Fernandes was born into a devout Catholic family of the late John Ligorio and Evelyn Sabina Fernandes in Karachi, Pakistan. 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 and was ordained on 29 August 1937 in the Archdiocese of Bombay. Before his transfer to New Delhi 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. 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. 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 United States. 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, the United States, 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 of the World Conference on Religion and Peace, 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. Fernandes attended the world conferences in Kyoto, 1970; Louvain, 1974; Princeton, 1979; Nairobi, 1984; and Melbourne, 1989 as well as numerous regional assemblies.
Publications
1. "Humanization-A Process of Love": St. Paul Publications, Allahabad
2. "The Role of Religious in the Mystical Body": CRI-Women, Calcutta
3. "The Role of Religion in a Technological; World": St. Paul, Allahabad
4. "Renewal & Adaptation of Religious Life": CRU-Calcutta
5. "The Role of the Family in a Changing World": Nirmala Press, Ernakulam
6. "The Role of Good People in Society": St. Paul Publications, Allahabad
7. "Religion and Peace": St. Paul Publications, Allahabad
8. "Religion and the Quality of Life": Sanjivan Publication Assoc., New Delhi
9. "Religion and a New World Order": Sanjivan Publication Assoc., New Delhi
10. "Apostolic Endeavour": St. Paul Publications, Allahabad
11. "Towards Peace and Justice"-1981
12. "God’s Rule and Man’s Role"-1982
13. "Summons to Dialogue"-1983
14. "The Christian Way Today"-1987
15. "As You Pray So You Live"-1992
16. "Building Bridges-The Missing Dimension in Education"-1993
17. "Experience in Dialogue"-1994
18. "Vatican Two Revisited"-1996
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 and an older brother Emil. They are survived by Emil’s sons - Melvyn, Robin, Geoffrey, Kevin and Dana, all of whom reside in Canada.
