Isidore Fernandes (bishop)

Isidore Fernandes (2 January 1947 – 26 April 2023) was an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Allahabad from 1988 until 2013.^[2][3][4]

His Excellency The Most Reverend Isidore Fernandes DD
Bishop Emeritus of Allahabad
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Archdiocese of Agra
Diocese	Roman Catholic Diocese of Allahabad
See	Allahabad
Appointed	5 May 1988
Installed	4 August 1988
Term ended	31 January 2013
Predecessor	Baptist Mudartha
Successor	Raphy Manjaly
Other post(s)	Chairman, Proclamation Commission, Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (2007–2011)[1]
Previous post(s)	Vicar General of Allahabad (1980–1988)
Orders
Ordination	29 October 1972 by William Gomes
Consecration	4 August 1988 by Cecil DeSa
Rank	Bishop
Personal details
Born	(1947-01-02)2 January 1947 Kalathur, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	26 April 2023(2023-04-26) (aged 76) Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
Buried	St. Joseph's Cathedral, Allahabad 25.4575°N 81.8444°E
Nationality	Indian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Casmir Fernandes(father), Lucy Fernandes(mother)
Alma mater	Papal Seminary

Styles of Isidore Fernandes
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Lordship

Ordination history of Isidore Fernandes
History Priestly ordination Ordained by William Gomes Date 29 October 1972 Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Cecil DeSa Co-consecrators Baptist Mudartha Patrick Paul D'Souza Date 4 August 1988

Early life

Isidore was born in Kalathur, Udupi on 2 January 1947, to Casmir and Lucy Fernandes.^[3] His paternal Uncle was Anthony Fernandes, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Bareilly

Priesthood

Isidore completed his high school studies at St. Mary's High School in Shirva, Udupi, Karnataka. He then joined the St. Paul's Minor Seminary in Lucknow and was then sent to the Papal Seminary in Pune, where he studied philosophy and theology. Isidore was ordained to the priesthood by Most. Rev. William Gomes, the then bishop of Poona, on 29 October 1972.^[5]

Episcopate

Fernandes was appointed bishop ^[6]by Pope John Paul II on 5 May 1988, and his episcopal ordination took place on 4 August 1988, at the hands of Most Rev. Cecil D'Sa, the then archbishop of Agra. At the time of his episcopal ordination, Isidore was one of the youngest Catholic bishops in India at age 41.

On Thursday, 31 January 2013, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Bishop Isidore Fernandes, from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Allahabad.

Death

Fernandes died from a heart attack on 26 April 2023, at the age of 76. He was a priest for 50 years and a bishop for 34 years.^[7]