Very. Rev. Msgr. Francis Elias D’Souza, then Parish Priest of Holy Rosary Church, Alangar, Moodbidri, founded Mount Rosary Tuberculosis sanatorium in the year 1937. Tuberculosis disease was very rampart not only in the Moodbidri area but also in the Malnad region of Karnakata. The disease was caused because of Malnutrition and alcoholism. In those days, there were no medicines to treat the disease as we have now. Msgr. D’souza built a sanatorium ward, called Holy Rosary ward in the present campus of Mount Rosary. He studied ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines to treat T.B. disease. But his devotion to Holy Rosary was supreme. With the medical care he learnt, and praying the Rosary together with tuberculosis sick people was bringing miraculous cure. Most of the sick people who were admitted in the Holy Rosary ward were cured and went to their respective homes. But some stayed back, because the family people feared the contagion of T.B. disease.
In the Holy Rosary ward he was admitting up to 50 sick people. There were also women folk who were sick of the same dreaded disease and for them he built a women’s ward called the Little Flower ward. There were around 20 sick women at that time.
In this ministry of healing he recruited young women, to assist and care for the sick patients. There were also widows who joined to serve in this healing ministry. Them he trained in paramedical work to take care of the T.B. sick and the convalescent. We have a record of 14 such women collaborating with him in the Lord’s work. One of them was also trained in Madras in Nursing care. In the year 1989, there were 11 such volunteers working in the Mount Rosary Institutions.
Msgr. Francis Elias Dsouza was born on 5-5-1893 at Perdane in Bajpe. He was the son of Mr and Mrs. Modthin DSouza, a famous God-fearing family. From his childhood, he had fear of God and because of this he joined the Seminary at Jeppu. He was very brilliant in studies. He was ordained as a Priest in the diocese of Mangalore on 3-12-1920. He has spent 38 years of his Priestly life as a missionary. At the beginning, he was teaching the seminarians. Same time, he worked for the Dalit people at Valencia parish. In the year 1929 he was transferred to Holy Rosary church, Alangar. He established the new church of Alangar in the year 1933. At that time, there was a dreaded disease T.B. was prevalent and people were suffering and dying.
Msgr. F.E. Dsouza was called “Servant of the Poor – a Holy Priest” He had great devotion to the Rosary. He was always telling, because of this Rosary, all these works are done, not because of me. He was kneeling down and praying the Rosary and Mother Mary, Queen of the Rosary was blessing his intentions. He was very kind and compassionate towards the sick patients, who get admitted in the sanatorium. He had love for his servants or helpers. He took care of them with love and faith. For his great and noble works Pope Pius X11 honoured him with the title MONSIGNOR in 1952. He passed away on September 3, 1958, at 9.15pm with the Rosary in his hand.
