Léonce Bridoux, M. Afr. (15 January 1852 – 20 October 1890) was a Catholic missionary of the White Fathers who became the Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika.
Léonce Bridoux was born on 15 January 1852 in Henin-Liétard, France. His father was Sub Saharan African and his mother was French.
He joined the White Fathers (Society of the Missionaries of Africa) in 1873.[1]On 24 October 1874 he was ordained a priest of the White Fathers.[2] Bridoux became Superior of the Major seminary of Carthage in Tunisia.[3]
Brothers in armsedit
Charles Lavigerie, the founder of the White Fathers in 1868 and the White Sisters in 1869, had great influence on missionary activity in Africa.[4] He came to believe that an African Catholic kingdom should be founded in the east of Central Africa as a refuge for escaped slaves and a center for converting the surrounding peoples. In May 1883 a mission head proposed the idea of brothers who would train the converts to defend their missions, as an alternative to hiring mercenaries.[5] Bridoux was asked to review the rules of orders such as the old Knights of Malta, and in his report he proposed that brothers-in-arms should be employed for defense, under the direction of the Fathers. Lavigerie began thinking of directly using the knights of the Order of Malta.[6] However, he was not able to get support from the grand master and the idea was abandoned.[7]
Bishopedit
Bridoux was asked to succeed Bishop Jean-Baptiste-Frézal Charbonnier, who died at Karema in Tanganyika on 16 March 1888.[3] He was appointed Titular Bishop of Utica and Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika (now the Diocese of Sumbawanga)[8] on 15 June 1888.[2] He was ordained as bishop on 8 July 1888 by Cardinal Lavigerie in the chapel of the nuns of Zion in Paris.[1] Bridoux left Marseille on 17 July 1888 destined for Zanzibar accompanied by six missionaries, including Antonin Guillermain.[9]
Bridoux arrived at the station of Mpala on the west shore of Lake Tanganyika in January 1889. He found a dispute in progress between Father François Coulbois, who had become head of the mission when Charbonnier died, and Léopold Louis Joubert, who was in charge of defense and civil affairs. Coulbois did not recognize that Joubert had civil authority, and had imposed tight restrictions on his actions. Bridoux confirmed that Joubert was both civil and military leader, but said that military operations must be purely defensive. Joubert moved to St Louis de Murumbi, some distance away, to avoid identification of his soldiers with the mission.[10]
In January 1889 the Mpala mission was cut off from the outside world by the Abushiri Revolt against the Germans in Bagamoyo and Dar es Salaam.[10] The mission suffered from repeated and deadly raids.[10] Around the end of May 1890 a group of Arabs prepared to cross the Lukuga River about 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the north of Mpala. Some skirmishing occurred between the Arabs and the mission's African forces before Joubert could reach the scene. The Arabs tried to negotiate with the missionaries, saying they would not harm the mission if the priests abandoned Joubert. Bridoux refused. It seemed that serious fighting was going to break out, when a storm arose that destroyed some of the Arab fleet and forced them to withdraw.[11]
Annales de la propagation de la foi. Society for the Propagation of the Faith. 1888. p. 418. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
Annales de la propagation de la foi: recueil périodique des lettres des évêques et des missionnaires des missions des deux mondes, et de tous les documents relatifs aux missions et à l'Oeuvre de la propagation de la foi. Oeuvre de la propagation de la foi. 1889. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
Casier, P. Jacques (1987). . Souvenirs Historiques (in French). Nuntiuncula, Bruxelles (13). Archived from the original on 2011-11-17. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
Cheney, David M. (8 September 2012). "Bishop Léonce Bridoux, M. Afr". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
Riley-Smith, Jonathan (2011-04-19). Crusades, Christianity, and Islam. Columbia University Press. p. 45. ISBN978-0-231-14625-8. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
Society for the Propagation of the Faith (1888). Annales de la propagation de la foi. Lyons. Retrieved 2013-04-08.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Swann, Alfred J. (2012-12-06). Fighting the Slave Hunters in Central Africa: A Record of Twenty-Six Years of Travel and Adventure Round the Great Lakes. Routledge. ISBN978-1-136-25681-3. Retrieved 2013-04-11.
