The First Bishop of the Diocese of Jhansi, India, Monsignor Francis Xavier Fenech OFM. Cap., was born Joseph Fenech in Floriana, Malta, on March 17, 1892, and studied at St. Aloysius College of the Jesuit Fathers at Birkirkara. At the age of 19, he joined the Capuchin Order, receiving the religious name of Francis Xavier. Following a course of philosophy and theology, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Giuseppe Maria Camilleri OSA., at the island of Gozo on May 25, 1918.
As a young priest, Fenech always the desire to go to the missions but he had to wait for a period of five years. After his ordination, he was assigned to Marsa parish. He left Malta to Daman, to Bombay, India, in June 1923 and spent six years in Bandra, Zaroli, Itarsi, Shampura. In April 1929, together with the other four Maltese, he was stationed in Jhansi to develop this territory into a diocese, which was to be run by its own bishop and clergy.
Fenech raised schools and churches, helped the needy from his scanty means, distributed medicine to the sick and became a friend and a father to all. In 1940, the territory of Jhansi was separated from the Diocese of Allahabad and created into an Apostolic Prefecture. During the same period, Fenech was Apostolic Administrator of the Allahabad and Lucknow Dioceses whose bishop, Mgr. Joseph A. Poli OFM. Cap., was a prisoner in a concentration camp.
Pope Pius XII nominated Fenech the First Apostolic Prefect of Jhansi on January 21, 1946, and, eight years later appointed him the First Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Jhansi. He received his episcopal consecration at 62 years of age at St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta, on November 28, 1954, from Archbishop Michael Gonzi, assisted by Bishops Emanuele Galea and Giuseppe Pace.
In his 40 years at Jhansi, Fenech raised a diocesan clergy for Jhansi with its own first Indian Bishop according to the wishes of Rome. He also founded many churches and other institutions including schools, hospitals, orphanages, dispensaries, foundling-homes, boarding-houses for old and the poor, and the Congregation of the Franciscan Brothers of the Blessed Sacrament.
Retiring from the pastoral government of his see at 75 years of age on May 8, 1967, he was named Bishop of the Titular See of Muzuca in Byzacena, and was succeeded by Msgr. Baptist Mudartha. Bishop Fenech died suddenly, of a cerebral haemorrhage in Asha Nikeian, Bhopal, India, on May 13, 1969, aged 77.
As a young priest, Fenech always the desire to go to the missions but he had to wait for a period of five years. After his ordination, he was assigned to Marsa parish. He left Malta to Daman, to Bombay, India, in June 1923 and spent six years in Bandra, Zaroli, Itarsi, Shampura. In April 1929, together with the other four Maltese, he was stationed in Jhansi to develop this territory into a diocese, which was to be run by its own bishop and clergy.
Fenech raised schools and churches, helped the needy from his scanty means, distributed medicine to the sick and became a friend and a father to all. In 1940, the territory of Jhansi was separated from the Diocese of Allahabad and created into an Apostolic Prefecture. During the same period, Fenech was Apostolic Administrator of the Allahabad and Lucknow Dioceses whose bishop, Mgr. Joseph A. Poli OFM. Cap., was a prisoner in a concentration camp.
Pope Pius XII nominated Fenech the First Apostolic Prefect of Jhansi on January 21, 1946, and, eight years later appointed him the First Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Jhansi. He received his episcopal consecration at 62 years of age at St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta, on November 28, 1954, from Archbishop Michael Gonzi, assisted by Bishops Emanuele Galea and Giuseppe Pace.
In his 40 years at Jhansi, Fenech raised a diocesan clergy for Jhansi with its own first Indian Bishop according to the wishes of Rome. He also founded many churches and other institutions including schools, hospitals, orphanages, dispensaries, foundling-homes, boarding-houses for old and the poor, and the Congregation of the Franciscan Brothers of the Blessed Sacrament.
Retiring from the pastoral government of his see at 75 years of age on May 8, 1967, he was named Bishop of the Titular See of Muzuca in Byzacena, and was succeeded by Msgr. Baptist Mudartha. Bishop Fenech died suddenly, of a cerebral haemorrhage in Asha Nikeian, Bhopal, India, on May 13, 1969, aged 77.
