Media Release
Bengaluru, Apr26: Bishop Isidore Fernandes (76), Bishop Emeritus of Allahabad diocese in Uttar Pradesh, passed away on Wednesday, April 26 at 5:30 pm due to a massive heart attack at Nazareth Hospital, Allahabad.
Funeral details are awaited. He was the Bishop of Allahabad from 4 August 1988 to 31 January 2013.
He was born on 2 January 1947 in Shirva (Our Lady of Health Church), Karnataka, which was formerly in the Diocese of Mangalore and is presently in the Diocese of Udupi. His parents were Casmir Fernandes and Lucy Fernandes. He was the eldest among the five siblings and had two brothers and an equal number of sisters. His sister, Florin Fernandes, is a nun in the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.
He completed his school studies at St. Mary's High School in Shirva, Udupi, Karnataka. He then joined St. Paul's Minor Seminary in Lucknow on 1 July 1963 and was later sent to Papal Seminary, Pune, where he studied philosophy and theology. He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Allahabad by Most Reverend William Gomes, the then Bishop of Poona, on 29 October 1972.
As a priest, he served as an assistant parish priest in Holy Rosary Church, Pratapgarh, as vice principal at St Joseph’s College, Allahabad, as the Director of the Nazareth Hospital, Allahabad, as the Diocesan Procurator, as the principal of St Joseph’s College, Allahabad, and the Vicar General of the Diocese of Allahabad.
When the see fell vacant after the retirement of Bishop Baptist Mudartha, Fr Isidore Fernandes was appointed as the Bishop of Allahabad by Pope St. John Paul II on 5 May 1988, at the age of 41. His Episcopal ordination took place on 4 August 1988, by Most Reverend Cecil D'Sa, the then Archbishop of Agra in St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Allahabad.
He exhibited his leadership qualities at the Agra Regional and National levels too. He was a member of the National Youth Office (CBCI) as well as the National Commission for Dialogue and Ecumenism (CBCI). He was also a member of the CCBI Commission for Evangelisation. At the Agra Regional level, he was the Chairman of the Youth Commission. He was also the Chairman of the St Joseph’s Regional Seminary, Allahabad, for three continuous terms of five years.
On 31 January 2013, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Bishop Isidore from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Allahabad. He was a priest for 50 years and a bishop for 34 years.