On 18th June we laid to eternal rest our Ribandar brother Francisco Xavier Fernandes at Swindon in the United Kingdom. Local Parish Priest Rev. Father Lucas Rodrigues concelebrated the Mass at Holy Rood Church in Konkani and so was the Choir.
God has blessed me immensely with a multitude of friends across the world and Francis definitely was one of the best. We both grew up in Ribandar living just 100 yards apart. Our over five-decade friendship only got stronger every passing day. We blended very well with me evolving as an integral part of his family, defying the myth ‘Blood is thicker than water’.
A former student of Don Bosco High School in Panaji, Francis moved to Kuwait in the mid-70s where he worked for over four decades and after retirement a few years ago he relocated to the United Kingdom. Francis was extremely kind, sensitive and a caring friend to all. Absolutely humble and affable.
Memories of his hospitality on those various visits I made to Kuwait over the years will never fade. Friday morning fishing in Kuwait City was hilarious. Nostalgically remember the Ribandar Feast celebrated at Kuwait in 1987 on-board a grounded ship which was converted into ‘Kuwait Marriot Hotel’.
Francis was well connected with the authorities in Kuwait and my visiting Visa was always instantly issued. Despite Kuwait’s very stringent regulations, for me it was never ever a dry day.
Francis’s untimely death on 28th May came as a shocker as I had a long telephonic chat with him the previous day and he was in his usual good spirits. A few weeks earlier, I spent an afternoon with him and his family and as always he was the perfect host at the sumptuous lunch at his residence in Swindon, little knowing that it would be our last interaction. He may have departed but those sweet memories of our bond will linger on. May his departed Soul rest in eternal Peace with the Almighty giving his bereaved family and friends the strength to brave the loss of the great human that Francis always was.