On 28th April 2021, Deacon Clarence will be ordained a priest along with 12 other priests in the Archdiocese of Goa. Clarence comes from Ucassaim, a beautiful village nestled between a river and farmlands on one side and undulating wooded hills on the other. Ucassaim has been blessed with several priestly ordinations in recent times. This can perhaps be attributed to the religious fervour that exists in the parish of St. Elizabeth Church. For Clarence, the presence of a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes close to his home has been a source of rich blessings. Just as St.Bernadette heeded the call of our Ladyat Massabielle, today we have Clarence who is on the path to the priesthood. Clarence is the second son of three boys. His parents Thomas and Milagrin Carneiroare devout Catholics. His early inspiration came directly from their faith-filled upbringing of their children which helped Clarence to grow in love for God and the church. Instruction in the faith through catechism, daily prayers, and their own personal example set in place the foundation for a vocation to the priesthood.

His parents were extremely supportive of his decision to accept the call to the priesthood even though he expressed his desire to them in his early teens. They provided the scaffolding throughout the journey providing moral, spiritual, and financial support. When asked what his inspiration is, to consider the call to the priesthood, he responds with a smile: “My inspiration came from my then parish priest, Late Fr. Almir, and his assistant Deacon. Fr. Almir’s emphasis on the richness of the church liturgy, the manner in which he preached and lived out his vocation was my inspiration to consider the call to the priesthood. It is through the experience of the Holy Mass and serving as an altar server, that this flame of my vocation to the priesthood was kindled”.

Even though he took the decision to answer the call early in life he has never looked back; His experiences of life at the seminary coupled with great support and encouragement from his peers as well the priests have greatly solidified his decision to serve God as a priest. Seminary was not only about learning Philosophy and Theology. As part of the studies, Clarence got a chance to serve people and engage in various activities in different parishes. These outreach opportunities helped in grooming and preparing him for the mission ahead.“As a seminarian, I have served in parishes like Curtorim, Rachel, Ponda(Chapel), Agassaim, and as a Deacon, I have served in the parish of Sao Jose de Areal. The long journey of priestly formation which began at SaligaoSeminary, followed by Niwas (Duler), Rachel Seminary, and then Pastoral Institute (Old Goa) has been the most cherished phase in my life. Theseformation houses have shaped me to what I am today, and I am grateful to all the superiors and mentors who diligently focused on my overall development of the four important dimensions: Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Pastoral”.

His experience of serving in various parishes was very enriching. The parish priests with whom he had the opportunity to work have been excellent role models; through them, he has learnt what it means to be a shepherd of the flock. The parishioners of the various parishes he served were also welcoming and supportive. Asked if he faced any challenges along the way: “Yes I did face several ups and downs in this journey, but the guidance of the priests and religious brethren have helped me to keep on moving forward in this life.”

How does he plan to live out his priestly vocation? “My priestly life will be more of a pastoral ministry in which I will work for and with the people to make them heirs to the Kingdom of God. I strongly desire to be a Holy Priest. My role model who constantly motivates me is the life of St Francis Xavier who as a powerful missionary brought countless souls to God”.

Does Clarence havefavouriteBible verse. Of course, he does. Psalm 23 –“The Lord is my Shepherd” will be a guiding torch in his priestly mission.

May God bless Deacon Clarencein his priestly ministry and may his journey and experience in faith inspire many young people to heed the Lord’s call to shepherd his flock.