Gulstan Ropert

Gulstan Ropert (August 30, 1839 - January 4, 1903) of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary served as the third vicar apostolic of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Sandwich Islands — now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, from 1892 to 1903. Born in France at Kerfago, St. Gildas de Rhuys, Morbihan, in Brittany, he was baptized as François. François Ropert entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary at age 20 and took the name Gulstan. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1866, at the age of 26. He was sent to the Kingdom of Hawai`i to assist the Vicariate, arriving in Honolulu on June 9, 1868. He was in charge of the Hamakua district on the island of Hawai`i until October 2, 1883, when he was assigned to the Wailuku mission. He left Wailuku for Honolulu in 1891 having been appointed Vice-Provincial.

Secret Societies and Establishment of Catholic Young Men's Institute

Msgr. Ropert's peace-loving nature made him hesitate in enforcing in his vicariate the condemnation by the Holy Office of the secret societies of the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and the Sons of Temperance on June 24, 1894. The documents of the Holy See were addressed to the Catholic Bishops of the United States and his wish not to disturb the Catholics of his jurisdiction who were members of the condemned organizations inclined him to the opinion (confirmed by Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco) that the prosciption was limited to the United States. On the advice of the Superior General of the Picpus Fathers, Msgr. Ropert later published the Roman decree and extended the Holy See's condemnation of the secret societies to include the Hawaiian Islands. To better counteract membership in these societies, Msgr. Ropert supported the establishment of three councils of the Young Men's Institute.

Related Topics:
Odd Fellows - Knights of Pythias - Sons of Temperance

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