Paul Goethals
Encyclopedia
Paul Goethals was a Belgian Jesuit priest, missionary in India and First Archbishop of Calcutta
.
, Belgium
, into an influential and politically active family (his father was member of the foundational National Congress of Belgium
of 1831), Goethals did his secondary studies at the Jesuit High school of Liège
, Belgium. After joining the Society of Jesus
he did his philosophical studies in Namur
(1856–57) and theology
at the Catholic University of Leuven
(1863–67).
. Everything seemed to have destined him to progress in a successful administration career in Jesuit educational institutions. A turn came however when, because of his leadership qualities joined to a good knowledge of English
, he was chosen as Apostolic Vicar of Calcutta. The Bengal
mission was at that time entrusted to the Belgian Jesuits.
, with the establishment of the Jesuit Theologate in Kurseong, near Darjeeling (1889), the arrival of numerous religious congregations who opened missions, schools and dispensaries. He is also the founder of the first indigenous religious congregation of women, the Daughters of St Ann, in 1899.
Goethals actively encouraged evangelization and education in the Chota Nagpur
plateau of Central India and was an effective help to Constant Lievens
' work among the Mundas, Oraons and Kharias of Jharkhand
. In and around Darjeeling too, in the first slopes of the Himalayas, he opened up new missionary centres and backed the Jesuits’ foundation of the St Joseph High School (Darjeeling). A boarding school in Kurseong keeps his memory alive: the Goethals Memorial School
.
In Calcutta he started a Catholic printing press
, establishes several new parishes and gathered a collection of more than 6000 books on India (religions, geography, travels, culture and languages) that became the nucleus of what is know today as the Goethals Indian Library and Research Centre (attached to St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
). Intellectually open and quite active in the cultural and social life of the city he was at one point the president of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, an association of scholars (founded by William Jones
) devoted to promoting a better knowledge and appreciation of Indian languages and civilizations. He died in Calcutta.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calcutta is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in India. It was erected as the Apostolic Vicariate of Bengal in 1834 by Pope Gregory XVI, and renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Western Bengal in 1850 by Gregory's...
.
Early years and Formation
Born in KortrijkKortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, into an influential and politically active family (his father was member of the foundational National Congress of Belgium
National Congress of Belgium
The Belgian National Congress was a temporary legislative assembly in 1830, established shortly after the Provisional Government of Belgium had proclaimed Belgian independence on October 4 of that year...
of 1831), Goethals did his secondary studies at the Jesuit High school of Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, Belgium. After joining the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
he did his philosophical studies in Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
(1856–57) and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
(1863–67).
Rector and Provincial
Goethals was the Rector of the Saint Jean-Berchmans High School, Bruxelles (1868–69) and soon after Provincial of the Belgian Jesuits (1870–76). Then again Rector of the Notre-Dame de la Paix High School in NamurNamur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
. Everything seemed to have destined him to progress in a successful administration career in Jesuit educational institutions. A turn came however when, because of his leadership qualities joined to a good knowledge of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, he was chosen as Apostolic Vicar of Calcutta. The Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
mission was at that time entrusted to the Belgian Jesuits.
Archbishop of Calcutta
Goethals arrived in Calcutta, as Vicar Apostolic, on the 4 November 1878. When the Catholic hierarchy was established in India (1 September 1886) he became the first Archbishop of Calcutta. The 23 years that Goethals was at the helm were years of development and consolidation of the Catholic Church in East IndiaEast India
East India is a region of India consisting of the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The states of Orissa and West Bengal share some cultural and linguistic characteristics with Bangladesh and with the state of Assam. Together with Bangladesh, West Bengal formed the...
, with the establishment of the Jesuit Theologate in Kurseong, near Darjeeling (1889), the arrival of numerous religious congregations who opened missions, schools and dispensaries. He is also the founder of the first indigenous religious congregation of women, the Daughters of St Ann, in 1899.
Goethals actively encouraged evangelization and education in the Chota Nagpur
Chota Nagpur
Chota Nagpur may refer to*Chota Nagpur Plateau*Chhotanagpur*Chota Nagpur Division, a division of British India *Chota Nagpur States, a collection of princely states of British India...
plateau of Central India and was an effective help to Constant Lievens
Constant Lievens
Constant Lievens was a Flemish Jesuit priest, missionary among the tribal peoples of India. He is regarded as the apostle of the Chotanagpur .-Early years and formation:...
' work among the Mundas, Oraons and Kharias of Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
. In and around Darjeeling too, in the first slopes of the Himalayas, he opened up new missionary centres and backed the Jesuits’ foundation of the St Joseph High School (Darjeeling). A boarding school in Kurseong keeps his memory alive: the Goethals Memorial School
Goethals Memorial School
Goethals Memorial School is a boarding school run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in India. It is set amid forest 5 km from Kurseong town, between Siliguri and Darjeeling at an altitude of 5500 feet above sea level. The school was founded in 1907, and is named after Jesuit...
.
In Calcutta he started a Catholic printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
, establishes several new parishes and gathered a collection of more than 6000 books on India (religions, geography, travels, culture and languages) that became the nucleus of what is know today as the Goethals Indian Library and Research Centre (attached to St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
St. Xavier's College is located in Kolkata, India, and is named after St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit saint of the 16th century, who travelled to India. It is an autonomous college affiliated to the University of Calcutta. It gained autonomy in July 2006, thus becoming the first autonomous college of...
). Intellectually open and quite active in the cultural and social life of the city he was at one point the president of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, an association of scholars (founded by William Jones
William Jones (philologist)
Sir William Jones was an English philologist and scholar of ancient India, particularly known for his proposition of the existence of a relationship among Indo-European languages...
) devoted to promoting a better knowledge and appreciation of Indian languages and civilizations. He died in Calcutta.
External links
- http://goethalsmemorialschool.com Goethals Memorial School, Kurseong
- http://goethals.org Goethals Indian Library and Research Center, Calcutta