MargretGerken: Starting initial entry more to come...

2026-01-26T21:37:25Z

Starting initial entry more to come...

New page

{{Short description|Roman Catholic bishop (1917–1985)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Mathias Sebastião Francisco Fernandes
| honorific_suffix =
| title = Bishop of Mysore
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Catholic Church]]
| archdiocese =
| province =
| metropolis =
| diocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Mysore|Mysore]]
| see =
| term_start = 16 November 1963
| term_end = 9 May 1985
| predecessor = René Feuga
| successor =
| opposed =
| other_post =

| ordination = 16 November 1963
| consecration = 3 February 1964

| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|11|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[São Matias, Goa]], [[India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1985|5|9|1917|11|4}}
| death_place =
| buried = [[St. Philomena's Cathedral, Mysore]]
| resting_place_coordinates =
| nationality = Indian
| religion = [[Roman Catholic]]
| residence = [[Mysore]]
| parents =
| spouse = 
| children =
| occupation =
| profession = 
| alma_mater = [[Rachol Seminary]]
| motto =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| coat_of_arms =
| coat_of_arms_alt =
| other =
}}

'''Bishop Mathias Sebastião Francisco Fernandes''' (4 November 1917 — 9 May 1985) was a [[Roman Catholic bishop]], the first native to be bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Mysore|Diocese of Mysore]] in [[Mysore]], India (16 November 1963 — 9 May 1985). His tenure was marked by the introduction of a number of religious orders offering educational opportunities within the diocese. He was of [[Goan]] origin.

== Priest, Bishop ==
Fernandes was born on 4 November 1917 in [[São Matias, Goa|São Matias]], [[Goa]]. He attended [[Rachol Seminary]] and was ordained priest on 26 October 1944.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Vaz|first=J. Clement|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DJLxYBYA-YC&dq=bishop+mathias+fernandes&pg=PA65|title=Profiles of Eminent Goans, Past and Present|date=1997|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7022-619-2|pages=65|language=en}}</ref> He served as parish priest of the [[St. Philomena's Cathedral, Mysore|St. Philomena's Cathedral]] in Mysore and later as Bishop of Mysore (16 November 1963 — 9 May 1985, consecrated 3 February 1964). Bishop Mathias attended Sessions 3 and 4 of the [[Second Vatican Council|Vatican Council II]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Catholic Hierarchy website|url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bfernsfm.html|access-date=2 June 2020|website=Catholic Hierarchy}}</ref>

== Contributions ==

=== Educational ===
Bishop Fernandes supported efforts of the church in establishing schools in the diocese.

With his backing, the [[Ursulines|Ursuline Sisters]] to set up a number of schools.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Shanthi High School|url=https://www.ufes.in/shanthi-high-school/|access-date=2 June 2020|website=Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Nirmala Convent Kannada Medium Higher Primary School|url=https://www.ufes.in/nirmala-convent-kannada-medium-primary-school/|access-date=2 June 2020|website=Ursuline Franciscan Education Society}}</ref>
He also supported the work of the Apostolic Carmelites to open a school.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of the Carmel English School|url=https://www.ackarnatakaprovince.org/institutions/english-medium-secondary-schools/841-carmel-english-school-nanjangud-1968/510-carmel-english-school-nanjangud-1968|access-date=3 June 2020|website=The Congregation of the Apostolic Carmel Karnataka Province}}</ref>
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany open a school during his tenure.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of St Joseph's Convent, K R Nagar|url=https://www.bethanycongregation.org/provinces/bangalore-province/352-09-st-joseph-s-convent-k-r-nagar/90-st-joseph-s-convent-k-r-nagar-09-07-1989|access-date=3 June 2020|website=The Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany}}</ref>
He invited The Sisters of Notre Dame to work in the diocese. They established a high school.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of the Visitation Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame|url=http://www.sndbangalore.org/|access-date=3 June 2020|website=Sisters of Notre Dame: Visitation Province}}</ref>
Bishop Fernandes also backed the founding of St. Joseph's College of Education in Mysore.<ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Joseph's College of Education|url=http://www.stjcollegeofeducationmysuru.in/about-us/|access-date=3 June 2020|website=St. Joseph's College of Education}}</ref>
As was his predecessor, Bishop René Feuga, he was also a patron of [[St. Philomena's College, Mysore|St. Philomena’s College]] in Mysore.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History – St. Philomena's College (Autonomous)|url=https://www.stphilos.ac.in/about-us/history/|access-date=2020-06-03|language=en-US}}</ref>
St. Matthias School in Mysore was set up in memory of Bishop Fernandes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History|url=https://stmatthiasschoolmysuru.in/about-us/history/|access-date=2020-06-04|language=en-US}}</ref>
With Fernandes's support, the [[Little Sisters of the Poor]] opened a home for the aged in Mysore.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Little Sisters of the Poor in Mysore - Caring for the elderly Poor|url=https://www.littlesistersofthepoorindia.org/mysore|access-date=2020-06-03|website=littlesistersindia|language=en}}</ref>

=== Ecclesiastical governance ===
Soon after his consecration, Bishop Fernandes erected a structure for a church in Malavalli, a town in the district of Mandya.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Daijiworld - A News portal linking West coast of India and the World|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/sponsoredDisplay.aspx?sID=1849|access-date=2020-06-03|website=www.daijiworld.com}}</ref> The church and parish of the patron saint of the Bishop's [[São Matias, Goa|ancestral village]] are dedicated to Saint Mathias.

