THE PIONEER

LIFE AND ACTIVITIES OF

FR. FRANCIS GUEZOU SDB
IN SOUTH-INDIA
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CONTENT

Prologue: Words of Fr Guezou

His Early Life

Kochi Mission: Making of a Pioneer

Yellagiri Mission: The Pioneer’s Home

Activities of Fr Guezou in South-India

1. Community Building
2. Street Children and Youth Work
3. Health Care
4. Education and Formation

Association of Friends of Fr. Guezou

Epilogue
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PROLOGUE

I am Fr. Francis GUÉZOU at Yellagiri Hills! The people of the place call me, Malai Samiyar
(Mountain hermit) because a great part of my life has been spent on the Hill. In fact I
am here since the 1st January 1962.

I am a farmer’s son, born at Yvias, in Britanny, France; brought up and educated at

Plehedel. My secondary studies, I did with Salesian Fathers, Coatandeau.

My vocation to be a missionary in India was manifested early. At the

age of four, I fell very sick. And the doctor had told that I would not
pass the night. But my mother leaning over my bed, asked me, “What
Francis you want to go to heaven already?” And I said, “No, I must first
go to India.” So much so, the people called me after that ‘the little
Indian.’

Under the guidance of Msgr. Louis Mathias, a Salesian then archbishop of the diocese of
Madras-Mylapore (India), I came to India in the year 1952 and continued my final year
of theological studies at Mawlai, Shillong (North India).

I was ordained priest on the 1st August ‘53 at Tirupattur (Tamil Nadu, South India).
Inspired by the teaching of Jesus, I chose from the Gospel of St John, that all people
be one as my motto on the ordination day.

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HIS EARLY LIFE

The twentieth century awakened the western world with new and amazing scientific
inventions. And the World War I changed the face of European continent forever. It was
a jolt to the peace guaranteed society. Millions of people lost their homes, families and
lives.

At the end of the First World War, people faced a new phenomenon: the economic
depression. There were widespread joblessness, inflation, and social unrest across the
countries and continents.

In this scenario, Joachim Guezou, a decorated veteran of

World War I, chose the simplicity of a farm life with his spouse
Josephine at Yvias, in the region of Britanny, France.

To this humble and devout family, their youngest son Francis

Guezou was born on 7th of April 1924 at Yvias. He was their
third and last son.

Fr. Mansard, a Salesian, brought Francis to spend a weekend

in their College at Coatandeau. The spirit of the community
captured the young mind and he joined the college later.
Msgr. Louis Mathias who met Francis for the first time,
prophesized that Francis would be with him one day.

Francis passed with success in the

school examination of Officers of
Marine, Marchande at Paimpal and
he was destined to enter the Naval
School. After much prayer and
reflection, he decided rather to
enter the Salesian Novitiate.

During his novitiate, the Second

World War broke out and spread
across Europe and spilled-out to
the rest of the world. Francis’
initiation into religious life was set
in this period of strife. On 24th
September 1940, he made his first
religious procession in the Society of St Francis de Sales as a Salesian of Don Bosco.

In 1946, Bro. Francis was sent to

teach in the Technical School at
Caen. His presence and influence
among the youth was very much
appreciated by his Superiors. During
the years of his theological studies,
his mind was focused on India.
Supported by Msgr. Mathias, Bro.
Francis received the approval from
his Superior General to go to India.
His parents too consented to his
intention.
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His father accompanied him to bid farewell to Francis Guezou. It was an emotional
departure. Within a year, his father was seriously injured and passed to eternity. Bro.
Guezou had great admiration for his parents and followed dearly the advice of his father.

Bro. Guezou sailed to India and reached Chennai in the year 1952.
After his meeting with Msgr. Louis Mathias, at Madras, he proceeded
to Mawlai, Shillong for the completion of his theological studies.

Bro. Guezou was a neophyte to English. Moreover, he did not know

the local language of Khasi or Nepalese. Yet, he efficiently organized
the oratories, and animated the youth groups. His professors in the
seminary admired his way of being distinct.

