Dubai: Fr Freddy D'Souza - Completing 10 Years in the Service of God
 
by Jerina Lewis,  Dubai

Dubai, Dec 20: Fr Frederick Peter D’Souza, lovingly known as ‘Fr Freddy’ to all, is illustrious to Konkan community of entire UAE rather than to say only to Dubai. Within 3 years of his service as an Assistant Parish Priest of St Mary’s Church Dubai, one of the largest parishes in the Gulf coast, Fr Freddy has become popular and well-accepted by the parishioners of Dubai. Familiar by his signature bearded appearance, Fr Freddy’s ever approachable attitude with an infectious smile has won him many admirers across the world. 

Fr Freddy completes a decade of his ordained life as a Capuchin priest. Here's a short interview with him which brings to light his life and views. 

Can you please elaborate on your childhood, family, education etc?

I was born in Kedumbadi village of Vorkady parish.  We are five siblings. I am fortunate to be the 'middle one', as I have a sister and brother who are elder to me and another sister and brother who are younger to me. I was educated in my home town and after my initial education responded to the religious vocation and joined Capuchin order in 1986. After my basic training in Goa and Mangalore, I underwent my Philosophical studies in Bangalore and Theological studies in Mysore.  I was ordained a priest on December 20, 1998 at Sacred Heart Church, Vorkady. 

What inspired you to choose religious life?  How did you become a priest?  What advice would you give to someone considering to becoming a priest? 

With all my experiences in my priesthood, I feel that the priesthood is not meant for all.  I sense, it was God who wanted me to become His servant to serve His church. On my part I had no interest to become one of them.  But God was interested in me. That is my conviction.  I will be very happy if someone comes forward to become a priest.  But now it is a rare chance.  Now it is really a CALL.

May you shed a light on your life at seminary? Any particular event or situation which you will remember ever?

Seminary days were really nice.  We were well protected by our Rectors and Formators.  With our Ordination, we were thrown into real-life situations.  We had to learn to swim against the current.  But it is really a nice experience.  

Can you recollect what were your sentiments on the day of Ordination?

I was very happy to receive the Sacrament of Ordination.  It was witnessed by nearly 5000 people on a Sunday.  All were happy at home.  

Can you give us a brief account on various places you served after you were ordained? 

Immediately after the Ordination, I was sent to Farangipet near Mangalore to our training centre to help our Seminarians in their training process.  After six months, I was transferred to Bejai, Mangalore to train our Brothers.  At the completion of two years of service there, I was appointed as an Administrator of the Spirituality Training Centre (FISI) in Bangalore.  Again, after two years, I was assigned as a Director and Superior of the Seminarians in Potnal, Raichur, Karnataka.  After two and half years of service there, I was asked to board Dubai flight to take up the pastoral duties in the Parish.  It has indeed been an incredible and memorable journey so far.

What was your take on Dubai before you arrived here? Any specific recollection on the day of arrival or initial days in Dubai.  

I landed in Dubai on Thursday, so next day it was Friday and it was amazing to see the huge crowd.  For the first time, I was encountering the Filipino community in Dubai and I was not aware of their custom of receiving the blessing from the priest.  As I was passing by, after the nine O’clock mass, someone pulled my hand from the crowd.  When I turned and saw, I got shock of my life, as she was a Filipino girl pulling my hand.  But gently she placed my hand on her head and asked “Bless Me Father”.  

Please detail your life as Assistant Parish Priest in Dubai, like what do you do on your average day?     

The words are not enough to express my activities during the day.  Every moment is utilized without keeping any record.  As long as the Lord is there with me, I have no worries.  He will keep all the records.  

Well, only one thing I have decided is to put an additional counter in RTA for blessing the cars!!  Immediately after the registration, 'blessings' will follow. Since I have to pay heavy rent for the counter, there will also charges for the blessings and once the rent is covered every month, others will have free blessings!

Can you please narrate one or two funny instances that took place in your life?     

Oh! Life is full of fun.  During my studies in the seminary, one day our cook was not present. So I was asked to prepare the breakfast.  Instead of sugar, I prepared tea with salt and served everyone!  Funny thing was that everyone drank the tea without a complaint and congratulated me for the different taste in preparing the tea!  

Can you recount any memorable experience either of Dubai or India, which is still fresh in your memory?

I cannot forget even a single day in Dubai.  For the last 3 years, all my days are memorable ones, filled with new experiences and I am sure that one will not have these experiences if he/she lives in any other part of the world. My priesthood is being utilized to the maximum here.

Do you recall any difficult/grieving/depressed moment encountered in life?

There were so many difficult moments in my life.  But I was never depressed due to them.  Only it was very difficult to accept the death of my dad when I was in Australia.  Before leaving for Australia, I heard my inner voice speaking to me that dad will be called by God soon. Accordingly, I was in a dilemma as whether to take up the journey or not. So, I called my sister-in-law at home to enquire about my dad and she said that he was quite okay then.  All through my journey, I was thinking of it. On my way to Australia, my cellphone went off due to low battery. 

When I landed in Sydney there were no immediate facilities for us to make calls.  It took 3 days to call my home number.  On the day he passed away, I again heard my inner voice telling me that I would be receiving the message about his demise after the celebration of the mass.  Therefore, I did not switch off the mobile phone, but kept it on silent mode.  Immediately after the mass, as I was walking back to my residence, I took the mobile in my hand and saw that there was this message of my dad’s demise. Now, I did not know how to work out to reach for the funeral, since everything comes to a standstill by 5 pm in Australia. Eversince I had left Dubai, I could not eat properly.  Particularly on this night, I did not have anything, just thinking of reaching for the funeral. That whole night I did not even get sleep.  However, early in the morning, for a while, I got little sleep and saw a dream.  In this dream,  I was attending the funeral and my dad spoke from the coffin,  assuring  me to stay back in Australia for the rest of the programme and come back only after the completion.  That brought me little consolation.

Any future aspiration you want to fulfill? 

I do not have any future aspirations.  I take life as it comes and the rest, I leave in God's hands.
 
Your message to the readers/well-wishers? 

Be a follower of Christ for 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 30 days in a month and 365 days in a year.

Now, some of one-liners for your response:

What are the finest things about being a priest?

There is only one fine thing is “The Priest is a Representative of Christ”

What are the difficult parts of being a priest?

Almost everything is difficult.  Only He has to take it easy.

Do people treat you differently because you are a priest?

Majority of them treat me as one among them and also some of them keep distance.

Who is your favourite Saint?

Padre Pio

What do you thing would happen if Jesus had been around today?

Everyone would have left the job and run to Him with the list of favours!

The person you desire to meet?

Only Jesus

The specific area of your interest (teaching / singing / preaching?)

Teaching

The place you are yearning to visit?

Whole world is in the list!

One past incident you could change, if you were given an opportunity?

Response to the “CALL TO PRIESTHOOD”!