Brice Meuleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brice Meuleman |
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| Archbishop Emeritus of Calcutta | |
Brice Meuleman, second Archbishop of Calcutta (now Kolkata)
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Calcutta |
| Province | Calcutta |
| Metropolis | Calcutta |
| See | Calcutta (emeritus) |
| Enthroned | 23 June 1924 |
| Reign ended | 15 July 1924 |
| Successor | Ferdinand Perier |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 20 January 1895 |
| Consecration | 25 May 1902 by Bishop Godefroid Pelckmans, O.F.M. Cap. |
| Rank | Archbishop |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Brice Meuleman |
| Born | 1 March 1862 Gand, Belgium. |
| Died | 15 July 1924 (aged 62) Marseille, France |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post | Archbishop of Calcutta(1902–1924) |
| Styles of Brice Meuleman |
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| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Grace |
Brice Meuleman (born March 1, 1862, in Ghent, Belgium – died July 15, 1924, in Marseille, France) was an important Catholic leader. He was a Jesuit priest and a missionary in British India. He became the second Archbishop of Calcutta, which is now known as Kolkata.
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Early Life and Journey to India
Brice Meuleman was born on March 1, 1862. His parents, Desiderius Meuleman and Maria Coleta De Smet, were from a village near Ghent in Belgium. Brice was one of six sons.
When he was 17, on September 23, 1879, Meuleman joined the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. This is a religious order of Catholic priests and brothers. He began his training in Belgium.
After finishing his early studies, Meuleman left Europe in late 1886. He traveled to India to join the Jesuit mission in West Bengal.
Life as a Missionary
In India, Meuleman worked at the College of St. Francis Xavier in Calcutta. From 1888 to 1889, he taught philosophy and history. He then became a professor and inspector until 1892.
In 1892, he moved to Kurseong to continue his studies in theology. He was ordained as a priest there in 1895. After more training, he returned to St. Xavier's College in 1897. He taught logic and philosophy. On August 15, 1895, he officially became a full member of the Society of Jesus in Calcutta.
In 1898, Meuleman went back to Kurseong. He became the Minister of Theology and a professor at the Jesuit Seminary. A year later, he was promoted to be the Rector (head) of the seminary. He continued to teach and oversee studies. In November 1900, he became the Superior Regular of the West Bengal Mission. This was a very important leadership role.
Archbishop of Calcutta
On March 21, 1902, Brice Meuleman was chosen to become the next Archbishop of Calcutta. He took over from the previous Archbishop, Paul Goethals.
Two months later, on May 25, 1902, he was officially made Archbishop. This ceremony took place at the Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady of the Rosary in Calcutta. Bishop Godefroid Pelckmans led the ceremony, with help from other bishops.
His Work as Archbishop
As Archbishop, Meuleman worked hard to set up new missions. These missions were in areas like the 24 Parganas District and the Chota Nagpur Division (now the state of Jharkhand).
During the 1910s, he opened several schools. One important school was St. Albert’s Seminary, opened in 1914. This school was in the Ranchi district. Its purpose was to educate and prepare tribal Indian boys to become priests and monks.
Archbishop Meuleman believed that education was very important. He wanted to make sure that girls received an education, just like boys. He was known for being kind, intelligent, and gentle. He cared deeply about the people of India.
On December 21, 1921, Meuleman promoted another Jesuit, Ferdinand Perier, to be his Coadjutor Bishop. This meant Perier would help him and eventually take over his role.
Later Years and Legacy
Eventually, Archbishop Meuleman's health began to get worse. In June 1924, he moved to France, hoping to feel better. However, his health did not improve.
On June 23, 1924, he decided to step down from his position as Archbishop. Since Ferdinand Perier was the Coadjutor Bishop, he automatically became the third Archbishop of Calcutta.
Three weeks later, on July 15, 1924, Brice Meuleman passed away in Marseille, France.
Today, a street in his home village of Sint-Lievens-Houtem, Belgium, is named Monseigneur Meulemanstraat. This street honors his memory and his work as Archbishop.
