FR DENIS FERNANDES, S.J. (1867-1937)

Fr Denis Fernandes, SJ

'I became all things to all men that I might gain all to Christ.' These words of St Paul sum up the long life of Fr Denis Fernandes, observed the preacher in his address delivered after the requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Fr Fernandes. The preacher continued. 'He was incapable of saying' no' to anyone who asked a favour from him, if granting of that favour were at all within his power. The sinner came to him for absolution, the pauper came to him for alms, the sorrowing soul for consolation, the soul harassed by doubts and scruples came for guidance, boys and girls seeking to know their vocation came for light, the poor student came for a scholarship the backward student came for tuition, the budding poet must have his verses touched up by him, the bereaved husband must have the mortuary card in memory of his wife approved by him, the literary man who had elaborated the address to be read to the Governor or Delegate Apostolic, must have it first read by him. Brothers at variance with one another came to him for reconciliation, cousins involved in litigation came to him for arbitration, men and women about to launch upon a new enterprise, priests and nuns, revolving in their mind great plans for God's glory came to him for consultation." The above quotation from the preacher summarizes the life of Fr Denis Fernandes whose life sketch we are trying to detail in brief.

A long genealogy has no place in a short biography. Anyone interested may take up the short life story of the father written soon after his death. Suffice to note here that his family which could trace its genealogy to the time of Peshwar Baji Rao, 1740, was high up in the Christian, social and cultural life of Mangalore. In fact, his father Mr Piedade Fernandes was a recognized leader of Catholic Mangalore and in his widowhood days had obtained the approval of the Holy See to become a priest and had begun the study of Latin. God called him to Himself before he could realize his cherished desire. But God blessed him in two of his children, one the subject of this biography and second Norbert who also became a Jesuit and laboured for years in Cannanore. Denis, because of his weak health which had been weakened by an attack of typhoid at the age of six, had his first studies in a kind of a school attached to the Codialbail chapel. Then he was sent to the Government School attached to the Government College. After a year there at the age of 13 he was admitted to the newly opened Jesuit College in the fifth standard. Under the solid training of his pious parents and under the vigilant guidance from the Jesuit fathers Fr Denis made rapid progress in piety and study. He was an altar server and a sodalist in the Blessed Virgin Mary's Sodality. He passed his matriculation in 1882 and Intermediate (F.A.) in Arts in 1884 in the First Class. His special leaning which remained with him throughout his life was for English Literature. Fr Denis was 17. His success in his studies, his talents and his father's influence would have secured for him a bright career in the world. But Denis had other thoughts. He turned his back on the world to seek real greatness as a humble religious of the Society of Jesus. His father willingly gave his consent and we have still his letter in his own clear hand writing granting him the required permission. Here is the letter:

“My son Denis Joachim has my cordial permission to seek admission into the most noble society of Jesus. God bless him and confirm him in His love and service. Mangalore, 4th March, 1885.”

P. E. Fernandes.

On the 4th of March fortified with the letter of his father, Fr Denis entered the Jesuit Novitiate at Jeppu, Mangalore and had Fr Zanetti for Novice Master. He went through the Novitiate with all the wonted rigours of the old days novitiates including the so-called experiments, one of which was to go out begging from door to door. While on this experiment, it is noted, that one day he came begging to his own father's house and received some alms at the steps. At another house good humoredly the master of the house offered them a piggling. It is not known whether the shy novices caught and took it away. After his novitiate he was asked to do his B.A. with Kannada. Bravely Fr Denis "Shouldered the burden of a B.A. Kanarese" in addition to his other duties as a scholastic at the College and passed creditably well with a third class in Kannada but was placed in the 1st class, 2nd in the Presidency in English. Two years of philosophy at Sacred Heart College, Shembaganur and 4 years of theology at St Mary's, Kurseong made up his course of ecclesiastical studies. He was ordained a priest on 6th January, 1902. In 1903 he went through the usual year of Tertianship and was ready for work. But before any appointment, he was sent for a year to Calcutta to specialize in Indian History at the well-known Goethol's Library. Already during the years of formation Fr Denis had shown that he was a man of prayer, a man of work and a man of sacrifice. He was noted for his regularity in the performance of his spiritual duties, for his deep knowledge of the sacred sciences which is indispensable for a priest, for his ever-obliging attitude to help fellow Jesuit scholastics often at a very good amount of personal discomfort and inconvenience. These characteristics marked his 30 years of priesthood.