December 15, 2023
léonce, bridoux, january, 1852, october, 1890, catholic, missionary, white, fathers, became, vicar, apostolic, tanganyika, vicar, apostolic, tanganyikainstalled15, june, 1888term, ended20, october, 1890predecessorjean, baptiste, frézal, charbonniersuccessorado. Leonce Bridoux M Afr 15 January 1852 20 October 1890 was a Catholic missionary of the White Fathers who became the Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika Leonce BridouxM Afr Vicar Apostolic of TanganyikaInstalled15 June 1888Term ended20 October 1890PredecessorJean Baptiste Frezal CharbonnierSuccessorAdolphe LechaptoisOther post s Titular Bishop of Utica 15 June 1888 20 October 1890 OrdersOrdination24 October 1874Consecration8 July 1888by Cardinal Charles LavigeriePersonal detailsBorn 1852 01 15 15 January 1852Henin Lietard FranceDied20 October 1890 1890 10 20 aged 38 TanganyikaNationalityFrench Contents 1 Early years 2 Brothers in arms 3 Bishop 4 ReferencesEarly years editLeonce Bridoux was born on 15 January 1852 in Henin Lietard France His father was Sub Saharan African and his mother was French He joined the White Fathers Society of the Missionaries of Africa in 1873 1 On 24 October 1874 he was ordained a priest of the White Fathers 2 Bridoux became Superior of the Major seminary of Carthage in Tunisia 3 Brothers in arms editCharles Lavigerie the founder of the White Fathers in 1868 and the White Sisters in 1869 had great influence on missionary activity in Africa 4 He came to believe that an African Catholic kingdom should be founded in the east of Central Africa as a refuge for escaped slaves and a center for converting the surrounding peoples In May 1883 a mission head proposed the idea of brothers who would train the converts to defend their missions as an alternative to hiring mercenaries 5 Bridoux was asked to review the rules of orders such as the old Knights of Malta and in his report he proposed that brothers in arms should be employed for defense under the direction of the Fathers Lavigerie began thinking of directly using the knights of the Order of Malta 6 However he was not able to get support from the grand master and the idea was abandoned 7 Bishop editBridoux was asked to succeed Bishop Jean Baptiste Frezal Charbonnier who died at Karema in Tanganyika on 16 March 1888 3 He was appointed Titular Bishop of Utica and Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika now the Diocese of Sumbawanga 8 on 15 June 1888 2 He was ordained as bishop on 8 July 1888 by Cardinal Lavigerie in the chapel of the nuns of Zion in Paris 1 Bridoux left Marseille on 17 July 1888 destined for Zanzibar accompanied by six missionaries including Antonin Guillermain 9 Bridoux arrived at the station of Mpala on the west shore of Lake Tanganyika in January 1889 He found a dispute in progress between Father Francois Coulbois who had become head of the mission when Charbonnier died and Leopold Louis Joubert who was in charge of defense and civil affairs Coulbois did not recognize that Joubert had civil authority and had imposed tight restrictions on his actions Bridoux confirmed that Joubert was both civil and military leader but said that military operations must be purely defensive Joubert moved to St Louis de Murumbi some distance away to avoid identification of his soldiers with the mission 10 In January 1889 the Mpala mission was cut off from the outside world by the Abushiri Revolt against the Germans in Bagamoyo and Dar es Salaam 10 The mission suffered from repeated and deadly raids 10 Around the end of May 1890 a group of Arabs prepared to cross the Lukuga River about 100 kilometres 62 mi to the north of Mpala Some skirmishing occurred between the Arabs and the mission s African forces before Joubert could reach the scene The Arabs tried to negotiate with the missionaries saying they would not harm the mission if the priests abandoned Joubert Bridoux refused It seemed that serious fighting was going to break out when a storm arose that destroyed some of the Arab fleet and forced them to withdraw 11 Bridoux died on 20 October 1890 2 References editCitations a b Society for the Propagation of the Faith 1888 p 411 a b c Cheney 2012 a b Annales de la propagation de la foi 1889 p 231 232 Riley Smith 2011 p 45 Riley Smith 2011 p 46 Riley Smith 2011 p 476 Riley Smith 2011 p 486 Diocese of Sumbawanga Tanzania GCatholic Retrieved 2021 04 21 Annales de la propagation de la foi 1888 p 418 a b c Casier 1987 Swann 2012 p 31 Sources Annales de la propagation de la foi Society for the Propagation of the Faith 1888 p 418 Retrieved 2013 04 07 Annales de la propagation de la foi recueil periodique des lettres des eveques et des missionnaires des missions des deux mondes et de tous les documents relatifs aux missions et a l Oeuvre de la propagation de la foi Oeuvre de la propagation de la foi 1889 Retrieved 2013 04 08 Casier P Jacques 1987 Le royaume chretien de Mpala 1887 1893 Souvenirs Historiques in French Nuntiuncula Bruxelles 13 Archived from the original on 2011 11 17 Retrieved 2013 04 09 Cheney David M 8 September 2012 Bishop Leonce Bridoux M Afr Catholic Hierarchy Retrieved 2013 04 08 Riley Smith Jonathan 2011 04 19 Crusades Christianity and Islam Columbia University Press p 45 ISBN 978 0 231 14625 8 Retrieved 2013 04 08 Society for the Propagation of the Faith 1888 Annales de la propagation de la foi Lyons Retrieved 2013 04 08 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Swann Alfred J 2012 12 06 Fighting the Slave Hunters in Central Africa A Record of Twenty Six Years of Travel and Adventure Round the Great Lakes Routledge ISBN 978 1 136 25681 3 Retrieved 2013 04 11 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leonce Bridoux amp oldid 1187594721, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
