>Rathfelder at 14:56, 22 April 2021

2021-04-22T14:56:23Z

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{{more citations needed|date=February 2020}}
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{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific-prefix = Bishop
| name = Joseph-Isidore Godelle
| honorific-suffix = M.E.P.
| title = Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry<br />Titular Bishop of Thermopylae
| image = Joseph-Isidore Godelle.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| see = Pondicherry
| appointed = 3 April 1857
| term_start = 21 March 1861
| term_end = 15 July 1867
| predecessor = [[Clément Bonnand]]
| successor = [[François-Jean-Marie Laouënan]]

| ordination = 1 June 1833
| ordained_by =
| consecration = 27 August 1857
| consecrated_by = [[Clément Bonnand]]


| birth_name = Joseph-Isidore Godelle
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1806|03|07}}
| birth_place = Hannapes, France
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1867|07|15|1806|03|07}}
| death_place = [[Chambéry]], France
| buried = Chambéry Cemetery
| religion = Catholic
| parents =
| motto =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| coat_of_arms =
| coat_of_arms_alt =
| other =
}}

'''Joseph-Isidore Godelle''' (7 March 1806 – 15 July 1867) was a missionary of [[Paris Foreign Missions Society]] and was the Vicar Apostolic of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore|Pondicherry]] from 21 March 1861 until his death on 15 July 1867.<ref name='ch'>{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bgode|Bishop Joseph-Isidore Godelle, M.E.P.|accessdate=09 December 2014}}</ref>

He was born in [[Hannapes]], [[Ardennes (department)|Ardennes]] on 7 March 1806. After his ordination on 1 June 1833, he served as pastor in [[Remaucourt, Aisne]] and Logny-lès-Chaumont (now a part of [[Chaumont-Porcien]]). In 1834 he served in Librecy. He joined the Seminary of Paris Foreign Missions on 4 May 1839. He was sent to Pondicherry, India on 6 January 1840.

==In India==

Coming to India he served in Tanjore, Kovilur in Dharmapuri District, Tranquabar and also in Karaikal. He became the rector of the [[Petit Seminaire Higher Secondary School|Petit Seminaire]] in Pondicherry and served for five years from 1846 to 1850. The caste Catholics had viewed the decision of the [[Synod of Pondicherry]] with regard to the admissions to Petit Seminaire as a veiled threat to the caste system. Tamil news papers from Madras carried letters and articles condemning the acts of the priests. The seminary authorities declared indefinite holidays and the seminary was closed. Normalcy returned only in April 1847 with the intervention of Mgr. [[Clément Bonnand|Bonnand]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Shapers of Petit Seminaire|url=http://petitseminaire.org.in/the-school/shapers-petit-seminaire/shapers-1844-1850/|website=petitseminaire.org.in|publisher=Petit Seminaire HSS, Puducherry, INDIA.|accessdate=9 December 2014}}</ref>

==As a Bishop==
He was appointed as the Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry on 3 April 1857. He was ordained a Bishop by Ordained Bishop Mgr. Bonnand on 27 August 1857 at [[Karumathampatti|Karoumatampatty]], Coimbatore with Thermopylae as his titular see. He was simultaneously appointed as an administrator of Coimbatore. When Mgr. Bonnand was appointed as the apostolic visitor of the missions of India and set off for his apostolic visitation in November 1859, Godelle took charge of the mission of Pondicherry. He succeeded Bonnand as the Vicar Apostolic on 21 March 1861 after the death of the prelate, while remaining an administrator of Coimbatore. He remained in this additional post until 1865 the Vicariate of Coimbatore was entrusted to Bishop Depommier.

==Death==
In 1867, the Catholic bishops of the world were invited to Rome to solemnize the 18th centenary of the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul and to attend the canonization of [[Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan]]. Mgr. Godelle, accompanied by Mgr. [[Étienne-Louis Charbonnaux|Charbonnaux]], went to Rome. At the end of the celebrations they met the Pope in private audience and started their return journey. During that journey Mgr. Godelle fell ill and he was taken by Mgr.Charbonnaux to Chambéry, where he was admitted in the general hospital, since Mgr. Godelle refused to seek hospitality from the Archbishop of Chambéry on account of his austerity and simplicity. He asked Mgr.Charbonnaux to proceed to India while he remained alone in the hospital, in the company of a missionary from China.<ref>{{cite book|last1=P. A.|first1=Sampath Kumar|author-link=P. A. Sampath Kumar|last2=Carof|first2=André|title=History of Pondicherry Mission: An Outline (a translation from French)|year=1999|publisher=Department of Christian Studies, [[University of Madras]]|location=Chennai|pages=173–185}}</ref>

On 15 July 1867 he received the last sacraments in the presence of Cardinal [[:fr:Alexis Billiet|Alexis Billiet]], the Archbishop of Chambéry, and died that day. He was buried in the graveyard of Chambéry and a monument was erected in [[Chambéry Cathedral|the Cathedral]]. On 14 August 1867, a solemn service was held for him at Pondicherry which was attended by all the members of the government and at which military honours were rendered.

In 1870 around the cemetery chapel a vault was prepared to bury clergymen including Mgr. Godelle. His remains were later transferred to the cathedral.<ref>
Les cimetières de Chambéry; Document réalisé par la Société des Amis du Vieux Chambéry en collaboration avec la Ville de Chambéry (services des cimetières et des Archives municipales). - Société des Amis du Vieux Chambéry - 1 OCTOBRE 2009</ref>

{{Ordination
| ordained priest by =
| date of priestly ordination = 1 June 1833
| place of priestly ordination =
| consecrated by = [[Clément Bonnand]]
| co-consecrators = [[Etienne-Louis Charbonnaux]]
| date of consecration = 27 August 1857
| place of consecration = Karoumatampatty, Coimbatore

| bishop 1 = [[Claude-Marie Dépommier]]
| consecration date 1 = 1865

}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Giovanni Angelo Porta]], O.F.M.}}
{{s-tul|title=Bishop of Thermopylae|years=3 April 1857 – 15 July 1867}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Stephen Fennelly]]}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Clément Bonnand]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry|years= 21 March 1861 – 15 July 1867}}
{{s-aft|after=[[François-Jean-Marie Laouënan]]}}

{{s-end}}

{{RC Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Godelle, Joseph-Isidore}}
[[Category:1806 births]]
[[Category:1867 deaths]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Pondicherry and Cuddalore]]
[[Category:19th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in India]]
[[Category:Paris Foreign Missions Society missionaries]]
[[Category:French Roman Catholic bishops in Asia]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic missionaries in India]]
[[Category:French expatriates in India]]

Joseph-Isidore Godelle - Revision history

>Rathfelder at 14:56, 22 April 2021