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 Father Frances Lasrado
Father Francis is from the diocese of Dibrugarh, Assam, North East India where
he worked as a missionary for 22 years. Since Dec. 2002 Father had served in St.
James, Seaford during the two years of his sabbatical. He is glad to be assigned
to our Good Shepherd Parish & he considers it a great privilege to be a member
of the family of Good Shepherd. Father Francis is looking forward to working
with the Good Shepherd community in giving witness to the Good News
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LONG ISLAND CATHOLIC Vol. 44 No. 13 June 22, 2005 |
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| As a youngster
missionary’s talk challenged Father Lasrado
By Pete Sheehan
Senior Reporter |
Holbrook — As a high school
student in Mangalore, southwestern India, Father Francis Lasrado recalled,
he heard a missionary priest describe his work in northeast India.
“It was a strong talk. It presented a real challenge,” said Father Lasrado.
“The priest asked our class who wanted to go back to the diocese of
Dibrugarh to serve as a priest.
“Probably all the hands were raised.” The missionary said he would come back
the next year, Father Lasrado said. |
Father Francis Lasrado |
“When he came back,
just two of us said we wanted to go.” Later, the other student changed his
mind, leaving only young Francis Lasrado.
He went to Dibrugarh and began years of preparation for the priesthood. On
May 7, 1980, he was ordained a priest for Dibrugarh. For more than 20 years,
he served there as a teacher, pastor, director of communications, and a
leader in catechetical development.
“It was as the priest who visited our school described it — missionary
territory,” Father Lasrado said. “It was remote, almost primitive, with many
people who had not heard the Gospel.” Since 2002 Father Lasrado has been on
Long Island, residing for two years at St. James Church, Seaford, while on
sabbatical from his home diocese.
Last November, Father Las-rado, with his bishop’s permission, accepted a
diocesan assignment as associate pastor of Good Shepherd Church here rather
than returning to his home diocese. He plans to celebrate the 25th
anniversary of his ordination as a priest next month, while visiting his
family in India.
Father Lasrado grew up in a devoutly Catholic family and attended his parish
school. “I had a great desire to become an altar server, but there were very
strict standards. You had to be regular in the practice of your faith and
your family had to practice family prayer and family rosary.”
‘Difficult but rewarding’
Father Lasrado said that he and his family passed muster and he enjoyed
being an altar server. “There was part of me that always wanted to be a
priest, but I wasn’t sure.”
That attraction and uncertainty followed him through high school until the
visiting missionary priest brought clarity. “It appealed to me. It sounded
difficult but rewarding.”
After almost a decade in study and formation for the priesthood, Father
Lasrado’s first assignment was as an instructor at a preparatory seminary
where he served until 1982. “It was started in the bishop’s residence,”
which had been a school previously. “The bishop had plenty of room and
wanted to use the space.
“An important part of what I was doing was teaching English,” which many of
the students had not yet learned, Father Lasrado said. Growing up, he did
not speak English until he studied at the seminary.
For the next 20 years, Father Lasrado had a variety of assignments, serving
at three parishes, studying communications in England and France, and
helping establish a diocesan catechetical training center.
Beginning with nothing
A favorite assignment was from 1989 to the mid-’90s when he was pastor of a
newly-established mission parish, St. Anthony’s in Mariani. “It was on a tea
plantation,” encompassing a wide region.
“We had 13 subcenters,” or places where parishioners gathered. “We got there
once or twice a month, or more often if we could,” to offer Mass and
celebrate other sacraments. “Each subcenter had a catechist” who provided
leadership, performing many of the nonsacramental duties of a pastor.
“We had nothing and had to start everything. It was difficult work, but
there was a strong sense of pastoral satisfaction,” Father Lasrado
explained. “People heard God’s word and they responded.”
Father Lasrado spent his last half-dozen years in India at the catechetical
center. “After 10 years, a priest is entitled to a year-long sabbatical and
I had more than 20.”
So he came to Long Island in 2002. “The priesthood is a wonderful
opportunity to live your faith. You don’t need to be a priest to live your
faith, but there is much that you can do as a priest. It is awesome to
consider how you can celebrate Mass and offer the sacraments.
“I’m still praying and contemplating where I will serve in the future,”
Father Lasrado said, “but as long as I am doing God’s will, proclaiming the
Gospel and serving the Church and its people, I will be happy.”
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