Ordinary

Father Augustin Louage, CSC became the first bishop of Dacca in 1890 at the age of 65. He was chosen bishop by Pope Leo XIII on October 24, 1890 and was consecrated in the chapel of the Fathers of Holy Cross, Neuilly, on January 11, 1891. Archbishop Fabre of Montreal, who was “an intimate friend of his” presided at the ceremony’. The “saintly”‘ bishop had an extraordinary career. After or-dination he worked for three years on the island of Bourbon. He then served as professor of Latin and Greek on the islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe. He was a pastor in England. He taught English for a while in France before joining Holy Cross and making his Novitiate and Profession in France. He left the congregation, however, going toNorth America in 1863 and joining the diocese of Wheeling. He was directing the construction of a theological college when he fell from the third floor but survived, breaking several bones, which were badly set and required two operations. Influenced by a Holy Cross priest, Father C. Lamonier, CSC, he rejoined Holy Cross at Notre Dame in 1871. After profession in 1873 he became Master of Novices until 1880 and also taught Dogmatic Theology as well as Philosophy and Latin Literature at the University of Notre Dame. In 1880 he was elected Canadian Provincial for seven years. When Holy Cross re¬turned to E. Bengal in 1888 Rome singled him out as the first bishop of Dacca. He was received in Dhaka on March 10, 1891. In spite of advanced age and frail health, it was written of him: Here he found a field from which many a man would have shrunk in dismay and despair. The territory entrusted to his guidance was large, the number of priests only seven, poverty reigned everywhere. After three years of his administration, the number of priests has increased to thirteen, new churches and chapels have been built at Boxnagore, Mausaid and Rangamati..and schools have been opened in every mis-sion, where there was none before.’ In 1884 Bishop Louage had 15 priests and one catechist under him. With characteristic missionary zeal he built three churches, four chap¬els, tworesidences for missionaries and rebuilt the Chittagong or¬phanage. He blessed the new chapel at Mausaid, dedicated to St. Augustine of Canterbury, on April 17. 1893. Father John Adelsperger, CSC was in charge, though resident in Dacca. BiShopLouage blessed the Church of the Sacred Heart at Rangamattia on November 14, 1892 (“a beautiful, large and well-situated church”), with Father FabianusLangelier as the new rector.’ The church was blown down, though, in 1898 and in later years was served from Tumilia. In 1893 Solepur was a centre of four villages, with about 800 Catholics, under the pastorship of Father Bourque, who had been there since 1888. There was a small but neat church and a school with 50 pupils.’ Father Fallize built a beautiful bungalow in 1893 at Bandhura, where the priest had been “doorkeeper of the commodious church of the Mission.”‘ There had been a residence but it developed “falling Baksanaar where the riest was living in a part of the old church built by Bishop Dufal in 1860. The church gave out and a new and more spacious building was dedicated by Bishop Louage February 20, 1894, under the patronage of St. An¬thony of Padua.’ At Tumilia in 1893 there was a flourishing parish of about 3,000 Catholics, with Father Fourmond as pastor and Father Langelier as his assistant. But in 1894 Father Larbiou appealed for a new church to replace the one levelled by a ferocious storm in March.   Because of failing health the Civil Surgeon advised Bishop Louage to go to Europe or the hills for a rest, but he said: “The Holy Father entrusted to me the diocese of Dacca and like a good soldier I must remain at my post until I am recalled by my superiors or death.” In April he appointed Father Fallize as administrator and died on June 13, 1894.