My name is Albano Da Costa. I was born grew up and educated in Goa, India. At the age of 17, I joined the Divine Word Missionaries at SVD Mission Seminary, Raia, Goa, in June 1995 and completed my novitiate in 2002. I did my studies in philosophy at SVD Vidhya Bhavan, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from 2002-2004 after which I obtained a Masters in Philosophy from RDVV University in Jabalpur.
After my Masters, I lectured in the subject areas such as the Indian concept of God (Indian Theism), Introduction to Indian Philosophy and Indian Classical Systems in two of our regional Institutes of Philosophy in Bhopal, India. After my initial experience in teaching and formation, I underwent four years of theological training in Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV), Pune, India.
I was ordained priest on 10th May 2011. After ordination, I received my first mission assignment to the Australian Province of the SVD and spent four years working in the Catholic parishes of Wainuiomata, Petone, Waiwhetu, and Eastbourne in the Lower Hutt Valley in Wellington, New Zealand. While in Wellington, I was appointed as board member for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand by New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference (NZCBC), and member of the Council of Priests in the Archdiocese of Wellington.
In April 2015, I was granted permission and approval to pursue higher studies in Rome, where I learnt the Italian language and did my Licentiate in Missiology (Ad gentes) at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome from 2015-2017. After obtaining my licentiate, I moved to London and underwent further training in academic writing, studies in European society, and comparative studies in culture at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London in the UK. While at SOAS, I succeeded in receiving an unconditional offer to pursue higher studies in religious studies at the University of Oxford.
University Appointments
- Lecturer (Yarra Theological Union)
Teaching disciplines
MissiologyResearch areas
External Affiliations
- International Association for Mission Studies (Member)
- Australian Association of Mission Studies (Member)