My name is Agnelo Rodrigues, born and raised up in Mumbai, India. I was named “Agnelo” after Fr. Agnelo D’souza, Pillar, Goa who is at present Venerable and in process of Canonization of Saint. I was a very religious boy as I was in school. When I was in lower grade, I was moved by the preaching of the missionary priest who visited our parish to preach the retreats during the Lenten season. I didn’t knew they were Redemptorist, but I had a though to be a priest. I was devoted to Our Mother of Perpetual Help and very often participated in the novenas at St. Michael Church, Mahim Mumbai.

In Mumbai I grew up in Hindu colony, as I grew up I became more active as a non-catholic than a Catholic and was leading a non-catholic organisation. I had planned to join the politics and be a political leader. My mom constantly prayed for me to our Blessed Mother. I had filed my immigration papers to Canada in the year 2000 and I was told it would take at least 12 – 15 months for the interview to be scheduled, but after three years I was told many interviews were cancelled and many applications were rejected due to September 11, incident. Finally I had lost my hopes to reach to Canada.

In December 2003, I attended a Retreat at “Divine Retreat Centre, Potta”. Lord revealed His unconditional love for me. I repented for my past and did a very good confession after many years. I had experience Lord’s forgiveness, healing and blessing. Retreat at the Divine had changed my entire life and gave me a new life in Lord Jesus. And also Lord helped me to reach to Canada without spending a single rupee of my own. On 14th March 2005 I landed in the soil of Canada, the country which was a dream of my life and on 8th December 2008 I became the Canadian Citizen.

In Canada I was working for a bank as “Corporate Accountant” with a very good salary and benefits. But still deep within my heart I was not happy, something was bothering me, I did not understand. With the help of the Spiritual Direction, I started discerning my call. I have great desire for Evangelization and to preach the Gospel to the poor and the most abandons.

I often visited St. Patrick Church, Toronto for the novenas of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In month of June 2009, I met Fr. Santo Arrigo, the vocation director for the Redemptorist and started discerning. I participated in the Liguori Circle, young adult groups and also participated in the Redemptorist Family dinner gatherings which I was filled with joy in my heart to see the Redemptorist Family united in love. It was also a great home experience when I had stayed at Redeemer House for few weeks I felt as I was at home. All my doubts and questions were answered when I had attended the “Come and See weekend” in November 2009. At present I’m a candidate for the Redemptorist for the fall 2010.

“Where could I go to escape from you, LORD? Where could I get away from your presence? If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there. If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, you would be there to lead me; you would be there to help me.” Psalms 139:7-10