Frank Marcus Fernando

Fernando was first ordained as a bishop on August 19, 1965.^[1] He was further appointed the coadjutor bishop of Chilaw in 1968. Fernando served as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka.^[1] He succeeded Edmund Peiris as the Bishop of Chilaw on December 27, 1972 and remained in the post until his retirement on October 19, 2006.^[1]

He became a writer and human rights activist for a number of Catholic and Sri Lankan causes as bishop. Fernando campaigned strongly against a proposed law that would limit religious conversions in Sri Lanka.^[1] 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.^[1] Fernando organized rallies and prayer services against the deteriorating human rights, justice, and environmental policies in the country.^[1]

Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando died on August 24, 2009, at the age of 77 at a private hospital in Marawila.^[1] His requiem mass was held at the home of the Archbishop of Colombo on August 25. His funeral mass was held at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Chilaw.^[1]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Frank Marcus Fernando.

• Catholic Hierarchy: Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando †
• Death of Mgr. Fernando, "voice of the voiceless" in Sri Lanka
• Official web page: Diocese of Chilaw