The First Bishop of the Diocese of Jhansi, India, Monsignor Francis Xavier Fenech OFM. Cap., was born Joseph Fenech in Floriana, Malta, on March 17, 1892, and studied at St. Aloysius College of the Jesuit Fathers at Birkirkara. At the age of 19, he joined the Capuchin Order, receiving the religious name of Francis Xavier. Following a course of philosophy and theology, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Giuseppe Maria Camilleri OSA., at the island of Gozo on May 25, 1918.
As a young priest, Fenech always the desire to go to the missions but he had to wait for a period of five years. After his ordination, he was assigned to Marsa parish. He left Malta to Daman, to Bombay, India, in June 1923 and spent six years in Bandra, Zaroli, Itarsi, Shampura. In April 1929, together with the other four Maltese, he was stationed in Jhansi to develop this territory into a diocese, which was to be run by its own bishop and clergy.
Fenech raised schools and churches, helped the needy from his scanty means, distributed medicine to the sick and became a friend and a father to all. In 1940, the territory of Jhansi was separated from the Diocese of Allahabad and created into an Apostolic Prefecture. During the same period, Fenech was Apostolic Administrator of the Allahabad and Lucknow Dioceses whose bishop, Mgr. Joseph A. Poli OFM. Cap., was a prisoner in a concentration camp.
Pope Pius XII nominated Fenech the First Apostolic Prefect of Jhansi on January 21, 1946, and, eight years later appointed him the First Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Jhansi. He received his episcopal consecration at 62 years of age at St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta, on November 28, 1954, from Archbishop Michael Gonzi, assisted by Bishops Emanuele Galea and Giuseppe Pace.
In his 40 years at Jhansi, Fenech raised a diocesan clergy for Jhansi with its own first Indian Bishop according to the wishes of Rome. He also founded many churches and other institutions including schools, hospitals, orphanages, dispensaries, foundling-homes, boarding-houses for old and the poor, and the Congregation of the Franciscan Brothers of the Blessed Sacrament.
Retiring from the pastoral government of his see at 75 years of age on May 8, 1967, he was named Bishop of the Titular See of Muzuca in Byzacena, and was succeeded by Msgr. Baptist Mudartha. Bishop Fenech died suddenly, of a cerebral haemorrhage in Asha Nikeian, Bhopal, India, on May 13, 1969, aged 77.
As a young priest, Fenech always the desire to go to the missions but he had to wait for a period of five years. After his ordination, he was assigned to Marsa parish. He left Malta to Daman, to Bombay, India, in June 1923 and spent six years in Bandra, Zaroli, Itarsi, Shampura. In April 1929, together with the other four Maltese, he was stationed in Jhansi to develop this territory into a diocese, which was to be run by its own bishop and clergy.
Fenech raised schools and churches, helped the needy from his scanty means, distributed medicine to the sick and became a friend and a father to all. In 1940, the territory of Jhansi was separated from the Diocese of Allahabad and created into an Apostolic Prefecture. During the same period, Fenech was Apostolic Administrator of the Allahabad and Lucknow Dioceses whose bishop, Mgr. Joseph A. Poli OFM. Cap., was a prisoner in a concentration camp.
Pope Pius XII nominated Fenech the First Apostolic Prefect of Jhansi on January 21, 1946, and, eight years later appointed him the First Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Jhansi. He received his episcopal consecration at 62 years of age at St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta, on November 28, 1954, from Archbishop Michael Gonzi, assisted by Bishops Emanuele Galea and Giuseppe Pace.
In his 40 years at Jhansi, Fenech raised a diocesan clergy for Jhansi with its own first Indian Bishop according to the wishes of Rome. He also founded many churches and other institutions including schools, hospitals, orphanages, dispensaries, foundling-homes, boarding-houses for old and the poor, and the Congregation of the Franciscan Brothers of the Blessed Sacrament.
Retiring from the pastoral government of his see at 75 years of age on May 8, 1967, he was named Bishop of the Titular See of Muzuca in Byzacena, and was succeeded by Msgr. Baptist Mudartha. Bishop Fenech died suddenly, of a cerebral haemorrhage in Asha Nikeian, Bhopal, India, on May 13, 1969, aged 77.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
