“Let us rejoice and help one another that we will be worthy of God’s grace.”
Founder’s Name : Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Fernando D.D.,D.C.L.,S.T.D
DATE OF BIRTH : 09- 05 -1913 IDINTHAKARAI
ORDINATION : 18 – 03 – 1938 (ROME)
BISHOP ELECT : 25 – 06- 1950
EPISCOPAL ORDINATION : 01- 10- 1950
BISHOP OF TUTICORIN : 23- 09- 1953
BISHOP OF TRICHY : 24- 01- 1971
RETIRED : 30 – 12 – 1990
DATE OF DEATH : 04 – 07 – 2006
FOUNDER
Bishop Thomas Fernando was an Indian Roman Catholic Bishop. He was born on May 9, 1913 at Idinthakarai, a coastal catholic village, in Tirunelveli district in the diocese of Tuticorin.
He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Tuticorin on March 18, 1939. After his higher studies in theology, Indian philosophy and Canon law in Rome, he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Tuticorin on June 25, 1950 and was ordained bishop on October 1, 1950. He succeeded Bishop Francis Tirturtius Roche on June 26, 1953 as the second bishop of the diocese of Tuticorin. After twenty years, on November 23, 1970 he was transferred to the diocese of Tiruchirapalli. As a bishop of Tiruchirapalli, having felt the need of female missionary collaborates, he founded the Institute of Catechetical Sisters of St.Thomas in Tiruchirapalli. After 56 years of being as a bishop, he died on July 4, 2006.