He enabled the Ursuline Franciscan sisters to establish the Christu Raj Convent, in [[Hanur]], which was established on 11 June 1979.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Christuraj Convent|url=https://www.ufsmysuru.org/directory/christuraj-convent/|access-date=2020-06-03|website=www.ufsmysuru.org|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1979, the Bishop requested the Bethany congregation to set up a convent in Kutta, in the [[Coorg]] (now [[Kodagu]]) district, to meet local educational and pastoral needs. This was inaugurated as the St. Mary in November 1981; it also administers the school of St. Mary's in the same settlement.<ref>{{Cite web|title=13. St. Mary's Convent, Kutta|url=https://www.bethanycongregation.org/provinces/bangalore-province/356-13-st-mary-s-convent-kutta|access-date=2020-06-04|website=Bethany Congregation|language=en-gb}}</ref>

Members of the Institute of the [[Sisters of Charity]] of Sts. [[Bartolomea Capitanio]] and [[Vincenza Gerosa]] (SCCG) set up Aashirvad in Krishna Raja Pete, and the school Capitanio Nilaya in the same location, after being invited by the Bishop, to work in education, health-care and socio-pastoral work.<ref>{{Cite web|title=:: Sisters of Charity {{!}} Mangalore Province :: Karnataka > Chikmagalur|url=http://mlore.sccg.in/Network_KA_Mandya.html|access-date=2020-06-03|website=mlore.sccg.in}}</ref>

In 1984, Bishop Fernandes invited the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne, Bangalore, to start a new foundation at Pushpagiri, Belvathagrama, some 7 km from Mysore city, initially to run the existing Kannada Primary School belonging to the parish and to help in the parish activities. This led to the establishment of the Convent of St. Anne in the village.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pushpagiri {{!}}Our Lady of Mercy Province|url=http://www.ourladyofmercyprovince.org/community/pushpagiri.html|access-date=2020-06-03|website=www.ourladyofmercyprovince.org}}</ref>

Bishop Mathias was able to persuade the Royal Family of Mysore to sell the ''Rani Thota'' property to the Discalced Carmelites of the Manjummel Province<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to Carmel Monastery, Margao, Goa|url=http://carmelgoa.com/Necrology.html|access-date=2020-06-04|website=carmelgoa.com|archive-date=2020-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604192453/http://carmelgoa.com/Necrology.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> where they established Pushpagrama in 1962.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to Infant Jesus Shrine, Naidunagar, Mysore, Karnataka State, INDIA|url=http://www.infantjesusmysore.in/devotion.html|access-date=2020-06-04|website=www.infantjesusmysore.in}}</ref>

Following the Second Vatican Council, which urged that seminarians have graduated before entry into the novitiate, the [[Society of the Divine Word]] (Società del Verbo Divino - SVD) in 1972 decided to base their formation house in the city of Mysore, a proposal welcomed by Bishop Fernandes which enabled the establishment of Vidya Niketan<ref>[http://www.svdinm.in/vidya-niketan,-mysore.html Vidya Niketan]</ref> in 1974. He was also involved in inaugurating a new system of formation in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Yumpu.com|title=Vidya Niketan, Mysore - Svdindia.org|url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/51934252/vidya-niketan-mysore-svdindiaorg|access-date=2020-06-03|website=yumpu.com|language=en}}</ref>

=== Ecumenical, inter-religious dialogue ===
Bishop Fernandes is credited with having initiated and guided the project of producing the first inter-confessional Bible in the Kannada language, completed in 1998.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Arangaden|first=Chrysostom|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gECVq81qj30C&dq=bishop+mathias+fernandes&pg=PA88|title=Fiddler in the Zoo|publisher=iUniverse, Inc.|year=2011|isbn=978-1-4620-6104-4|location=Bloomington, IN|pages=88}}</ref>

His web of friendships also spread to people of other religions, as is evidenced by the narrative of Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem, who was entrusted the Bishop's pectoral cross with the charge to hand it over to the Bishop should he survive, or to his successor in the event of his death.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-07-20|title=Two Keepers of the Holy Cross !|url=https://starofmysore.com/two-keepers-of-the-holy-cross/|access-date=2020-06-03|website=Star of Mysore|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Death==
Fernandes died of [[sepsis]] on 9 May 1985. He is buried in the St. Philomena's Cathedral in Mysore.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Nayeem|first=K. Javeed|date=July 20, 2018|title=Two Keepers of the Holy Cross !|work=Star of Mysore|url=https://starofmysore.com/two-keepers-of-the-holy-cross/|access-date=1 June 2020}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernandes, Mathias Sebastião Francisco}}
[[Category:People from Goa]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in India]]
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:1985 deaths]]

Mathias Fernandes - Revision history

MargretGerken: Starting initial entry more to come...