Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath

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His Excellency

Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath
Archbishop emeritus of Papeete
Installed5 March 1973
Term ended4 June 1999
PredecessorPaul-Laurent-Jean-Louis Mazé
SuccessorHubert Coppenrath
Personal details
Born
Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath

4 June 1924
French PolynesiaPapeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Died16 August 2008(2008-08-16) (aged 84)
 French Polynesia

Monsignor Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath (4 June 1924 – 16 August 2008) was the Tahitian Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Papeete in French Polynesia for 26 years from 1973 until 1999.[1] Coppenrath served as the Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Papeete from 1999 until his death in 2008.[1] Coppenrath was the first Tahitian-born Catholic bishop of French Polynesia.[2]

Early life

Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath was born in

Poitiers, France, on 29 June 1954, when he was thirty years old.[1]
He was the first ordained priest of indigenous Polynesian descent in French Polynesia since Tiripone Mama Taira Putairi in 1874.[3] He further obtained both a degree in civil law as well as a doctorate in Canon law.[1]

Archbishop of Papeete

Coppenrath initially became a

youth movements, as well as the media, while assigned to Pirae.[1]

Coppenrath was elevated to

vicar-general to Monsignor Paul-Laurent-Jean-Louis Mazé in 1966.[1] He was next appointed the archbishop of the titular see Tigisis in Numidia (present-day Aïn el-Bordj, Algeria) on 16 February 1968.[1]
He held that post until he was appointed the Archbishop of Papeete.

Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath was formally appointed the archbishop of the

Roman Catholic Church appointed Coppenrath's brother, Hubert Coppenrath, as his successor on 4 June 1999, which also marked the 75th birthday of Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath.[1] The appointment of Coppenrath's brother, a blood relative, as archbishop is a rare occurrence within the Catholic Church.[1][5] Coppenrath continued to serve as Archbishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Papeete.[1] He also served as a parish priest in the Commune of Punaauia, which is located on the west coast of Tahiti.[4]

Death

Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath died of a ruptured

French National Assembly, and Armelle Merceron, who served as the French Polynesian solidarity minister under President Gaston Tong Sang.[2]

A public wake and funeral were held at the Maria No Te Hau Catholic Church in the Mission neighborhood of

Faa'a, Papeete, Pirae and Punaauia were closed on 18 August 2008, the day of Coppenrath's funeral.[2]

Coppenrath's brother and successor, Archbishop Hubert Coppenrath, thanked those in attendance saying, "On behalf of my brother.... I would like to thank everyone who sent their sympathy to Archbishop Michel Coppenrath." He also described his brother as "an evangelist, a visionary and a man attentive to the people."[4]

French Polynesian President Gaston Tong Sang gave the eulogy at Coppenrath's funeral.[4] Tong Sang said of Coppenrath, "Michel Coppenrath, in the great evangelic tradition of your predecessors, you gave your life to the service of faith, the Catholic Church and its faithful, with full respect of man and other beliefs. Your righteousness and your openness, your broad culture, your natural authority and your love of others were unanimously appreciated in our 'country’, but also among other churches in Oceania."[4]

Coppenrath's death earned messages of condolence from across French Polynesia. The Rev.

ecumenical work he undertook, opening the possibilities of encounter and recognition between the two churches".[1]

The recently appointed

High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia, Adolphe Colrat called Coppenrath "a great builder of the (Catholic) Church, particularly concerned with training (French) Polynesian priests. He leaves the lasting memory of a man profoundly good and warm whose great courtesy was only equaled by the firmness of his beliefs."[1] Tributes were also extended by Oscar Temaru, Bruno Sandras, Gaston Flosse and Jean-Christophe Bouissou.[2]

Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath was interred at the Priests' Cemetery in Tahiti.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Papeete's Catholic archbishop emeritus dies at 84 of ruptured aneurysm". Tahitipresse. Pacific Magazine. 2008-08-17. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Thousands attend wake for former Papeete Archbishop". Tahitipresse. 2008-08-18. Archived from the original on 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  3. ^ a b "Tahiti 1834-1984 - Chap. XII. DEUXIÈME PARTIE L'APPEL DES ÎLES LOINTAINES". Paroisse de la Cathédrale de Papeete. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Huge Crowd Needs Giant TV To See Funeral For Archbishop Coppenrath". Tahitipresse. 2008-08-20. Archived from the original on 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  5. ^ "Papeete's Catholic archbishop emeritus dies at 84 of ruptured aneurysm". Tahitipresse. 2008-08-17. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved 2008-08-26.

External links

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