The death of 88-year-old Capuchin Father Ignatius Fevrier at a Catholic
hospital in Ajmer in 1991 marked the end of a chapter in the Church
history of northwestern India.
The Church´s mission in this arid and backward region began with the arrival from Paris in 1890 of three Capuchin priests and two brothers, who settled at Mhow in the then Central Province, now called Madhya Pradesh.
The Capuchins later broadened their activities to Rajputana, now Rajasthan. Their work in the Rajaputana mission under Agra archdiocese bore fruit and the mission was made an apostolic prefecture in 1891 and a diocese -- Ajmer -- in 1913. In 1935, the diocese was divided.
Most of its area in Madhya Pradesh was handed over to Divine Word missioners to form the new Indore diocese. Rajasthan now has two dioceses, Ajmer-Jaipur and Udaipur.
In 1949, the French Capuchins, who continued to work in Rajasthan, handed over the diocese´s administration to diocesan clergy. Many Capuchins then left for Ethiopia to start a new mission, but some opted to stay in India.
There, he started a school, which was later given to the Patna Province Jesuits. It is one of the leading schools in the state. Father Fevrier then moved to Ambapada, a mission among the Bhil tribals.
He sought new areas to evangelize the poor tribals with disregard for his own comfort and failing health. Having established Ambapada mission, the French Capuchin moved to a new area further north and founded the Dungarpur mission. Father Fevrier´s mission work made him travel 6,644 kilometers.
When the Dungarpur mission was viable, the indefatigable missioner established another mission at Rakhabdev Kesaroaki, a town midway between Dungarpur and Udaipur.
When that got going he went off to break new ground in Jhadol and Pai. Two vibrant missions now exist in these places. After an enforced retirement, the missioner said that his greatest penance was not being able to work any longer.
Father Fevrier spent his last days praying for seminarians so that his successors can continue his work with fewer difficulties in a region, where Christians form only 0.11 percent of 43.8 million people.
Credits : UCA News
The Church´s mission in this arid and backward region began with the arrival from Paris in 1890 of three Capuchin priests and two brothers, who settled at Mhow in the then Central Province, now called Madhya Pradesh.
The Capuchins later broadened their activities to Rajputana, now Rajasthan. Their work in the Rajaputana mission under Agra archdiocese bore fruit and the mission was made an apostolic prefecture in 1891 and a diocese -- Ajmer -- in 1913. In 1935, the diocese was divided.
Most of its area in Madhya Pradesh was handed over to Divine Word missioners to form the new Indore diocese. Rajasthan now has two dioceses, Ajmer-Jaipur and Udaipur.
In 1949, the French Capuchins, who continued to work in Rajasthan, handed over the diocese´s administration to diocesan clergy. Many Capuchins then left for Ethiopia to start a new mission, but some opted to stay in India.
Among them was Father Fevrier, who came to India in
1931 and never left it even for a holiday in France. Father Fevrier
worked in Saint Anselm´s School, Ajmer, and at the catechist training
center at Suket, before being appointed parish priest in Jaipur,
Rajasthan state capital.
There, he started a school, which was later given to the Patna Province Jesuits. It is one of the leading schools in the state. Father Fevrier then moved to Ambapada, a mission among the Bhil tribals.
He sought new areas to evangelize the poor tribals with disregard for his own comfort and failing health. Having established Ambapada mission, the French Capuchin moved to a new area further north and founded the Dungarpur mission. Father Fevrier´s mission work made him travel 6,644 kilometers.
When the Dungarpur mission was viable, the indefatigable missioner established another mission at Rakhabdev Kesaroaki, a town midway between Dungarpur and Udaipur.
When that got going he went off to break new ground in Jhadol and Pai. Two vibrant missions now exist in these places. After an enforced retirement, the missioner said that his greatest penance was not being able to work any longer.
Father Fevrier spent his last days praying for seminarians so that his successors can continue his work with fewer difficulties in a region, where Christians form only 0.11 percent of 43.8 million people.
Credits : UCA News
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