Jerome M. Fernandez

Servant Of God Jerome Maria Fernandez
Bishop Emeritus of Quilon
First Indian bishop of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon
Church	Catholic Church
Diocese	Quilon
Appointed	25 September 1937
Installed	12 December 1937
Retired	30 January 1978
Predecessor	Vincent Victor Dereere, O.C.D.
Successor	Joseph Gabriel Fernandez
Orders
Ordination	24 March 1928 by  Bishop Aloysius Maria Benziger
Consecration	12 December 1937 by  Archbishop Joseph Attipetty
Personal details
Born	Jerome Maria Fernandez (1901-09-08)8 September 1901 Koivila, Quilon, India
Died	26 February 1992(1992-02-26) (aged 90) Kerala, India
Buried	Infant Jesus Cathedral 8.8844° N, 76.5660° E
Nationality	Indian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Alma mater	St. Aloysius English High School St. Teresa's Major Seminary
Sainthood
Venerated in	Catholic Church
Title as Saint	Servant of God

Styles of Jerome Maria Fernandez
Reference style	His Excellency The Right Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop
Posthumous style	Servant of God

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]}

Early life

Jerome M. Fernandez was born on 8 September 1901 in humble Thuppasseril Family of Koivila,a village in Thevalakkara Panchayath, Kollam, Kerala. ^[1] He studied from St. Aloysius School, St. Raphael's Minor Seminary and St. Teresa's Major Seminary. ^[4]

Bishop Jerome was born September 8th the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrating the birth of Jesus' mother, Mary. Much devoted to Mother Mary,Jerome adopted the name Maria later when he became the Bihop of Quilon.

Priesthood

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

Episcopate

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. Jerome M. Fernandez (1901–1992), the first indigenous Bishop of Quilon, served as the head of the diocese from 1937 to 1978, becoming at the time the youngest bishop in the world. His forty-one-year tenure was marked by a visionary commitment to education, social uplift, and healthcare. Convinced that education was the key to the integral development of his flock, he established and expanded numerous schools and colleges, culminating in the founding of Fatima College and later institutions such as Karmela Rani Training College (1960), Bharatha Matha Industrial Training Centre (1962), and Jyothi Niketan Women’s College (1973). In 1950, he realized his long-cherished dream of establishing a first-grade college at Varuvayal, which later inspired the creation of the Bishop Jerome Institute, named in his honor. Beyond education, Fernandez also advanced healthcare by founding Bishop Benziger Hospital and its associated nursing school, thereby strengthening medical services in the region. A staunch defender of minority rights, he opposed attempts to nationalize educational institutions in the 1940s and 1950s, safeguarding their autonomy. His socio-economic vision led to the establishment of the Quilon Social Service Society in 1960, which continues to support community development. ^{[5] [6]} 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

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

Sainthood

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

Bishop Jerome Institute has been set up in Kerala, India in his memory. ^[7]

References

1. "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. "Bishop Jerome declared as Servant of God". Deccan Chronicle. 2019-02-26. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
5. https://bji.ac.in/about-us/an-inspiring-story
6. https://quilondiocese.com/former-prelates-three/
7. "Bishop Jerome Institute". www.manoramahorizon.com. Retrieved 2020-11-05.