Angelo Innocent Fernandes

His Excellency
Angelo Innocent Fernandes
Archbishop of New Delhi

Archbishop Angelo Innocent Fernandes
Church Sacred Heart Cathedral
Archdiocese New Delhi
Province Delhi State
Metropolis New Delhi
See New Delhi
Appointed 16 September 1967
Term ended 27 January 1991
Predecessor Archbishop Joseph Fernandes
Successor Archbishop Alan Basil de Lastic
Orders
Ordination 29 August 1937
by Bishop Nicolas Laudadio S.J.
Consecration 1 November 1959
by Valerian Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop j. Fernandes, Archbishop V.Dyer
Personal details
Birth name Angelo Innocent Fernandes
Born (1913-07-28)28 July 1913
Karachi
Died 30 January 2000(2000-01-30) (aged 86)
New Delhi
Buried Interred in crypt in Sacred Heart Cathedral
Nationality Indian
Denomination Roman Catholic
Residence Archbishop's House, New Delhi
Parents John Ligorio and Evelyn Sabina-Fernandes
Education STL, DD
Motto In Aedificationem Corporis Christi
Coat of arms [[File:|50px|Angelo Innocent Fernandes's coat of arms|alt=]]

Angelo Innocent Fernandes (1913-2000) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Delhi from 1967 to 1990. He was born in Karachi on 28 July 1913, trained for the priesthood, and was ordained in 1937 in Bombay (Mumbai) where he became Rector of the Cathedral. In 1960 he was appointed Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, and later served on two Vatican Council commissions under Pope John XXIII. He was a founding member of the World Conference on Religion and Peace.

Biography

Fernandes was born into a devout Catholic family of the late John Ligorio and Evelyn Sabina Fernandes in Karachi, Pakistan (then part of India). He attended school there at St. Patrick’s High School and continued to St. Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore to prepare for his priestly studies. He graduated from the famed Papal University, Kandy, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and was ordained on 29 August 1937 in the Archdiocese of Bombay.

Before his transfer to New Delhi (Capital of India) as Coadjutor Archbishop he was Rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Name, Bombay having served as Secretary to Archbishop Roberts and also the late Valerian Cardinal Gracias as his secretary. He was consecrated by His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias on 1 November 1959 on the very grounds where his funeral mass was held. He was Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (1960–1972). Initially he was engaged in pastoral work in Bombay including the fields of education and social service. From 1966-1976 he was appointed Consultor and later member of the Pontifical Academy "Justice and Peace" concerned actively with world cooperation for development at all levels and furtherance of world peace. He was also a member of the Secretariate of the World Synod of Bishops (1971–1974).

Nominated in 1963 by Pope John XXIII to be a member of the Vatican Council Commission "De Episcopis et Diocesium Regimine". In 1964 Co-opted as member of the Commission "Pro Ecclesia in mundo hujus temporis" Archbishop Fernandes had important links with the Government of India and was considered as an important and eminent invitee for various State Functions. For the Gandhi Centenary Year he was a member of the National Intergarion Committee. In many respects he was Gandhi-like in both attitude and lifestyle.

International scope of work

Fernandes lectured on religion and philosophy and on educational and cultural matters to all types of audiences in India, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Great Britain, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Italy and all parts of the USA. His radio talks have been largely on All India Radio, Radio Vaticana, National Broadcasting Corporation-New York, Radio Eirenean, BBC, Radio Koln and KRO-the Netherlands.

He undertook a World Tour under the auspices of the Christian Family Movement in connection with Ecumenical Meetings on Development, Justice and Peace. He paid an official visit to Russia as leader of the Vatican delegation to the Russian Orthodox Church. In connection with multi-religious work in the fields of human rights, development, disarmament, environment he travelled to Turkey, Scotland, England, Finland, USA, Japan, Singapore, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, various European countries and Canada. He also visited Sri Lanka, Burma, Iran, Aden, Mauritius, Israel, Portugal, Spain, France, Poland, Sweden, East Germany.

World Conference on Religion and Peace

Archbishop Fernandes was a founding member and the first president (1970-84) of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP), an international organization of representatives of the world's major religious traditions who meet to study and act upon global problems affecting peace, justice, and human survival (disarmament). Fernandes attended the world conferences in Kyoto, 1970; Louvain, 1974; Princeton, 1979; Nairobi, 1984; and Melbourne, 1989 as well as numerous regional assemblies.

Publications

Personal life

Archbishop Fernandes’ mother tongue was English, but he also spoke Konkani, Latin, Hindi, Italian and a smattering of French. Besides reading and writing, he was interested in classical music, particularly the violin, and he took a keen interest in sports, but actively in swimming.

Fernandes had a younger brother Stanislaus (deceased 2004) and an older brother Emil (deceased 1994). They are survived by Emil’s sons - Melvyn, Robin, Geoffrey, Kevin and Dana, all of whom reside in Canada (Toronto and environs).

References

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