Joseph-Adolphe Gandy

Joseph-Adolphe Gandy (25 February 1839 – 26 March 1909) was a member of Paris Foreign Missions Society and was the archbishop of Archdiocese of Pondicherry. On 16 March 1883 he was appointed as a Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic to succeed Bishop Laouënan. He was consecrated as a bishop on 9 September 1883 with Tricale as his titular see. When Pope Leo XII established Catholic hierarchy in India, he was appointed as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Pondicherry on 15 January 1889. After the death of Mgr. Laouënan he succeed him on 29 September 1892. He was the archbishop until his death on 26 March 1909.[1] He was succeeded by Elie-Jean-Joseph Morel.

Archbishop Joseph-Adolphe Gandy M.E.P.
Archbishop of Pondicherry
See	Pondicherry
Appointed	15 January 1889
Installed	29 September 1892
Term ended	26 March 1909
Predecessor	François-Jean-Marie Laouënan
Successor	Elie-Jean-Joseph Morel
Orders
Ordination	13 July 1862
Consecration	9 September 1883 by François-Jean-Marie Laouënan
Personal details
Birth name	Joseph-Adolphe Gandy
Born	25 February 1839 Châtonnay, France
Died	26 March 1909 (aged 70) Yercaud
Buried	Cathedral Cemetery, Pondicherry
Denomination	Catholic
Motto	Dominare Nostri Tu Et Filius Tuus (Rule over us - you, your son - Judges 8:22)
Coat of arms

Styles of Joseph-Adolphe Gandy
Reference style	His Excellency
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	The Most Reverend

Early life

He was born 25 February 1839 at St. Anne, Estrablin, which at that time was part of the Châtonnay; He studied at the seminary in La Côte-Saint-André and at the major seminary in Grenoble, where he was ordained priest on 13 July 1862. After two years as vicar at St. Symphorien d'Ozon, he entered the Seminary of Paris Foreign Missions Society on 7 August 1866.

In India

He left for Pondicherry Mission on 15 March 1867. There he first worked as a teacher. In December 1870 Bishop Laouënan sent him to district of Kottapalayam, and in 1872, in that of Koneripatti where he remained for fifteen years. Despite many difficulties, he established a Christian colony, built a rectory, and laid the foundations of a church;[2]

As a Bishop

He was chosen as coadjutor and was appointed Bishop of Tricala 16 March 1883, and consecrated as the titular Bishop of Tricale on 9 September of the same year in Pondicherry. He then while working as a professor of theology at the seminary also took care of district administration. He employed his time as a coadjutor to visit the mission and gaining complete knowledge of it. In 15 January 1889 he was named the Coadjutor Archbishop of Pondicherry with Claudiopolis in Honoriade as his titular. In 29 September 1892 he succeeded deceased Mgr. Laouenan as the Archbishop of Pondicherry. During his tenure as the Archbishop, he gave importance to creating indigenous priests.

Upon his request on 1 September 1899, Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Kumbakonam by dividing the Archdiociese of Pondicherry.

Death

Tomb of Mgr. Joseph-Adolphe Gandy

In July 1908, the bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Pondicherry met to discuss general administrative matters; Although Mgr. Gandy seemed very tired, he was active. He died in Yercaud 25 March 1909 and was buried in Pondicherry Cathedral Cemetery.

The short biography of Mrg. Gandy at the MEP Archives ends as:

During his 42 years as a missionary, he was always on the road, always at work; He did that for the good of souls and the holy will of God. He practiced mortification, fasting, working which is a great example to his flock; He left us the example of the finest of virtues.

— MEP Archives[3]

Ordination history of Joseph-Adolphe Gandy
History Priestly ordination Date 13 July 1862 Place Grenoble Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator François-Jean-Marie Laouënan Co-consecrators Etienne-Auguste-Joseph-Louis Bardou Jean-Yves-Marie Coadou Date 9 September 1883 Place Pondicherry
Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Joseph-Adolphe Gandy as principal consecrator René-Michel-Marie Fée 1896 Hugues-Madelain Bottero 1899 Émile Marie Luc Alphonse Barillon 1904 Augustin-François Baslé 1906

References

1. "Archbishop Joseph-Adolphe Gandy, M.E.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
2. Eglise, grav., Hist. miss. Inde, v, p. xli
3. Joseph Adolphe GANDY