very popular among
the confreres who enjoyed poking fun at him and always got away with a smile
from Anand. There were times when he did feel hurt but he never kept a grudge.
His obedience to
his superiors was characteristic of a man of faith. There were moments in his
life when misunderstandings crossed his path but he turned to God in prayer and
found strength in Jesus. There was much
of the human in Fr. Anand and his tastes for the little joys of life stayed
with him till the end.
He had a strong
sense of duty and fulfilled his responsibilities in the best way possible. As
Principal, he was concerned about discipline but then his kind heart always got
the better of him on many occasions. His students both in Jaitala and Pune
mourn the loss of a friend and loving Principal. The school staff appreciated
his sincerity and understanding ways.
There was a
little touch of elegance in Fr. Anand. A slight look of seriousness in his face
but he couldn’t help hiding his friendliness and humility, preferring to suffer
in silence rather than hurting anyone. His sense of humour could be read more
in his eyes than on his lips. We shall miss that smile that we all remember as
a smile of a priest gentle and understanding, compassionate and concerned, a
smile behind which he also carried bravely his little hurts and disappointments
of life. We shall remember him as a young, exuberant Salesian with a radiating
smile that spoke of his love for Jesus and the Church, for Don Bosco and the
Salesian Congregation and for poor simple people and our youth.
We shall miss
Fr. Anand very much. Our hopes seem
shattered but our faith in God assures us that he is with Jesus and that he
will continue to stay with us and obtain for us His choicest Blessings.
Unlike the young
man of the gospel who asked, ‘Lord, what
must I do to gain eternal life?’ Fr.
Anand responded promptly to the call of
Jesus to follow Him leaving everything behind and follow Him he did, faithfully and enthusiastically as a Salesian
Priest of Don Bosco.
True to His word,
Jesus has granted him Eternal Life earlier perhaps than anyone of us expected.
We surrender ourselves to God’s will and pray ‘ Fr. Anand may you be
Anand forever.’
I AM THE RESURRECTION
AND
THE LIFE
Monday, October 13, 1997
Fr. Tony D’Souza sdb
Provincial
