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Rev. Fr. William Picardo,
s.j.
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First Barkurian born Priest – 31-03-1900.
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First ever Barkurain Jesuit Priest ordained in Rome – 25-07-1934
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First priest from Barkur to be the Head of Educational
Institution – St. Josephs High School, Bangalore – 1937 – 1953.
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One of the pioneers to establish Jesuits Mission in the newly
formed Karnataka vice province of Jesuits.
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Served as Lecturer in St. Joseph’s Seminary, Jeppu, Mangalore.
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First one to propagate and lead evangelical mission in Africa
i.e. present Tanzania and Kenya – 1960 – 1979.
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A total 60 Sixty long years of active Jesuit / Priestly life in
the vineyard of Lord.
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Breathed his last in peace, at the age of 85 to enter the
promised reward in heaven – 11-06-1985.
The year 2010 was declared the ‘Year of Priests’ by Holy See.
We at ‘Barkur-on-line’ feel proud to recall a great Priest
in Rev. Fr. William Picardo, rightly the first and probably
one of the best ever in the whole congregation of dozens of them
hailing from this small town Barkur, who served and serving every
nook and corner of this earth with dedication and sacrifice.
All of us know it for sure, these couple of pages not enough to
call back the great legacies of Fr. Picardo……, and moreover many
of the records are out of reach. However the Barkur web pages
sincerely remain indebted to Mrs. Yvette Picardo,(grand
daughter of Late Denis Picardo & daughter of NJC teacher
Jerome R. Picardo) who is of great help in compiling these few lines, an
authentic source of information, to present this, to mark Rev. Fr.
Picardo’s 25th year of heavenly abode.
Family
background:
Born on 31st March, 1900, in a devout, well to do
family of landlord’s of Barkur, William was the eldest son of his
parents – Rosario Marian Picardo and Catherine Mary
Fernandes. The younger ones to him were two brothers viz.
Alphonse Picardo and famous Denis Picardo and only
sister Fluorine Picardo.
Just imagine the good olden days where no roads, bridges and only
best established Church in the vicinity was at distant Kallianpur.
Of course Barkur parish was formed in the year, 1861, has no
proper Schools, and only High school was at distant Mangalore i.e.
St. Aloysius, hence young William had his early education at
Kundapur.
For High School, he joined St. Aloysius College at Mangalore.
During British Raj, after Matriculation, intelligent, young and
tall handsome, with European looks, would have easily fetched any
lucrative assignment for a career…..Almighty picks the best one….
and a career in the service of man and God, the young William
chosen, to the surprise of his parents and joined St. Joseph’s
Seminary Mangalore, on 20th June, 1919. After 4 years
of studies at the Seminary, he decided to join the ‘Society of
Jesus’ to be a Jesuit Priest on 17-06-1923.
As a
Jesuit priest:
After his Philosophy studies in Shembaganur, he was once again
come back to St. Aloysius College, his alma-mator, for his
regency. After a prolonged and rigorous Jesuit studies and
training of 16 long years the great auspicious day has come and
young William ordained Priest in Rome on 25th July,
1934.
The ‘Society of Jesus’, founded in 1540 by Saint Ignatius of
Loyola (1491–1556), is a Roman Catholic religious order known
worldwide for its evangelical, charitable, and educational work as
well as for its concern for social issues. Members (Jesuits) are
bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and apostolic labors.
As the old timers call back, Fr. Picardo’s was an attractive
personality – well built, attractive, handsome countenance,
stentorian yet sonorous voice, an even flow of chosen words
whether its in English or Konkani, and ideas as modern as
traditional – a super human being with a magnetic attraction. To
begin with he chose to become Preacher and Teacher at St. Aloysius
College Campus, Mangalore and around.
Career as
a Teacher and Head of Institution:
In May, 1937 it was said Fr. William had two options to make a
choice - first to go to Kallianpur to head just infant Milagres
High School (Estd 1931) and next to take up the challenging
assignment at St. Joseph’s High School in Bangalore, as a teacher.
Fr. Picardo opted for the latter. After about 6 years of service,
as teacher, Fr. William Picardo deservedly took over the
responsibility as Principal in 1943.
