Bishop Laouenan

(1868-1892)

Mgr.Laouenan

Mgr.Godelle died without any Co-Adjutor. The choice fell upon Fr.Laouenan, who wrote immediately to Rome expressing his unwillingness to accept the episcopate. But Pope Pius IX, however, appointed him as Bishop of Flaviopolis and Apostolic Vicar of Pondicherry in 1868. He received the Episcopal consecration from Mgr.Charbonnaux on 11th October 1868 in the Cathedral of Pondicherry with all civil and ecclesiastical honours.

First Acts of Administration

Petit Seminaire, Pondicherry

Mgr.Laouenan was only 46 years old when he became Bishop. He came to India in 1846. He was successively Professor and Principal of the Colonial College (presently LyceFrancais), Parish Priest at Kumbakonam, assessor during the Apostolic visit of India by Mgr.Bonnand and Superior of the Major Seminary of Pondicherry. He was therefore popular among both Indians and Europeans and was on friendly terms with the Members of the government of Pondicherry.

In 1880, the French law on marriages was extended to French India. According to this law, the Indians who had become French nationals had to undergo a civil marriage at the Municipal Hall before the Church marriage. Besides, rather curiously, all the Christians were subjected to this civil marriage, as if they were all French citizens.

Using the notes and documents of his predecessors Msgr.Laouenan wrote in 1874, the “Statutes of the Vicariate of Pondicherry”. In 1879 this was completely revised and brought up-to-date and became known as the “Directory of the Mission” This book gives all directives concerning the duties of the missionaries and their attitudes towards the customs of the country.

Pope Leo XIII

1st September 1886

The old proposal of Mgr.Bonnand and Mgr.Luquet was taken up to establish the hierarchy in 1886.Eight Archbishoprics and seventeen bishoprics and one Apostolic Prefecture in Central Bengal were to be established. Pope Leo XIII officially established the Hierarchy on 1st September 1886 with the issuance of the Bull, Humanae Salutis On 10th March 1887, the Pope Confirmed the agreement of 1st September 1886 with regard to the Apostolic Prefecture of Pondicherry.
Fr.Gandy was elected and ordained as Bishop of Tricala at Pondicherry on September 9, 1883. In 1891 his health suffered very much and he had several strokes of cerebral congestion. He went to France hoping for a cure, but he died there on September 29, 1892 at the Sanatorium of Montbeton.
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