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| Friends (Left-Right): Tony Wilson D'Costa, Philip Tushar Gomes and Rock Ronald Rozario on Holy Cassock Day at Holy Spirit National Major Seminary in Banani, Dhaka on 11 April, 2015. |
“If
your friendship lasts longer than 7 years, you are no longer just friends. You
are family”—is one of the most memorable friendship quotes. It has been more
than ten years I have met and been in a friendly relationship with Philip
Tushar Gomes, a wonderful man who decided to give up all worldly pleasures for
love of God and God’s people for the rest of his life. He could have a life of
his own and enjoy all the comforts that today’s extremely globalized, materialistic
and consumerist modern world can offer. But by embracing ‘eternal priesthood’
Philip has made an extraordinary choice—to live a life in the service of God
and His people.
More
than a decade ago, I met a bunch of energetic, dedicated and witty youth
activists when I joined Episcopal Commission for Youth as a member of the
Executive Committee including Philip Tushar Gomes, Tony Wilson D’Costa and Lawrence
Dipankar Gomes from Dhaka, Manik D’Costa and Clifton Gomes from Chittagong, Sony
Ratna from Khulna and Pius Nanuar from Sylhet. From 1999-2007, I was a priesthood
candidate myself and spent years in three diocesan seminaries in Dhaka. My time
in the youth ministry became worthwhile and a learning experience because of
these friendly people I met and worked with.
