User:Dsouzaron/draft Alex Affonso

Alex Affonso was a Roman Catholic priest from Karachi, Pakistan.

Early life
He was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on October 26, 1941. His parents were Martin Robert Affonso and Agnes Philomena Affonso. He was educated at St Patrick's High School, Karachi.

He received his religious training at the Christ the King seminary. He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi in 1968.

Career
He served the Archdiocese from 1968 to 1993. His first assignment was to St. Joseph's Church in the remote area of Larkana.

Affonso served as a pastor at various parishes in Pakistan for 25 years. As Chancellor, Assistant Procurator, Vicar General, a Canon Lawyer under Cardinal Joseph Cordeiro. He had one of the finest choirs in the Archdiocese of Karachi. He worked for many years among lepers in the leper colony in Karachi. He did this service often at the risk of his life, surviving numerous attempts on his life, because of his Catholic faith.

He emigrated to the United States in 1993, and joined the Diocese of San Jose. He served in various capacities as parochial vicar at Church of the Resurrection, Sunnyvale from 1994-1997; parochial vicar and administrator at St. Simon Parish, Los Altos, from 1997 to 2007; Chaplain at O'Connor Hospital and Chaplain at El Camino Hospital from 1997-2007, and parochial vicar at St. Catherine of Alexandria parish, Morgan Hill, from 2010 to 2013.

He loved nature, music, making kites, gardening, carpentry, and sports. In school he had been an athlete and 100 meter track champion. He was even selected for the Olympics in field hockey.

Death
Affonso died in San Jose on December 13, 2013, after a prolonged illness. His Funeral Service took place on December 20, 2013 at the Church Of The Resurrection, San Jose. The eulogy was given by Fr. Mark Arnzen, the pastor of St. Catherine’s Parish in Morgan Hill. Bishop Patrick Joseph McGrath led the service. He was buried at the Gate Of Heaven Cemetery.