Father Ignatius Gilbert Rasquinha passed away on May 15 at the age of 89 in Yucca Valley where he had retired.
Fr. Rasquinha was born in India on April 1, 1933, one of six children born to a family of farmers.
He joined the seminary in 1956 and was ordained for the Archdiocese of Mumbai on December 21, 1965. He served at various parishes in India before moving to New York in the 1980s, where he served in parish ministry and as a chaplain at a hospital for the mentally ill.
Fr. Rasquinha moved to California and became the Pastor of St. Christopher of the Desert, Joshua Tree, in 1997, serving there for 11 years. He was assigned to St. Mary of the Valley, Yucca Valley, in 2002 in addition to being the Pastor of St. Christopher.
Fr. Rasquinha’s Mass of Resurrection was held at St. Mary of the Valley, Yucca Valley on May 21. We give thanks to God for Fr. Rasquinha’s 56 years of service to our Church.
Fr. Ignatius Rasquinha's casket is blessed at his funeral on May 21 at St. Mary of the Valley, Yucca Valley.