Archbishop of Bombay John Rodrigues during the conclusion of the diocesan supplementary inquiry towards the sainthood process of the Servant of God George Fernandes. Photo courtesy: The Examiner
The Archdiocese of Bombay has marked a significant milestone in the journey towards the sainthood process of the Servant of God George Fernandes, a priest of Goan origin, with the conclusion of the diocesan supplementary inquiry.
According to a Facebook post of the Examiner, the Catholic magazine of the Archdiocese of Bombay, the ceremony recently took place at Stephen Hall Chapel, Colaba, with the presence of Archbishop of Bombay John Rodrigues.
“The highlight of the occasion was the signing and sealing of documents, which were entrusted to the Roman Postulator, Sr Sailaja Akhinapalli, FSAG (Franciscan Sisters of St Aloysius Gonzaga), who will carry them to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. This act formally concludes the diocesan phase of the process and paves the way for the next stage,” stated the Facebook post.
“The conclusion of the diocesan process is a crucial step in the journey towards sainthood. It signifies that the testimonies and documentation gathered during the inquiry have been verified and authenticated, and the cause can now proceed to the Roman phase.”
“The Congregation for the Causes of Saints will review the documentation and assess the life, virtues, and miracles attributed to the Servant of God George Fernandes. This may lead to the declaration of the Servant of God George Fernandes as Venerable, a significant step towards sainthood.”
Monsignor George Fernandes, who had founded the congregation of the Poor Sisters of Our Lady, hailed from Calangute and was born on April 23, 1903.
The congregation’s website stated that Msgr Fernandes had completed his matriculation at the Union High School in Goa before joining the Papal Seminary at Kandy, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Bombay on September 23, 1929. Fr George began his ministry in the Catholic Church as an assistant at Our Lady of Salvation, Dadar, Bombay, where he served for twelve years.
He last served at St Andrew’s, Bandra, as a parish priest and as a dean of South-West Salsette in Mumbai from June 1961 till his unexpected death in June 1970 at the age of 67. His mortal remains are interred in front of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, St Andrew’s Church, Bandra. He was declared Servant of God on September 14, 2019.
Responding to the Facebook post, Gulab Editor Fausto da Costa mentioned that Fr George’s brother, Dr Simon, was a former mayor of Mumbai, a prolific writer and editor of 'The Goa Times' and 'Goan Tribune', and a professional dramatist.
Radharao Gracias added that a part of Fr George’s extended family still lives in the ancestral house in Cobra Vaddo, Calangute.
