Anthony Fernandes

Prelate of the Catholic Church (1936–2023)

RankBishopPersonal detailsBorn(1936-07-06)6 July 1936
Kalathur (Mangalore), Madras Presidency, British India
Died3 February 2023(2023-02-03) (aged 86)
Delhi, IndiaBuriedClergy Cemetery, HarunaglaNationalityIndianDenominationRoman CatholicParentsDavid Fernandes(Father), Bridgit Fernandes(Mother)[1]Previous post(s)Vical General of VaranasiMottoWitness to the Light
Styles of
Anthony Fernandes
Reference style
  • His Excellency
  • The Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop
Ordination history of
Anthony Fernandes
History
Priestly ordination
Date2 December 1964
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated by
Date29 March 1989
PlaceSt Alphonsus Cathedral, Bareilly

Anthony Fernandes (6 July 1936 – 3 February 2023) was an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Bareilly from 1989 until his retirement in 2014.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Early life

Bishop Anthony was born in Kalathur, Udupi, on 6 July 1936, to David and Bridgit Fernandes.[1]

Priesthood

After his high school studies at Don Bosco School, Shriva, Anthony joined the diocese of Varanasi. He completed his initial formation at St Paul’s Minor Seminary, in Lucknow, which was followed by studies in philosophy and theology at St Joseph’s Regional Seminary in Allahabad. He was ordained to the priesthood during the Eucharistic Congress held in Mumbai on 2 December 1964.[1]

Anthony worked as a priest in Varanasi and Gorakhpur for 26 years and felt deeply responsible for the poor and the needy in those regions. During his pastoral ministry, he worked ardently for the education of children and the empowerment of women.

Episcopate

On 19 January 1989, Pope John Paul II took the momentous decision of erecting a new diocese—the Diocese of Bareilly—by promulgating the bull Indorum Inter Gentes. By this bull, six districts of the Diocese of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh, namely, Bareilly, Nainital, Almora, Pithoragarh, Shahjahanpur and Pilibhit, were carved out to form the new Diocese of Bareilly, and the church of St. Alphonsus was designated as its cathedral. The newly erected diocese was made a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Agra.

On the same day, the pope appointed and proclaimed Anthony Fernandes, the vicar general of the Diocese of Varanasi, as the bishop-elect of the newly erected diocese, by promulgating the bull Eodem Animi Pastoralis. [2][3][4][10]

Fernandes' ordination as the first Bishop of Bareilly followed on 29 March 1989 at St Alphonsus Cathedral, Bareilly.

Death

Fernandes died from multiple organ failure in Delhi, on 3 February 2023, at the age of 86.[11] He was a priest for 59 years and a bishop for 35 years. [12]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Bishop emeritus of Bareilly Anthony Fernandes passes away".
  2. ^ a b "Bishop Anthony Fernandes [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  3. ^ a b "History - Catholic Diocese of Bareilly".
  4. ^ a b "History - Catholic Diocese of Lucknow".
  5. ^ "Bareilly Diocese".
  6. ^ "Diocese of Bareilly, India". GCatholic. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Apostolic Nunciature, India & Nepal". Apostolicnunciatureindia.com. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Bishops from Diocese of Udupi".
  9. ^ "Bishop Bishop Anthony Fernandes | Bishop of Bareilly Diocese Bishop Anthony Fernandes | Ucanews". directory.ucanews.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Diocese of Bareilly". Diocese of Bareilly. 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  11. ^ "Bishop emeritus of Bareilly Anthony Fernandes passes away". Daji World. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Bishop Anthony Fernandes passes away".
  • Diocese of Bareilly
  • Anthony Fernandes at Roman Catholic Hierarchy
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Post created
 Bishop of Bareilly
1989–2014 		Succeeded by


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