Works of mercy in Bangladesh: Catholic man buries his parishioners for free
Shibu Gomes, 55, has buried at least 95 people. Digging graves is hard work; "for each, I remove almost a metric tonne of earth." He would like to have some help, "but only to make sure that I do not get buried alive when digging."
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Shibu Gomes is a 55-year-old Catholic farmer, but for the past 40 years he has also been a volunteer grave digger in Bonpara Parish, Natore, in the Diocese of Rajshahi. His contribution to the community is vital and his fellow parishioners trust this good Catholic man who has performed for years one of the corporal works of mercy underlined by Pope Francis for the Jubilee.
Shibu lives in the village of Bahimaly, about two kilometres from the church. all those who know him say that he always has a smile on his face. From a poor family, he was not able to go to school, but managed to get married and raise three kids.
Speaking to AsiaNews, he said, “In my life I have dug at least 95 graves, all of it for free. I am very happy with my volunteer work." however, "One day I'll die too,” he said. “That is why I urge myself not to be dishonest, or arrogant, not to cause pain to others. The advice I can give anyone is to live honestly, because when we die we cannot take anything with us. We shall leave everything on this earth. Everyone is equal in eternal rest. "
Although he does it on a volunteer basis, digging is really hard. “It is not easy to dig a pit,” Shibu explained. “For each grave, I remove nearly a metric tonne of earth. I often find human bones, but I am not afraid. I just need another person to help me when I dig because if the soil were to fall on top of me, I could be buried alive."
Although it is demanding work, his neighbours always see him smiling. "He never has sad face,” said one. “We depend on him. He leads a very simple life and he too could do with some financial help."
Still, for Shibu, helping his fellow parishioners is something he has done since his youth. “When somebody asked for my help, I did not pull back. This is my vocation,” he said. “I hope that one day the Lord will reward my work. I have never been interested in success, but I have tried to be faithful to God through my actions."
.png)