At Sacred Heart College, there was a rule that one should always go
in a group of three persons. When a staff member saw Bro. Francis going alone he asked
him: “Where are the other two?” “Why” Bro. Guezou wonderingly replied, “I came from
France alone (without any harm). Now why should I have two to accompany me?”

Bro. Guezou was ordained as priest on August 01,

1953 at Tirupattur in Tamil Nadu, India. And so, his
long cherished dream was fulfilled. It opened the
beginning of a different life – the missionary life.

After his ordination, Fr Guezou was posted in a hill

station, Yercaud (Tamil Nadu) as administrator,
prefect, liturgical animator and assistant to the novice
master Fr. Egidius Sola. Once again, without knowing
the local language he effectively handled the oratories of 600 boys in Yercaud. The
novices experienced Fr. Guezou as a patient, hardworking, available and challenging
personality in the classrooms, playgrounds and places of prayer.

As he was not fluent in English, to the amusement of novices he told them to be

recollected and prayerful when they come to the communion ‘railway’. Apparently, he
was confused with ‘communion rails’.

After the three years of his initiation into the pastoral life, Fr. Archimedes Pianazzi the
then provincial chose, Fr. Guezou to be the pioneer of the Salesian apostolate in Kerala.
This was obviously a tentative mission and Fr Guezou was completely inadequate in
terms of language and culture.

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KOCHI MISSION: Making of a Pioneer

Ship at harbor is safe. But, what use will it be if the ship doesn’t
venture far into the ocean? Such was the dilemma of Fr. Guezou.
He opted his life for India. Why should he be in a secured life in
Yercaud? His request was deliberated and decision was made
which led to the following dialogue between Fr. Pianazzi (Salesian
Provincial) and Fr Guezou:

Fr Pianazzi: We are going to start something at Cochin (Kerala).

Fr Guezou: Who will go over there?
Fr Pianazzi: You!
Fr Guezou: But I have no experience! I do not know the
language!
Fr Pianazzi: Neither I!
Fr Guezou: I do not know that State!
Fr Pianazzi: Neither do I!
Fr Guezou: What have I to do there?
Fr Pianazzi: I do not know any thing! You shall see there!

A total stranger to local culture and without knowing the language Fr. Guezou proceeded
to Vaduthala with Bro. Varghese. Vaduthala was a place in Cochin where a Franciscan
was stoned earlier when he was sent there. Happily on the day of their arrival, it was
raining! And so no one was there to throw stones at them.

The chapel, gifted by the diocese was dilapidated and rained within, in the night. Lack of
sleep, with no money for meals, the first day was bleak. An observing local leader, a
Communist, came to their help and offered meal and put up a place of shelter.

The People of Vaduthala were too hostile. In the

mornings, Fr. Guezou would find a horde of human
hair attached to the beam outside his hut. It seems,
it was to cast evil upon on him! He had to face the
hostile neighborhood and warring local thugs for
days.

The mission work of Fr. Guezou started with such

eventful days. He began to realize Jesus’ prayer,
‘May all be one’ as a paramount theme for his work
in Vaduthala. And so he gathered the people,
irrespective of party, religion or ideology. He sowed the seeds of goodwill by doing good
to them.

For the poor of Vaduthala, it was a humiliation to live in the huts where others lived in
comfortable buildings. Father Guezou formed a committee to get the collaboration of the
local people for descent shelter making. He worked and improved the dwellings of the
poor. By this time, people affectionately called him Guezou Achan. Even the communists,
who kept away, began to frequent the Church and the oratories.

Fr. Guezou started a youth center in Vaduthala: a place of activities for sports and
cultural events. People of all type of profession took part in the activities of the center. A
technical school was also created that housed a workshop and carpentry. It offered the
youth of Vaduthala an opportunity for training and living.
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A home for street children - a first of its kind at

that time - was started with grand public
inauguration. Two days later there were no
children! All ran away! A sixty of them!
However, with the miracle of resolute patience,
the street children, begun to realize their ‘home
of love’ in Sneha Bhavan. The dormitories were
rudiment; children slept on planks. The initial
months were adventurous. Incidents of two
boys strangling a third one in the presence of
the Bishop; three sending the fourth one into
the backwaters at the early wee hours… Things
were awful and needed constant care.