Teaching was the chief work of Fr Fernandes. For thirty-six years he was a meticulously painstaking teacher. He began his teaching career in the Seminary where for a year he taught English Grammar. On his transfer to the College he taught mathematics, Kannada and English in the High School and then English in the F. A. Class of the University, all the while taking up the catechism classes in the First Form. But from 1905 till 1930 for 25 years with a break of four years, one at Bangalore for reasons of health and three years at Calicut, as Headmaster of the St Joseph's European and Indian High School, he taught in St Aloysius College classes as Professor of English. This is what the author of his short biography has to say of him as a teacher. "Fr Denis Fernandes had specialized himself in suggesting helpful methods for learning. He often brought to class carefully prepared charts wherein a whole chapter could be seen, as it were, in a nutshell mapped out around some key-letter as an aid to memory. Both the cleverest and the dullest could profit from these; for if they whipped the sluggish brains of the one, they afforded a good training in analysis to the other. Often with an apt alliteration, in a pleasing rhyme, through a striking illustration, or by a ringing quotation, he would drive home the lesson he was inculcating." An excellent trait of his teaching was, that he was always at the beck and call of his students at all hours, and painstakingly go through what they had brought to him for correction or improvement. As lecturer, Fr Fernandes was held in high esteem by his students who sat at his feet and gathered up the intellectual gems that dropped from his lips. Even the Presidency College students of Madras used to borrow the annotations of Fr Fernandes from his students when they were in Madras for the examinations. Such was Fr Fernandes's reputation as a teacher of English.

In his valuable notebook for teachers published by Catholic Truth Society of Trichinopoly, Fr Fernades quotes St John Chrysostom: "Is there anything greater than to discipline souls and mould the ways of the young ? ! certainly consider the person who knows how to mould souls of the young far superior to any soulptor and to any painter." Fr Fernandes seems to have had this in mind in his long period as a teacher, the good of the students, no matter at what personal sacrifice and inconvenience. In the same note book for teachers, Fr Fernandes has left behind his experiences as a teacher, valuable hints to teachers. classified under various headings.

But, for Fr Fernandes the teaching ministry was a means for an end. He was a Jesuit-priest teacher and his intellectual abilities and contact with persons in his sacred ministry as confessor, as spiritual guide, and as preacher. As a confessor his confessional was flocked by men and women of all ranks and as a spiritual guide his advice was sought by the rich and the poor, by educated and the uneducated in particular by those who had consecrated their lives to God. Students, sodalists in particular sought his counsel in the choice of their vocation. Not a few boys and girls owe their perseverance in innocence and in their vocation to the gentle guidance of Fr Fernandes, "His words were so thoroughly impregnated with supernatural atmosphere in which he lived, that one felt one was listening to a man of God", notes one of his penitents. His retreats too had a note of deep spirituality". He stressed, in particular, the importance of interior life, showing us how to be really souls of prayer, and how to fill our working hours with ejaculations to heaven." says one of his religious penitents. He was especially fond of little rhymes and couplets as help to spiritual life. Many of these were his own make up, but sometimes he would quote from his favourite spiritual authors like Fr Faber. He wrote hundreds of letters to his penitents or those who sought his advice on specific points. His direction was gentle, almost indulgent, yet did not lack virility. He wrote to one: "Give up the distressing brooding over your faults and failings. Take instead to prayer and work in, for, with Jesus, and the faults will be like 'least said, soonest amended, dropping off by themselves, without adverting to them: because you are adverting only to higher and holier things". To another he wrote: "Once more my blessings and prayers. Daily pray that you may do some good to at least one soul each day of your life. Happy and well spent is such a life". And we find this written to another. A Daily Prayer:

If I can help someone today.

If I can teach someone to pray,

Help me, Lord !

If I can drive away a fear,

If I can wipe away a tear,

Help me, Lord!

If I can aid one with his load, On his long and difficult road,

Help me, Lord!

If I can ease a heart that's broken,

By some word that might be spoken, Help me to speak it, Lord.

As a teacher Fr Fernandes came in contact with hundreds of students, ex-students, their parents with their family circle and made use of these opportunities to render innumerable services as a priest, friend and father. "There was a time" writes one, "when no important article or letter in catholic Mangalore would be written but Fr Fernandes must have a hand in it". Another wrote to him humorously. "You are the ass on which every one may put his burden. The Guardian Angel of Fr Fernandes must have had a hard time to record his innumerable acts of self-sacrificing services, his acts of fatherly kindness''.

Fr Denis Fernandes used his services in another line, as a writer. He was not a writer in the sense that he wrote books. He never wrote one but from his very early years as a Jesuit with his flair for English language he wrote articles, essays, addresses and letters. Their collection might fill many a volume. It may be of great interest here to note that even as a student Fr Denis Fernandes contributed articles to the 'College Life' a paper started at the very beginning of the College by Fr Moore. As Editor of the 'Mangalore Magazine' he did a lot of excellent writing work. The Magazine had a high standard and its articles were very much appreciated. Fr Fernandes maintained the high standard that had won the following comment from a catholic paper in London in 1898. The Mangalore Magazine is.... a very superior and promising school magazine, which is issued by the Jesuit Fathers in connection with St Aloysius College, South Kanara, India. It is admirable in every way, and although the land of its birth is so far away from us and unknown, the handsome magazine will bear comparison with the output from many older and better-known home colleges. According to Indian Journal of Education: "It reaches the very highest standard of publication of this class; certainly. in India, we know of none approaching it". The tales of Balthu Chuney in the 'Mangalore Magazine' were from the pen of Fr Fernandes. They give the reader an idea of the pleasant style and delightful humour of the writer.

