Jerome Maria Fernandez was the first Indian bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon, India.[1] He is the founder of the Missionary Sisters of St.Therese of Infant Jesus (MSST).[2] He was declared Servant of God on February 24, 2019 by Kollam Bishop Paul Antony Mullassery at Infant Jesus Cathedral, Thangassery.[3][4]


Jerome Maria Fernandez
Bishop Emeritus of Quilon
First indian bishop of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon
ChurchCatholic Church
DioceseQuilon
Appointed25 September 1937
Installed12 December 1937
Retired30 January 1978
PredecessorVincent Victor Dereere, O.C.D.
SuccessorJoseph Gabriel Fernandez
Orders
Ordination24 March 1928
by Bishop Aloysius Maria Benziger
Consecration12 December 1937
by Archbishop Joseph Attipetty
Personal details
Born
Jerome Maria Fernandez

8 September 1901
Koivila, Quilon, India
Died27 Feb 1992
Kerala, India
BuriedInfant Jesus Cathedral
8.8844° N, 76.5660° E
NationalityIndian
DenominationRoman Catholic
Alma materSt. Aloysius English High School
St. Teresa's Major Seminary
Sainthood
Venerated inCatholic Church
Title as SaintServant of God
Styles of
Jerome Maria Fernandez
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop
Posthumous styleServant of God

Early life

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Jerome M. Fernandez was born on 8 September 1901 in Koivila, Kollam, Kerala.[1] He studied from St. Aloysius School, St. Raphael's Minor Seminary and St. Teresa's Major Seminary.[4]

Priesthood

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On 24 March 1928, Fernandez was ordained a catholic priest for the Roman Catholic diocese of Quilon.[1][4]

Episcopate

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Fernandez was appointed bishop of the Roman catholic diocese of Quilon on 25 September 1937 by Pope Pius XI and consecrated on 12 December 1937 by Archbishop Joseph Attipetty. He took retirement from pastoral services on 30 January 1978.[1][4] He was succeeded by Joseph Gabriel Fernandez as the 12th Bishop of Quilon.

Death

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Fernandez died on 26 February 1992 in Kerala, India.[1][4]

Sainthood

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The proceedings for the canonization was started on 24 February 2019 in Infant Jesus Cathedral, Kollam, Kerala and Bishop Jerome M. Fernandez was declared Servant of God.[4]

Legacy

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Bishop Jerome Institute has been set up in Kerala, India in his memory.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Bishop Jerome M. Fernandez [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  2. ^ "Home | MSST congregation". msstcongregation.com. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  3. ^ Staff Reporter (2019-02-25). "Bishop Jerome declared Servant of God as prelude to beatification". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Bishop Jerome declared as Servant of God". Deccan Chronicle. 2019-02-26. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  5. ^ "Bishop Jerome Institute". www.manoramahorizon.com. Retrieved 2020-11-05.