Yet, Fr. Guezou understood the tactic of affection

there. That is to accept children as they are and
letting them know that he truly loved them. He
never imposed them to be other than what they
are. The children were prudently introduced to
schooling and reunion with their families. When
they are matured, the grownups were helped to
settle in life too. Sneha Bhavan was formally
recognized by the government as an institute for
training, character formation and rehabilitation in
1974. The early sowers were thankful to God for
their first harvest.

The cultural troupe of Venalla was established by

the support of Fr. Guezou. This institution helps
the Kerala youth to discover and grow their
potential for their bright future. Venalla is now a
center for talent formation of gifted youth in
Kerala; its neighborhood reverberates with various
classical arts.

When all is well, once again the pioneering sprit clamored within for challenges and risks
in Fr Guezou. Vaduthala already gave a taste of pioneering. And, Fr. Guezou wanted a
place for authentic living. After seven years of sojourn in Cochin, he was nominated as
vicar of Perambur, in Tamil Nadu.

The Farewell at Cochin was almost abrupt. As Father Guezou boarded the moving train,
the young ones climbed on the rails and cried out goodbye! Many cried! They are parting
from their Achan (Father).

Although he left Vaduthala physically, Fr. Guezou was very much involved in the works
there. His missionary ventures extended to the other parts of Kerala as well. True
concern never ends. Fr. Guezou kept coming back to Kerala to assist his people. And the
people of Vaduthala keep up the story of Guezou Achan to this day.

On his silver jubilee celebration of priestly ordination and Golden Jubilee celebration of
his religious profession, people gave rousing welcome. Of course, true gratitude persists
ceaselessly.

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YELLAGIRI MISSION: The Pioneer’s Home

Perambur, a parish in Madras (now

Chennai) was functioning like any of
the parishes in Europe. Any one could
be happy there. Fr. Guezou due to his
missionary lifestyle found it odd to be
there. Obviously, the organized
pastoral life was not meant for the
pioneer. Following two, perhaps three
months of unrelenting request by Fr.
Guezou, Mgr. Mathias expressed his
decision: “I wish heartily a Christian
presence on Yellagiri.” And so, Fr.
Guezou was once again being commissioned to an unknown place. He was prepared for
that, this time.

After a short stay at Koviloor, Father decided to go for the hill, without knowing where
he would shelter himself. On 31st December 1961, he set out to the hill on foot with
some men who helped to transport a table and chair. At dusk the men left for the plain.
And the pioneer was in the forest, alone in the night. Not knowing where to go, he had
to spend his night under the table!

The dawn of 1962 and the life of Yellagiri greeted the homeless with the realization of
dangers from panthers. Hearing this, he begun frantically searching for a shelter. After
six months of itinerant dwelling among the tribal people, he bought a piece of plot and
pitched his hut; of course amidst, snakes and wild animals.

The hut was in the place where the convent

of the sisters of St. Charles is now
established. Poisonous snakes infested the
bushes near by. One early morning Father
Guezou had a nose-to-nose encounter with a
panther inside his hut, equally terrified at
each other’s presence! Since then, he took
the habit of shutting the door with a cord.

A communal outfit called Hindu Mahasabha

was very active on the hill. Their members
lived in fear that Father would convert all
the villagers. These people had an agenda to
establish the Yellagiri Hills as their sacred place. And so, they turned the villagers
against Fr. Guezou and harassed him in so many ways to chase him away.

During this time Fr. Guezou was going through a kind of ostracized feeling. No
electricity, no water supply, the prohibition of food by the locals, unvisited by confreres…
all made the lonely experience stark, coupled with night of terror and depression.