Sixteen long years and that too as Principal, for 10 years as the
Principal of prestigious College in Bangalore.
(St. Joseph's College in Bangalore is an autonomous Jesuit
institution affiliated to Bangalore University. It is one of a
number of interrelated sister Institutions, including also St.
Joseph's College of Commerce, the St. Joseph's Evening College,
the St. Joseph's Boys' High School and the St. Joseph's Indian
High School. The college was founded in 1882 by the Fathers of the
French Foreign Mission, and on 1 June 1937 was handed over to the
Society of Jesus, which has run it ever since. A special stamp
also was issued to honor the school for its 127 years of service)
That was the time, higher education was valued from the College
one studies and this Jesuit College was one of the pioneer
institutions in quality higher education. No doubt the School
reached to its peak of fame under this able Principal. It is with
love and respect and awe with which the alumni remember him even
this day is the tribute to the exemplary service he has
accomplished at that time!
It’s in the year 1953, when the old Calicut Mission gave birth to
Karnataka vice Province Fr. Picardo Joined the pioneers who would
toil to make the dreams come true. Once the province was in shape
Fr. William Picardo embraced yet another responsibility to train
the would be Priests in St. Joseph’s Seminary Mangalore till the
year 1960.
Mission
Africa the then dark continent:
Now Fr.Picardo was at his Sixties but very active….. and yet
another dream was taking shape.
A true missionary of Christ longing to do something very special
to the less privileged, neglected people for whom world was
unknown, so also is Christ! Yes he flew to Africa and almost two
decades Fr. William worked, lived and one with present Tanzania
and Kenya in a true apostolic dedication. Here he worked with both
Indian immigrants and native Africans learning the African
language Swahili to perfection.
Whether as a Chaplain of a Convent there, Rector of a Minor
Seminary or the Superior of the Missions it was the Kingdom of
Lord that was his first love. No one could ever trace a note of
bitterness in his voice; he might suffered in his way to spread
the word of God.
Journey
back to Mangalore in 1979:
After African Mission Fr. William was tired at the age of 80. He
returned to India. For about three months he was at Barkur in
their ancestral bungalow at Pandeshwar – Nagermut ward, with their
nephew Late JRM Picardo. With a special permission he used to
offer Masses, daily at home and me too being the next door
neighbors had that distinct privilege to attend these unique holy
Mass every day. In the evenings he was sitting in the Boat for a
ride, enjoying reading.
The holy man to its perfection, his sermons were of great
interest and with authority and substance. One can see lot of home
work, to prepare them. Though we were too young to grasp them, can
recall few of them delivered from the holy alter of Barkur Church.
It was during Rev. Fr. Joseph D’Souza’s time, as Vicar of Barkur,
he was publicly honored at Barkur to mark the Rev. Fr. Picardo’s
Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee. The memento, red in color read like
this in Konkani:
‘Edol
kellya sarvank Somiyan argan tuka Hazaar,
Mukaar
mujen- thain korchaya sarvank able Havn thayar…..’
On Tuesday, 17th May, 1983 he had the rare distinction
to be honored, with a concelebrated Holy Mass, by his Jesuit
brothers and the St. Joseph’s Seminary to thank God for, ‘Fr.
William Picardo’s 60 years a Jesuit’
We Barkurians must be proud of Rev. Fr. William Picardo for such
a marvelous personality, very near God and dear to his men. A
scholar, educationist, lived with Christian values is a true
Jesuit in life and living, we rightly place him on the ‘Hall of
famous Barkurians’ and in doing so we are just performing a
fraction of our duty towards a holy soul.
It was on 11th of June, 1985, he had his lunch and
went back to his room, in his most loved St. Joseph’s Seminary
compound, Jeppu Mangalore, to say goodbye to this world. Memories
may fade away, but people like Fr. Picardo’s will live in hundreds
of his disciples both he trained as students or as ordinary men
like all of us.
On behalf of Barkur-on-line Team & ICYM Barkur – Ex-Members
Association,
P. Archibald Furtado
– 05/09/2010. |
