Laouënan, François-Jean-Marie

LAOUËNAN, FRANÇOIS-JEAN-MARIE. - Born on 9 November 1822 at Lannion (Côtes du Nord), died at Montbeton on 29 September 1892. He entered the Seminary of the Paris Missions on 29 September 1843 and, ordained a priest on 6 June 1846, he set out in August of the same year for the mission of Pondichéry, where he was first a professor, then superior of the colonial college, and in 1857 he was placed in charge of the station of Kumbakonam, now an episcopal see.

From 1859 to 1862 he accompanied his bishop on the apostolic visitation of the missions of India. He was thus able, in 1884, to write Le brahmanisme et ses rapports avec le judaïsme et le christianisme. On 5 June 1868 he was appointed vicar apostolic of Pondichéry and gave a great impetus to the apostolate and exerted himself on behalf of all during the famine of 1876-78. In 1874 he published the Statuts du Vic. Ap. de Pondichéry, which in 1879 were revised under the name of Directoire. He took an active part in the studies for the establishment of the hierarchy in India and in 1884 was consulted on the matter by Leo XIII, who in recompense appointed him assistant at the Throne. After the erection of the hierarchy, L. became on 7 June 1887 the first archbishop of Pondichéry.

Antonio Anoge