For a year it was extremely difficult, he remained without knowing what to do. The
moments of solitude were terrible. Fear shadowed him during the nightfall. The nagging
awareness that a wild animal or an ill-willed person could attempt his life in sleep was
still worse.

As human as he was, his spirit gave way and he contemplated quitting the hill. To
Bangalore he went, where Mgr. Mathias was on his visit and narrated all the adventures
and made him know of his intension. “Splendid!” Msgr. Louis Mathias cried aloud,
“formidable! What a magnificent way of starting a mission - if some one dies
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there as a martyr!” The Archbishop reminded that the blood of martyrs was the seed of
Christianity. Father Guezou saw his destiny. He returned to the hill and the spiritual
struggle raged within, while the hill people waged their war against him.

Earlier, in 1953, Lyon Duhayon an international magnate from Roubaix, France took up
the case of Fr. Guezou and his mission to the Vincent de Paul conference. Since then, he
had been coordinating the regular shipment
of food, clothing and money to Fr. Guezou’s
mission. Association of Friends of Fr. Guezou
was born around this time. In 1959, Fr.
Guezou met Duhayon in France. A deep and
lasting friendship was born between them. At
the end of 1964, widespread draught in India
caused the price of rice to be tripled. Hence,
the common food was in scarce. The death
was on the lookout for the starved people,
specially the young and the old. The peasants
scratched the ground in hope to find some
roots. Or to forget their hunger chewed the
beetle leaves.

Seeing the appalling scarcity of food, Fr. Guezou sent an SOS to his friend Duhayon,
requesting him to come to India. Duhayon came, saw and couldn’t believe what he had
seen: the starvation and poverty of the people
of Tamil Nadu. This was his first of numerous
visits (35 and more) to India. He became the
backbone of Fr. Guezou’s mission.

Duhayon stands as an excellent example for

Christ’s teaching: “When one has not given
everything, one have not given anything.” He
always came up with bold sacrifices and
resourceful ideas. His generosity never failed
the mission till the end of his life. Good friends
keep promises.

Fr. Guezou invited the sisters of St Charles to start

a school in Jolarpet and then at Yellagiri Hills. This
was the beginning of the sisters of St Charles’
presence in Jolarpet. And from 1969 onwards, the
sisters made their residence on the Hills. Fr.
Guezou was no longer alone in his missionary
ventures.

Chapel, the center of Fr. Guezou’s life was built and

dedicated in 1971. It had the beautiful paintings of
Salvation History by Sr. Geneveau. It reminds us of
his inner strength and closeness to God. Every morning he would be there at dawn for
his encounter with God. He was the servant of God for men.

The practice of Bonded labor is one of modern slavery in India. It was rife in and around
Yellagiri Hills. The unsuspecting children and adults were caught into its generations of
cyclic poverty and cunning exploitation of moneylenders.

Fr. Guezou was instrumental in the fight against the practice of bonded labor. The
lawsuits caused flurry of political actions and legal wrangling. After the negotiated
settlement, the young ones were freed from the bond of labor. And for the first time men
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and women came to know of their human rights to work and freedom of living. The
fallouts were death-threats, since Fr. Guezou had disturbed some very much.

His love for the patients of leprosy is manifested in many ways. He provided basic
medical care, food, clothing and shelter. The children of these unfortunate families bore
the stigma of their parents in their life. Fr Guezou took their children to his care in
Ennagam (My Nest) at Yellagiri Hills, since 1990 onwards.

Fr. Guezou was all in all. He, the water diviner

had excelled as a land terracing and land
reclamation engineer, as well as a farm
instructor. The Hill witnessed all that. He dug
wells, helped to construct schools, dispensaries,
boarding houses, and institutions. Personally, he
helped to bring quality of life for many young
people.

‘An arrow does not belong to the bow’. Fr.

Guezou never kept record of what he had done.
We find no statistics of his ‘operations’ and no
tags to the contribution he made to various
people in their developmental works.