A teacher of practical pedagogical knowledge and experience and a man of God with deep knowledge of the Sacred Science, Fr Denis could not but be a much-appreciated preacher. He was not an orator but an effective preacher of the word of God, both in English and Konkani. He was gifted with great readiness of speech and from his retentive memory could call apt quotations in prose and verse. As regards matter, he admitted once, that his head was teeming with thoughts. In spite of his fluency in language he never spoke at random but measured his words and thoughts. What he had meditated upon, digested and grasped he placed before his hearers, with great spiritual unction.

We may be tempted to ask what was the secret of Fr Fernandes success as a teacher. writer and still more as a preacher and spiritual guide? What helped him to be a man for all, ever obliging? The answer is he was a man of prayer and mortification which made him a 'man of God a religious of deep interior life, of supernatural outlook and from this interior life all flowed evenly. Certainly, the Holy Spirit had given him an abundance of his gift of holy counsel. Many were the lights with which the Holy Spirit favoured him in times of prayer. He had a note book in which he carefully recorded the results of his meditations and prayer. Here are a few taken at random. On the Sermon on the Mount: meditated dryly. You are the salt of the earth, light of the world' i. e. by a holy life, by being a man of prayer, a man of God; by serious study of holy things and of spirituality. Mass said with very great devotion. On another day during meditation, I felt an awful real sense of my indignity: I am a priest of the Society of Jesus, Domine, non sum dignus; meditated attentively; "Man's life is preparation, disposition, probation for life in Heaven. Between Faith and Vision, between Earth and Heaven, only a veil, and of short duration."

The spirit of mortification which strengthens spiritual character and wins God's favours went together in Fr Fernandes with the spirit of constant prayer. The physical ailments he suffered during the greater part of his life and which he suffered with patient endurance were enough to make his life one of acute mortification. To this he added countless acts of voluntary self-denials some trifles perhaps but which demanded sacrifice of a legitimate comfort or convenience. The perfect gentleman in him implied all the mortification demanded. The definition of a gentleman which he himself used to often quote: One who does not hurt another. 'One who knew him well writes: "Fr Fernandes was the embodiment of the perfect gentleman delineated for us by Cardinal Newman. If ever there was a man whose whole soul recoiled at the very idea of inflicting pain on any one, Fr Fernandes was he. "And what amount of self-sacrifice and mortification all the service he rendered to innumerable persons, institutions and works must have entailed! The author of his short biography written soon after his death writes: "One day I happened to knock at his door. I heard a faint "Come in." When I opened the door, I found him stretched at full length on his bed. I was taken aback. What is the matter, Father? Are you unwell? "No, he said with a smile. I am just exhausted." This interior spirit of prayer and mortification was his secret source of strength. This he strove to give to others by word and still more by example. No doubt 'yatha Raja tatha Praja' was a favourite proverb of his among many others.

In his 67th year at the earnest request and desire of Bp. V. R. Fernandes he took up the task of the Novice Master to the novices of the newly founded congregation. the Brotherhood of Mount Olivet. His love of obedience, of poverty and a desire to end his religious life as he had begun in the innocence and simplicity of a novitiate must have helped him to accept the task. Once he took up the delicate task, he went about it with his wonton zeal, care and solicitude. He took keen interest in everything that concerned the novices and even took part in all their regular routine life. He was even seen at the playground though age would not permit him to take part in their games. His life style with punctuality which he considered as 'the courtesy of princes', his manner of speech dotted with rhymes and apt quotations remained the same and his novices used to treasure up his favourite expressions, as did his English literature students in his professorial days.

The servant of God was ready for his reward. He had not spared himself. In spite of his many ailments including a virulent eczema which had been his companion for years, he had sacrificed himself for others. He would put himself to endless trouble to spare even the least of it to others. As through life so in death. After an eight days retreat which he conducted for his novices, he took ill, and had to leave for the hospital on 25th November, 1936. At the hospital the doctors had hoped that, as he had come out of many crises of the kind, he would come round this time also. But his hour had come to receive the reward for a meritorious life of 51 years of religious life. He went to receive that reward at 1.30 on 27th November, 1936. He was 69.

On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Fr Fernandes in the Society of Jesus, the whole of grateful Catholic Mangalore" (as at the beginning of this biographical sketch I am quoting from the funeral oration speech.) out to greet him. At the close of the celebration, he stood up on the stage in the Academy Hall and, with lips quivering with emotion, thanked his many friends and well-wishers that had gathered together to do him honour. Besides other things he said: sometimes hears the question asked: "Are you happy in the Society of Jesus?" A Catholic ought to be able to answer that question himself. If by happiness you mean immunity from pain of body and anxiety of mind, no man is happy in this world, least of all the selfless soul intent upon great things. No man ever did anything great in God's service except with bruised knees and with blood-stained hands. But if by happiness you mean a life of peace that surpassed all understanding, a peace that the world can neither give nor take away, a peace that is a fitting prelude to the raptures of the Beatific Vision, then every man for whom God is all, is happy indeed." Of such happiness Fr Fernandes had an abundant measure and now has the full measure.

This above material is taken from the book "Restless for Christ - Lives of Select Jesuits who toiled in the Karnataka Province" Series - IV