On the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Fr. Jenaro Fernandez, a homage was given him in Rome last january 17. The chapel of Our Lady of Consolation at the General Curia held a thanksgiving mass in his honor and his service to the Order and the Church.
The eucharistic celebration was presided by His Excellency Gianfranco Agostino Gardin, OFM conventual, the Secretary of the Congregation for the Institutes of Religious Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life. The prior general, Fr. Javier Guerra Ayala concelebrated together with his council, the religious of the Generalate community, St. Ildephonse College of Via Sistina and those from the parish of Our Lady of Consolation in Tre Pini. There was a good number of people attending the celebration, among them were those who knew personally Fr. Jenaro and have acted as witnesses in the beatification process.
In his homily, Msgr. Gardin challenged the faithful to the search of God, listening to His Word and the discipleship of Jesus. He presented Fr. Jenaro as a model known for his being an Augustinian Recollect of intense prayer and with an admirable disposition or willingness for the service of the church. In that celebration, a group of filipinos sang the misa de Angelis. At the last part, Salve Regina was sung and a prayer was recited for the beatification of Fr. Jenaro.
Fr. Miguel Angel Hernandez, the Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova presided in the eucharistic celebration. Concelebrating with him were around twenty priests. Celebration in his Hometown
In his native place of Dicastillo, Navarra, Spain, there was also a celebration of the centenary of the birth of Fr. Jenaro Fernandez. The Sunday Eucharist of January 18 was celebrated with solemnity recognizing the example and witnessing of this Augustinian Recollect friar, who by his humility has left an imprint of holiness in places where he trod.
Fr. Miguel Angel Hernandez, the Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova presided in the eucharistic celebration. Concelebrating with him were around twenty priests. Among the concelebrants were (Don)Fr. Enrique Arellano, the parish priest of the town; Fr. Jose Ramon Perez the prior provincial of St. Joseph Province, Fr. Alfonso Lorda the prior provincial of the Consolation province and other Augustinian Recollects coming from the different communities of Spain.
Relatives and friends of the Recollect religious from Navarra attended the mass together with the relatives of Fr. Jenaro Fernanadez. The 102 year-old sister-in-law of Fr. Jenaro is still alive but could not join the celebration due to health and age reasons. However in attendance was a good number of his nephews and nieces. Not to be discounted was the participation of the parish choir of male and female arranged according to various musical voices which made the celebration more lively and solemn.
Fr. Miguel Hernandez, in his homily, emphasized the vocation, willingness and holiness of Fr. Jenaro."He who enters into the depthness of Fr. Jenaro's heart through his writings, will be convinced and inspired to follow the footsteps of holiness which he left us…The saint is always the spokesman of God, the citizen of two worlds, the ambassador of the Spirit in the midst of materialism, the one who reminds us of God and the one who spreads the nostalgia of the Absolute. This is the feeling one has if he enters into the life and works of Fr. Jenaro, which makes us grow in our desire to love God more and our brethren, to surrender oneself completely, to a change in life, in short, to be a saint".
During the celebration, a message from the Prior Gneral, Fr. Javier Guerra was read expressing the joy and the oneness of heart. Before the final blessing, Enrique Arellano, the parish priest explained the history of the Romanisque Virgin of Irache which is at the main altar of the church adorned with silver except the face and hands. To the Lady's(Virgin's) honor, considered as the most beautiful image in Europe, a final hymn was sung composed by Fr. Ricardo Imaz, an Augustinian Recollect and cousin of Fr. Jenaro Fernandez.