Servant of God Brother Richard “Richie” Fernando – A Martyr for others

Servant of God Richard "Richie" Fernando

Whenever we encounter the word “Martyr”, we always came into mind those saints who offered their live to God by extreme means which is martyrdom. With the term “Martyr” (taken from Greek which means “witness”) we always think of the Great martyrs of Rome, Japan, China, Africa who were either killed by burning at stake, crucifixion, eaten by wild animals, extreme tortures (like in the case of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions), murder (in the case of St. Pedro Calungsod and Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores), all in hatred of the Catholic faith. In the recent years, there is a new classification of martyrdom that became known in the late 20th century, Martyr of Charity, in the person of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a famed Franciscan Conventual who died during the Second World War in the Nazi concentration camps. In 2017, Pope Francis added a new classification of martyrdom called "Maiorem hac dilectionem," or martyrs who sacrifice their lives for others in 2017.

With this new criterion, we already have its pioneer candidate worthy for this criterion, our own Jesuit Missionary Bro. Richard “Richie” Fernando, SJ. Bro. Richie’s life and martyrdom shows his dedication to serve others even risking his life both for God and his people. 

Early Life

Richard Fernando, better known as “Richie” ot his friends, family, fellow religious and students, was born on February 27, 1970. He attended elementary school in Dominican School, and finished his secondary education at the Claret School of Quezon City. He graduated with a degree in Developmental Studies from Ateneo de Manila University, then entered the Society of Jesus after college and took up Philosophical Studies.

Servant of God Richard "Richie" Fernando, SJ

The Mission in Cambodia

Fernando and other Jesuit missionaries went to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for his Regency in May 1995. It took him only three months to master the Khmer language. He served in the Technical School for the Handicapped which was run by Jesuits in the city. Here at Bantay Prieb or "Center of the Dove", Fernando catered to the material and pastoral needs of his students, who were mostly landmine victims. Richie quickly earned the trust of his young students as he learned their native language and took the time to listen to their stories of suffering. 

One of his students was an orphan named Sarom, who became a soldier at 16 and was maimed by a landmine. Even while some at the mission found Sarom’s attitude troublesome, Richie wrote in letters to friends that Sarom still had a place in his heart.

His Martyrdom

On October 17, 1996, at around 9:30 a.m., Sarom, a troubled student who was holding a grenade, rushed into Fernando's classroom. Sarom, a student in the school, was habitually involved in gambling. While everyone else was in panic trying to get out of the room, Fernando was determined to pacify Sarom. He embraced Sarom, and after moments of struggle, the grenade dropped and bounced back at Fernando. The grenade exploded and Fernando was hit by shrapnel in the head, upper and lower back, and legs. He later died in a local hospital.

Just four days before he died, Richie had written a long letter to his friend and fellow Jesuit, Totet Banaynal SJ: “I know where my heart is. It is with Jesus Christ, who gave all for the poor, the sick, the orphan … I am confident that God never forgets his people: our disabled brothers and sisters. And I am glad that God has been using me to make sure that our brothers and sisters know this fact. I am convinced that this is my vocation.”

Servant of God Richard "Richie" Fernando

He had also once written about death in a retreat diary, in which he said: "I wish, when I die, people remember not how great, powerful, or talented I was, but that I served and spoke for the truth, I gave witness to what is right, I was sincere in all my works and actions, in other words, I loved and followed Christ,"

In 1997, Richie’s parents wrote to King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, asking pardon for Sarom. Again, Sarom said he had never wanted to kill Richie, who he considered a friend.

Fernando's remains were brought back to the Philippines and his body was laid to rest at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, Quezon City. Some of the departed man's blood from the scene of the grenade blast was taken and is now enshrined on top of a small mound in a tomb in Cambodia to serve as a sort of monument for his mission.

Cause for sainthood

Bro. Richie Fernando's death may be one of the first examples of Pope Francis' new criteria for canonization. Father Antonio Moreno, head of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, said that days before the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits that the order will start to work on having Fernando beatified. 

The Life of Bro. Richie is worth of admiration and emulation to all of us in this world who belittles love and sacrifice for others in the name of God. He setsan example on how we should dedicate our lives to God by doing a tireless service to others, even risking our own lives, to lead them all to Our Lord.

As we end this blogpost dedicated to Servant of God Brother Richard “Richie” Fernando, here is a prayer for the cause of his beatification and canonization that sums up his life of sacrifice.

Almighty God, you called your servant, Richard Michael R. Fernando, S.J. to serve you in a foreign land, to accompany a downtrodden people, and to lay down his life in witness to your Gospel of love and peace. Instill in us the vision to share in your unforgotten dream of fullness of life for all people.

Enkindle in us the passion to participate in your work with generosity and to serve with gladness where there is greatest need. Grant us the compassion to love you in our brethren and to give our all for the least and the last among us.

The heart of your servant remained always with Christ, Place our hearts with your Son, who laid down his life for his own in the world, and allow us to dedicate our lives in pursuit of the Kingdom for your greater glory. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

References:

Kennedy, Meredith, “Pope Francis Announces New Path To Sainthood”, Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/11/536689074/pope-francis-announces-new-path-to-sainthood on June 5, 2019. 

"Pinoy martyr in Cambodia remembered". philstar.com. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

"Philippine Jesuits:Richie Fernando SJ". phjesuits.org. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

"The story of the 26 year-old Filipino Jesuit on the road to sainthood". catholicnewsagency.com. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

"20th Century Martyrs:Richie Fernando,SJ". 20thcenturymartyrs.blogspot.com. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

"New path to sainthood sparks hope among admirers of Filipino hero". philstar.com. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

"Sainthood cause launched for young Filipino Jesuit, who offered life for students". aleteia.org. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

Credits to the owners of the photos that were used on this blogpost.
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