Most Rev. Joseph Gabriel Fernandez (97), Bishop Emeritus of Quilon diocese passed away on 4 Saturday, March 2023 at 9.30 am at Benziger Hospital, Quilon. He was admitted to the hospital due to pneumonia and bedsore leading to multi-organ failure. Funeral details are awaited.
Joseph Gabriel Fernandez was born on 16 September 1925 in Maruthurkulangara, in the Taluk Karunagappalli, south of Kollam, Kerala, India. He was a diocesan bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon in Kerala from 1978 and has been Emeritus since 2001.
Bishop Joseph was a pastoral bishop who worked a lot in secret without putting himself first.
After he was able to lead the diocese into the third millennium according to his wishes, he retired on 16 October 2001.