Frank Marcus Fernando
Encyclopedia
Frank Marcus Fernando was the Sri Lanka
n bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chilaw
in Sri Lanka
. Fernando served as the Bishop of Chilaw from his appointment on December 27, 1972, until his retirement on October 19, 2006. The diocese is based in Chilaw
, a coastal city north of Colombo
.
Frank Marcus Fernando was born in 1931. He was officially ordained a Catholic priest in Rome, Italy.
in 1968. Fernando succeeded Edmund Peiris as the Bishop of Chilaw on December 27, 1972. He remained Bishop of Chilaw until his retirement on October 19, 2006.
Fernando served as the president of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Sri Lanka.
He became a writer
and human rights activist for a number of Catholic and Sri Lankan causes as bishop. Fernando campaigned strong against a proposed law that would limit religious conversion
s in Sri Lanka. He also fought against the construction of a coal-fired power plant which many feared would pollute both the environment as well as a Catholic shrine
located in the Diocese of Chilaw. Fernando organized rallies
and prayer services against the deteriorating human rights
, justice
, and environmental
policies in the country.
Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando died on August 24, 2009, at the age of 77 at a private hospital in Marawila
. His requiem mass was held at the home of the Archbishop of Colombo
on August 25th. His funeral mass was held at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Chilaw.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chilaw
Roman Catholic Diocese of Chilaw
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chilaw is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka.Erected as the Diocese of Galle in 1939, the diocese is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Colombo...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Fernando served as the Bishop of Chilaw from his appointment on December 27, 1972, until his retirement on October 19, 2006. The diocese is based in Chilaw
Chilaw
Chilaw is a western seaboard town on the island of Sri Lanka.It is a bustling town with a famous fishmarket and beach...
, a coastal city north of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
.
Frank Marcus Fernando was born in 1931. He was officially ordained a Catholic priest in Rome, Italy.
Bishop of Chilaw
Fernando was first ordained as a bishop on August 19, 1965. He was further appointed the coadjutor bishop of ChilawChilaw
Chilaw is a western seaboard town on the island of Sri Lanka.It is a bustling town with a famous fishmarket and beach...
in 1968. Fernando succeeded Edmund Peiris as the Bishop of Chilaw on December 27, 1972. He remained Bishop of Chilaw until his retirement on October 19, 2006.
Fernando served as the president of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Sri Lanka.
He became a writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and human rights activist for a number of Catholic and Sri Lankan causes as bishop. Fernando campaigned strong against a proposed law that would limit religious conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
s in Sri Lanka. He also fought against the construction of a coal-fired power plant which many feared would pollute both the environment as well as a Catholic shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
located in the Diocese of Chilaw. Fernando organized rallies
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
and prayer services against the deteriorating human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
, and environmental
Environmental policy
Environmental policy is any [course of] action deliberately taken [or not taken] to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce, or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on...
policies in the country.
Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando died on August 24, 2009, at the age of 77 at a private hospital in Marawila
Marawila
Marawila is a coastal town in the Puttalam District of the North Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is located along the junction of the road that connects the capital city of Colombo with the city of Chilaw, and the road that leads to Nattandiya...
. His requiem mass was held at the home of the Archbishop of Colombo
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. It was erected as the Diocese of Ceylon from Diocese of Cochin by Pope Gregory XVI on December 3, 1834, and renamed as the Diocese of Colombo on February 17,...
on August 25th. His funeral mass was held at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Chilaw.