The Zealous Capuchins
Pondicherry was restored from the Dutch to the French after six years in 1699 by the treaty of Ryswick.[1] The missionaries too soon returned to assume their spiritual charges and it was the Capuchins who first returned to Pondicherry. The three famous Capuchin missionaries Frs. Jacques, Lawrence, Spiritus and a lay brother returned to their former mission and laid a strong foundation of a flourishing Christian community of Poor and Rich, Parayars and Brahmins, Hindus and Europeans.[2] Before they could come to Pondicherry from Madras, these Capuchins met the Bishop of Mylapore and got appointed Fr. Jacques as Cure of the Native church at Pondicherry.[3] The Jesuits resented to this and influenced François Martin to protest against it for this appointment was done without his knowledge. The Bishop of Mylapore withdrew his order of appointing Fr. Jacques OFM.Cap in charge of the Tamil Christians and in return Fr. FrancoisDolu S.J was appointed. It was the first time that the bishop of Mylapore appointed officially a parish priest over the Tamil congregation at Pondicherry.[4]
The zealous Capuchins were disappointed of their deprival of the pastoral care of the Indian Catholics.[5] They had devoted themselves since the foundation of Pondicherry to the welfare of all Catholics irrespective of their origin. They desired to evangelize the Tamil community but they became mere care takers of Europeans, Eurasians and Europeanized Indians. The Capuchin missionaries repeatedly tried to re-assume their mission among the natives. They sent François-Marie de Tours even to Rome in 1702 to plead for their rights over the local Christians.
The Apostle of Malabaris
Fr. Spiritus of Tours (+1738), came to Pondicherry in 1686 to assist Fr. Cosmos de Gien the founder of the Pondicherry mission.[6] He was a man of enormous talents and was a great linguistic like Fr. Ephrem de Nevers OFM.Cap (+1695), the founder of the Madras mission. Fr. Spriritus could speak and write French, English, Portuguese and Tamil fluently.[7] He mastered Tamil and worked among the Tamil Christian community with great fervour and unquenching desire. He too adopted the customs and manners of Tamils which was then known as Malabar-rites.[8] He converted many Malabaris to the Christian fold and led the liturgy in the light of Tamil culture.[9] His great work among the Natives had won the name of “The Apostle of Malabaris” This humble Capuchin Fr. Spiritus of Tours aged 83 years died on January 3, 1738.
A Missionary to the Tribals
Another zealous Capuchin missionary in this mission was Fr. Thomas ofPoitiers (+1742). He first came to Surat and served as pro-vicar to the Vicar Apostolic of Great Mogul.[10] Fr. Thomas an excellent missionary with a great vision was appointed the superior of the Capuchin mission in Pondicherry.[11] He travelled 60 miles from Pondicherry to a mountainous region called Palleagaersand opened a new mission among the tribals near Chittor (Andhra) in 1732.[12]
The people in Palleagaers worshipped nature; Thomas equipped himself in their dialect and became one among them.[13] He taught them about Christ and converted the whole tribe of Palleagaers to Christianity and built a church dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels. He worked among them for more than ten years and established three missions called the mission of Palleagares. It was a more successful mission but it was closed down due to lack of personal. He had the privilege of serving in all the three South Indian Capuchin missions of Madras, Pondicherry and Surat. Having been a successful missionary Fr. Thomas of Poitiers died in the month of February 1742, inMadras.[14]
The Father of French-Tamil Dictionary
Fr. Dominique de Valence (1696-1778) a French Capuchin was an apostolic missionary to the East. He Came to Pondicherry a Tamil region, the first mission of the Capuchins in India. He came here around 1720s and ministered among the French and Tamils. He was a man of intellect and vision oriented. The French Capuchins struggled a lot to learn Tamil, the local language. Because of this they were humiliated and the new missionaries the French Jesuits mastered Tamil as soon as possible and replaced the Capuchins in most of the Tamil missions. Thus, the Capuchins became the only care-takers of the French Christians.
Therefore he wanted his friars to learn the language properly and get into the mission actively. There were also few Capuchin missionaries namely, Spiritus de Tours & Thomas de Poiteurs mastered Tamil and carried out a wonderful evengelization. He earned their cooperation and Tamil scholars, compiled for the first time a Tamil-French dictionary. This was a manuscript "Dictionarie et Grammaire François Tamool [ French Tamil Dictionary and Grammar]. This Dictionary contains 12,450 entries alphabetically changed with their Tamil equivalents. This was a great help to the French missionaries and all Tamils who were in contact with them. He must be acclaimed the Father of French-Tamil Dictionary.
Fr. Dominique de Valence was appointed the head of the Capuchin Mission in Pondicherry in 1731. This mission under his able guidence flourished in all levels. He was the first mission superior to found a Christian mission in Karikal in 1740. He as Superior assisted Fr. Norbert OFM.Cap, to bring the Sisters of Urusilne in 1738 to Pondicherry for the education of French Children. Around in his time, the Capuchins, founded the First French School in Pondicherry. He renovated St. Peter (Lazer) the first church of Pondicherry in 1737, which was built by the Capuchins in 1686 by the finiancial assistence of Thanappa Mudaliar. He Served as Mission Superior till 1745 and the mission witnessed a tremendous growth.
