5. Fr.DURY Ernest ( 1883 – 1887 ) Fr.Dury was born on October 4, 1946 at Vienne and entered MEP Seminary on August 28, 1867 and was ordained priest on October 28, 1869. He joined Petit Seminaire college as a professor in 1870 and later in 1883 he succeeded Fr.Henry as rector. He guided the destiny of Petit Seminaire college during 1883 to 1887. Then he became the principal of College Colonial, which is known as Lycee Francois. The College Colonial was started by the Mission for the education of European children and it was taken over by the Government in 1824 and it was handed over back to the Mission in 1847. In 1877 the MEP fathers decided to admit Indian boys into this college to provide the benefit of education to all those who could not join Petit Seminaire college on account of their caste. Once again in 1899 the MEP fathers were asked to quit the College Colonial which was placed in the hands of laymen. Fr.Dury died on July 30, 1909. 6. Fr.JEGOREL Jean Marie ( 1888 -1894 ) Fr.Jegorel was born on January 19, 1848 at Morbiban and was ordained priest on June 7, 1873. When he came to Pondicherry he was appointed as Inspector of schools at Bahoor and Villianur, as the Directorate of Primary Schools was in the hands of Mission, and only in 1882 this privilege was taken away from the Mission by the Government of Pondicherry. He was made a professor at Grand Seminary, Pondicherry, in 1878 and after serving at Kortampet, Polar and Tobupatty he became the superior of Petit Seminaire in Pondicherry in 1888 and he guided the institute as superior till 1894. Fr.Jegorel then became the Vicar General of Kumbakonam in 1909 under Mgr.Bottero and he died on May 2, 1918.   7. Fr. LEROY Pierre Gustave ( 1895 – 1900 ) Fr.Leroy was born on December 3, 1864 and entered the MEP seminary in 1881 and was ordained priest on May 27, 1887. He served as a professor of College Colonial from 1887 to 1893. He became the superior of Petit Seminaire in 1895 and during the following six years she was under the loving care and guidance of Fr.Leroy. September 17, 1899 was a glorious day in the history of Petit Seminaire, when she pulled down the caste barriers within the campus by her wise decision to admit into her fold those children who had so far been denied admission on caste grounds. A storm brewed over the issue and on the morning of September 18, parents picketed before the school obstructing boys from entering the premises. Some went to the extent of molesting the boys. A large body of the Christians supported the stand of the Missionaries. Great was the joy when the storm subsided on the third day. Fr.Leroy then moved to Viriyur in 1905 to render his valuable pastoral service and then to Eraiyur where he worked till 1919. He was the parish priest of Konankuppam during the First World War and he went to his eternal rest on June 5, 1919.              Previous                                                           Next