Events
SACERDOTAL GOLDEN JUBILEE
Rev. Fr. Paul Peter Fernandes

Born : 01.07.1931
Ord. 04.01.1971

"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” declares the Psalmist in Ps. 118:24.

Fr. Paul Fernandes has become golden. Therefore, joyfully and gratefully we are celebrating 50 years of God’s loving faithfulness in her life and her joyful priestly commitment. We rejoice with him and thank God for the precious gift of her person to her family, to the Congregation and the Church.

Fr. Paul Peter Fernandes a non-agenarian was born on 1st July 1931 at Kirem, Mangalore. His parents were the late Joseph & Remedia Fernandes. who had ……… children. He did his Primary Education at the Church School, Kirem. Those pre Independent era, in a village setup families gave more importance to agriculture. So Fr.Paul right after his primary education followed his parents in agriculture while nurturing his desire to become a priest in his innermost heart. When he grew up he took up garment making in Bombay besides successfully completing his Matriculation studies through a Progressive Night School in Bombay.

Right after he joined Seminary formation for Bellary Diocese at St. Joseph’s Inter-diocesan Major Seminary,Mangalore in his thirties and was ordained on 4th January 1971 at the Seminary by Bishop Basil D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore.

He served the diocese for 50 years at the following places:

Fr. Paul has a special gift to develop the gardens, which he does at Bethany Senior Priest home. While he was in Jawalgera he converted the church land for non agricultural land and got all the required permission for construction of church buildings from local bodies. While in Munirabad he constructed the present presbytery and a boarding home for boys. He served the diocese under various other capacities such as Asst. Procurator, member of Priests Senate, Parish Priest. Wherever he was posted, he willingly accepted his appointment and took initiative to develop the Parishes and upgrade the infra- structure.

Like St. Paul, Fr. Paul’s missionary journey to the remote villages and mission stations were very challenging. He experienced God’s providential care in every step of his priestly life. He has a charism to preach the good news boldly but always with wits and morals. Once during his Mission journeys while parking his motorbike under the shed the roof suddenly collapsed and was trapped inside with a pillar fell on his spine but miraculously saved. Unfortunately the worker who was with him died due to injuries. Similar experience took place while going to a mission station to celebrate Holy Eucharist a KSRTC bus came head-on. Fr. Paul was saved but bike went under the bus. He strongly believes that Christ leads the Priest to walk in the shadow of the Cross, his saving hand is always there to protect.

Dear Fr. Paul today is a joyous day for us all. We all praise God for your long life and your service in this diocese. We all were waiting to celebrate your Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee in January 2021. And God has given us this opportunity to celebrate and thank your presence on this earth. We pray that you may march towards your century and we all want to see you completing a centurt. We all wish a cheerful and happy Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee and good health.

The words of Moses to Joshua can be quoted here – Deuteronomy 31:8 “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”