It should not matter whether Earl Fernandes is from Manipur or Kerala. Suffice that he is of Indian origin and that he is the first Bishop appointed in the US from that country. Also that he is the youngest.
But the comedy starts when Goans start claiming and celebrating that he is from Aldona. Here is what the Goan press claims: His family roots are in Ranoi, Aldona. His role model has always been St Francis Xavier. This led him to his vocation. The facts: Earl’s father being Manglorean, correctly said, Earl Fernandes is Manglorean. Nobody seems to know how the claim is made that his origins are in Ranoi, Aldona. Is it because his mother’s great grandfather was from Ranoi perhaps? Is that enough to claim his Goan ancestry. Another fact: He lived in Bombay and visited Goa when he was 11 years old and embraced the history of the life of St Francis Xavier. Yes, that definitely makes him Goan. Here is a note from a Manglorean friend: He is not Goan but Mangalorean. My grandfather's brother Liguory’s grandson. Mom and Dr Sydney his father are cousins, so my second cousin like you from mom's maternal side. He is from paternal side Fernandes and not Misquith side. U Liguory owned Canara Coffee and works in Fort area. By the way unlike Goans, Mangaloreans don’t hold St Francis Xavier is that high esteem, believing that he initiated the Inquisition in Goa which led to their having to flee to Mangalore later to endure Tipu Sultan’s depravities. They give much importance to the “Monte Fest” and celebrate it like Goans would celebrate December 3. Not that all of this is of much importance. Just highlighting the Goan tendency to celebrate Important personalities who have the most tenuous Goan connections. As tenuous as if you are asking them if they are Goan in order to get their donation to some Goan cause. A typical conversation goes like this: Q: Are you Goan? A: it seems so. I have some connection to Goa on my father’s side but none of us have been to Goa. We have lived in the US for a very long time and hardly meet any Goans. End of Goan charade. Roland. Toronto.
