Page 43 - Bishop-Roch-Jubli-Malar

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into full pastoral work with all the vigour and dash man-power and resources had also inflicted a
of a "race-horse ready for the race", to use a Pauline serious set back to missionary endeavour, depleting

expression. the ranks of the mission personnel and crippling the
recruiting agencies. Pope Benedict XV anxiously
But his first call after five years of absence
watched the situation and sought to remedy it. This
was to his home town. Tuticorin, where his family
prompted him to issue his apostolic letter "On the
and many friends were preparing for him a rousing
Missions", which appeared in Now 1919, and
reception and eagerly expecting to receive his first
urgently called for a vigorous drive for vocations in
priestly blessing. His beloved father was no more;
the Mission lands themselves and for new
all the more affectionate was his embrace to his
seminaries to be established there. Another Papal
dear mother who could not contain her joy at
directive was to the effect that where mission
receiving holy communion from his consecrated
territories were sufficiently developed and
hands.
provided with an adequate indigenous clergy, these
This filial duty accomplished, he was at the should be entrusted to the indigenous clergy. The
disposal of his superiors. Such was the confidence Madura Mission answered the purpose and the

they placed on him that they entrusted him then and Bishop, Mgr. A. Faisandier, took immediate steps
there with the care of Holy Redeemer's parish, along the lines advocated by the Papal Brief. St.
Trichy, a large town parish of 9000 souls. Here for Paul's Seminary was started in 1921 and the Fishery
the next twelve years he gave of his best, soon coast; the southern portion of the diocese was
making a name for himself as a powerful preacher, carved out to be constituted into an ecclesiastical

an able director of schools, a jealous founder and unit manned and administered by diocesan priests
animator of parish associations, and as if these and headed by a Vicar General. Rome having been
various occupations did not satisfy his exuberant contacted with a view to the nomination of a Prelate

dynamism, he was always. ready to accept to govern the newly created diocese, Pope Pius XI
invitations to conduct retreats and missions in and in a Brief dated 12th June 1923 appointed Mgr. G. F.
out of the diocese to make himself available to one Tiburtius Roche to the see of Tuticorin the first
and all like St. Paul, "to spend and be spent for the Indian of the Latin rite to head a diocese. The news
welfare of souls". The pastoral ministry appealed to was received with great jubilation throughout

him and suited him so well that he could not wish India. While others rejoiced, Fr. Tiburtius Roche
for anything better. felt dismayed and uncertain. His first reaction was

But events were taking such a turn that he to decline the heavy responsibility and to that effect
was caught in their revolving course. The first he consulted the Delegate Apostolic. When told

world war years with their disastrous effects on that the decision of the Holy Father conveyed the
clear will of God, which so far had always been his

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