Capuchin Contributions to Pondicherry Mission
The Social Concerns
The Brahmins the main beneficiaries of the caste system continued to enjoy superior powers under the French rule.[1] François Martin the founder ofPondicherry was very clear and asked the missionaries never to harm theBrahminical structure.[2] The French tolerated the caste system for their smooth administration. The French missionaries achieved a remarkable success in converting the natives and Christian became second in population in the settlements.[3] The converted Christians carried along with them certain Hindu customs and religious rites. These Christians carried with them not only the Hindu customs but also the caste distinctions. The Capuchins severely criticized as pagan attitudes and protested against such conversions at several times.[4]
Education
The Capuchins had the privilege of founding the first school in Pondicherryand it was of a parish-school, where religious instructions were obviously imparted.[5] The French did not have a French school for their girls and this concern was fulfilled by the Capuchins.[6] They took initiative and invited threeUrsuline sisters from Vannes, in French Brittany. They arrived on September 8, 1738 at Pondicherry and as soon as their arrival they opened a school. The sisters had to face some administrative difficulties with the French government therefore they closed down the school.
Acts of Charity
The Capuchins were in charge of a hospital of the French company and an inn for the travellers to rest and relax.[7] Duplex’s wife Jeanne her love for the poor moved to open a small leper asylum without any social or religious distinction.[8] The Capuchin Fathers were the supervisors and appointed one of their catechists as manager of the asylum. [9]
THE LIST OF CAPUCHIN MISSIONARIES IN PONDICHERRYMISSION (1632-1828)
1. Fr. Cosmas of Gien
2. Fr. Jacques of Bourges
3. Fr. Lorenzo of Angouleme
4. Fr. Spiritus of Tours (+ 3rd Jan, 1738)
5. Fra. Michel Angleo of Borgogna
6. Fr. Francis Maria of Tours
7. Fr. Norbert De Bar-Le-Duc
8. Fr. Giambattiata of Orleans (+ 16th July, 1721)
9. Fr. Thomas of Poitiers (+ 1742)
10. Fr. Eutropio of Samnur (+ 22nd Feb, 1742)
11. Fr. Francisco of Samnur (+ 23rd Sep, 1752)
12. Fr. Michele of Ledignon (+ 19th June, 1737)
13. Fr. Cristomo of Longuion (03rd Mar, 1737)
14. Fr. Alessandro of Chateller (06th July, 1738)
15. Fr. Andrea of Orleans (05th June, 1741)
16. Fr. Ireneo of Normandia (23rd July, 1743)
17. Fr. Fidele (+ 11th June, 1747)
18. Fr. Gian Cristostomo of Castel Sarazin (16th April, 1748)
19. Fr. Ippolito of Vallars (22nd Oct, 1748)
20. Fr. Bonaventura of Bourges (02nd Dec, 1750)
21. Fr. Lorenzo of Coutance (19th Aug, 1754)
22. Fr. Atanario of Montfort (04th Nov, 1759)
23. Fr. Francisco Felice of Pinerolr (23rd Mar, 1760)
24. Fr. Terzorio (12th Dec, 1789)
25. Fr. Sebastian of Nevers
26. Fr. Victor of Niort
27. Fr. Mansueto of Pintin
28. Fr. John Baptist of Bergamo
29. Fr. Bonaventure of Foligno
30. Fr. Donatus of Aurelianesis
31. Fr. Hilarius of Pictaviensis
32. Fr. Damasus of Oleron
33. Fr. Benedictus of Monterotundo
34. Fr. Honoratus of Utino
35. Fr. Augustus of Auvergne
36. Fr. John Baptist of S. Romulo
37. Fr. Laurentius of Tabia
38. Fr. Augustinus of Neuffontaines
39. Fr. Eustachius of Forosempronio
40. Fr. Petrus Benedictus of Filottrano
41. Fr. John Fidelis of Cuneo
42. Fr. Filibertus of Ceva
43. Fr. Felice of Montecchio}Italian
44. Fr. Giuseppe of Ascoli } Italian
- Fr. A. Thainis, OFM.Cap.,
[1] Ramasamy, 206.
[2] Madanakalyani, 90.
[3] Here and the following, Ramasamy, 209.
[4] Madanakalyani, 83.
[5] Hambye, 176.
[6] Here and the following, Madanakalyani, 90.
[7] Madanakalyani, 89f.
[8] Here and the following, Hambye, 177.
[9] Sampathkumar, 11.
[1] Here and the following, Joseph Thekkedath, 200.
[2] Lucius, 24.
[3] Here and the following, Peter Celestine, 22f.
[4] Hambye, 171.
[5] Here and the following, Ibid, 171f.
[6] Lucius, 23.
[7] Peter Celestine, 24.
[8] Lucius, 23.
[9] Here and the following, Peter Celestine, 24f.
[10] Ibid, 119.
[11] Here and the following, Collectiona Franciscana, 281.
[12] Sampath Kumar, 11.
[13] Here and the following, Collectiona Franciscana, 281.
[14] Humbert, Catholic Bombay, vol., i, Bombay: Catholic Press, 1964, 145.
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