Born: Pers-Jussy (Haute-Savoie), October 26, 1826.
Took the habit: N.-D. de l’Osier, May 12, 1847.
Vows: N.-D. de l’Osier, Nay 13, 1848 (No. 195).
Priestly ordination: Marseilles, May 29, 1851.
Died: Kurunegala, Ceylon, May 18, 1879.
Jean Pierre Perréard was born in Pers-Jussy, diocese of Chambéry, France, on October 26, 1826. Like many other young men from Savoy and the Swiss border, he decided to become a missionary after hearing a talk by Father Léonard Baveux. Having entered the novitiate in Notre-Dame de l’Osier on May 12, 1847, he took vows on May 13, 1848. After three years of theological studies in the major seminary of Marseilles he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop de Mazenod on May 29, 1851 and he left for Ceylon on June 4, arriving on July 23.
Father Perréard and three confreres had left in 1851. At the express request of the Congregation of Propaganda, they were destined for the apostolic Vicariate of Colombo. On their arrival, Bishop Bravi dispersed them in various missions, instructed them to hide their Oblate crosses and demanded that they have no relations with Father Semeria, who lived in Jaffna and was their superior. He wrote: “The two Oblate communities on the island were not to have any more relations among themselves than the canons of Genoa with those of Ancona”.
Father Perréard already knew some English. He acquired a perfect knowledge of Singhalese and a sufficient knowledge of Portuguese and Tamil to exercise his ministry among the Catholics of the vicariate. He worked in many missions but particularly in Kandy and the territories of the central province, then in the districts of Negombo and Chilaw. He built several churches and travelled quite a lot. Father Constant Chounavel had this to say about him: “As a missionary he was always loved by the people entrusted to his care. He could gain their trust by his goodness, his charity and his dedication. He was a man of wise counsel.” Father Chounavel added that Father purchased several plots of land which he planted with coconut trees, a labour which caused him much concern and fatigue, but which later provided for the Christian communities and made them self sufficient economically
Father Fabre, in the necrology note written about Father Perréard, sang the praises of his missionary endeavours but he also referred to his management of temporal affairs when he wrote: “He lived so long on his own, far from the eyes of his superiors, that he must have been more exposed than others to acquiring the habit of acting alone and believing that he was not lacking in wisdom by following his own inspirations, in which zeal always played a part … That led to acts of independence absolutely contrary to religious discipline in matters of deference and charity as also in matters of poverty and temporal administration. That, in turn, led to serious harm for the mission and painful responsibility for his superiors, with consequences which were only too severe”.
When he became ill in 1879, Father Duffo invited him to come and rest in the mountains of Kurunegala. The doctor’s diagnosis was hyperthyroid and exhaustion of the heart. He died on the following May 8 and he is buried in the town cemetery.
Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.
