Jean Margéot


Jean Margéot
Bishop Emeritus of Port-Louis
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
DiocesePort-Louis
SeePort-Louis
Appointed6 February 1969
Term ended15 February 1993
PredecessorDaniel Liston
SuccessorMaurice Piat
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of San Gabriele Arcangelo all'Acqua Traversa (1988-2009)
Previous post(s)President of the Episcopal Conference of the Indian Ocean (1986-89)
Orders
Ordination17 December 1938
by Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani
Consecration4 May 1969
by Paolo Mosconi
Created cardinal25 June 1988
by Pope John Paul II
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born
Jean Margéot

3 February 1916
Died17 July 2009(2009-07-17) (aged 93)
Filles de Marie Convent, Bonne-Terre, Vacoas, Mauritius
BuriedPort-Louis Cathedral
ParentsJoseph Margéot
Marie Harel
Alma materPontifical Gregorian University
MottoNon ministrari sed ministrare

Jean Margéot (3 February 1916 – 17 July 2009) was Mauritian Roman Catholic priest, bishop and cardinal.

Education

[edit]

A native of Quatre-Bornes, Mauritius, Jean Margéot attended Collège Père Laval before attending the Royal College Curepipe. He travelled to Rome for further religious studies. Margéot was ordained a priest on 17 December 1938 at Basilica Saint-Jean-de-Latran in Rome.[1]

Priesthood in Mauritius

[edit]

He was consecrated as Bishop of the Diocese of Port-Louis on 4 May 1969 and served until 15 February, 1993. He was President of the Conférence Episcopale de l'Océan Indien from 1986–1989.

Elevation to rank of Cardinal

[edit]

Margéot was named a cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988 becoming Cardinal-Priest of San Gabriele Arcangelo all'Acqua Traversa, the first cardinal from Mauritius. Following his death in 2009 at the age of 93, Margéot was lauded by Pope Benedict XVI in a public statement.

Contribution to society

[edit]

Following the 1968 Mauritian riots Jean Margéot worked to reconcile the racial and religious tensions which existed at the time of the island's Independence.[2] In the 1960s he was the founder of Action Familiale which assisted in managing rising population growth-rate.[3] In more recent times Cardinal Jean Margéot's main contributions have been the holistic training of clergy and his followers.[4] He is also credited for appeasing public anger during the 1999 Mauritian riots following the murder in custody of Kaya (Mauritian musician).[5] Pope Benedict paid tribute to Margéot especially for having promoted the importance of the family in a stable society.[6]

Publications

[edit]

Jean Margéot published several books including "Civilisation Mauricienne Et Valeurs Morales : Lettre Pastorale de Careme 1993" [7] and "Le voyage intérieur : Dialogues sur la prière et la méditation" in 2007.[8]

Legacy

[edit]

A period of national mourning was announced throughout Mauritius and sporting events were suspended when Cardinal Jean Margéot died.[9] In recognition of the contribution of Cardinal Jean Margéot a new training institute was named Institut Cardinal Jean Margéot in 2009.[10] It specialises in Catholic education and is located at Maison de Carné along Célicourt Antelme street in Rose Hill.[11] The main bus terminal of Beau Bassin-Rose Hill was also named Place Cardinal Jean Margéot in honour of the high priest.[12][13]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Piat, Maurice. "Le Cardinal Jean Margéot Évêque émérite de Port-Louis". Diocèse Port Louis. Archived from the original on 2020-06-18. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
  2. ^ Tang, Vanessa (2019). Development and Sustainable Growth of Mauritius. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 58–60. ISBN 9783319961668.
  3. ^ "Jean Margéot le premier Cardinal". Histoires Mauriciennes. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  4. ^ "Jean Margéot le premier Cardinal". Histoires Mauriciennes. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  5. ^ Goupille, P. "Mémorial Cardinal Margéot – Discours du P. Goupille". Diocese Port Louis. Archived from the original on 2017-08-28. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  6. ^ "Pope praises work by late cardinal Margeot of Mauritius to promote the family". Vatican Radio. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  7. ^ Margéot, Jean (1993). Civilisation Mauricienne Et Valeurs Morales : Lettre Pastorale de Careme 1993. Diocese de Port-Louis. ISBN 9789990330007.
  8. ^ Margéot, Jean (2007). Le voyage intérieur : Dialogues sur la prière et la méditation. Presses de la renaissance. ISBN 978-2750902995.
  9. ^ Aiken, Judex (21 July 2009). "Mauritius mourns Cardinal Jean Margeot". Independent Catholic News. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  10. ^ "Maison de Carné, La Grande Dame veille". lacase.mu. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  11. ^ Véder, Jean-Claude. "Institut Cardinal Jean Margéot". dioceseportlouis.org. Diocese Port Louis. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  12. ^ "Bus Rose Hill (Place Cardinal Margeot)". Mauritius Bus. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  13. ^ "Government is making provision for modern, safe and secure urban terminals". Government of Mauritius (Public Infrastructure). Retrieved 2018-05-16.