Don Bosco Center at Yellagiri Hills was the hub of his mission. It is the climax of
missionary labor and lonely struggle for him. Over the years, it evolved as an architect of
destiny to the under-privileged rural youth.

The farmer-turned-builder, Fr. Guezou was invited to celebrate his Twenty-five years of
service to Christ at Vadathuala, Cochin (Kerala). People rose to welcome their hero with
a pompous procession and of course, recounted his selfless apostolate there.

Salesians begun to reckon Yellagiri Hills with

admiration of the steadfast toil by Fr. Guezou and
sacrifices of Duhayon. Eventually in the year
1993, it became a place that accommodates the
would-be Salesians. Once again Fr. Guezou is at
home with the powerhouse of his community. The
Salesians of Tamil Nadu commemorated the Fifty
years of his commitment to Christ at Tirupattur -
along with his priest companions.

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Activities of Fr. Guezou in South India

Report as on December 08, 2005

Fr. Francis Guezou began his

missionary life in 1952, the
year he came to India. After
his studies he was ordained a
priest in 1953. He was initiated
into ministerial life at Yercaud
a hill station in Tamil Nadu (a
South Indian state) till 1956.
He then was asked to pioneer
the Salesian presence in
Kerala, the neighboring state
of Tamil Nadu. It is here that
he began a shelter home
(Sneha Bhavan) – a first of its
kind in India for the young-at-
risk. Later on, the Sneha
Bhavan concept was widely
applied and now stands as
hallmark of Salesian commitment to the youth today.

After a short stint at Chennai he set his foot on Yellagiri Hills, which became his home
away home in the year 1962. Since then he has been residing at Yellagiri Hills and has
made it, his mission hub. His operational areas are spread over in three southern most
states of India, namely, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karantaka. He helped to construct
houses, establishing street children
homes, digging wells, some dispensaries,
medical aid to the leper patients and poor,
draught relief program, Tsunami
Rehabilitation works, infrastructure
development for numerous schools and
technical institutions scattered over Tamil
Nadu and Kerala. Finally he made his
unique contribution in founding the BICS
InfoTech - a maiden Digital venture of
Salesians in providing substantial and
quality education to the underprivileged
rural youths. In the following pages you
will find highlights of Fr Guezou’s presence
in the numerous services rendered in
South India with the support of Duhayon
and friends of Fr. Guezou in France. His
pastoral and humanitarian services to the deserving people of the opted regions are
grouped under four categories of Education & Formation, Health Care, Street Children &
Youth Work and Community Building.
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I. COMMUNITY BUILDING

STATE: KERALA

BUILDING HOUSES
Vaduthala
Fr Guezou bought land, constructed little houses and replaced the poor
who lived in huts, in the newly constructed houses. Witnesses say that he
himself went on top of the houses to thatch the roofs.

Solar Power Systems

Pavoor
Assistance to the hill tribes: Fr Guezou with his Salesian companions
fenced forty acres of land given by the Government for the hill tribes.
Solar Power water heating and electricity generation is also done for
Pavoor people.

STATE: KARNATAKA

Social Service Center

Bangalore

The Social Service Center building in the slums has

been erected with the help rendered by Fr Guezou.

STATE: TAMIL NADU

Boat Making for the Youth

Kuthenkuzhy
Boating making project for the training of Tsunami affected youngsters

Building Houses and Digging of Wells

Jolarpet

Fr Guezou continued his ministry of

sheltering the poor in new homes
here in Jolarpet. Twenty-five houses
were built for the very poor families.

Also, in and around Jolarpet and

Yellagiri Hills, he assisted in digging
of wells for the villagers during the
drought situation.
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Tsunami Relief Work at

Rehabilitation work carried out at the five centers
 Ennore
 Mahabalipuram
 Pondicherry
 Cuddalore
 Karaikal

Evening Study Centers and Crèche for Children

Yellagiri Hills

Crèche for the small children of the working families were organized in two
villages of Yellagiri hills. About 100 children are taken care of in these
crèches.

In every village of Yellagiri Hills, evening study is conducted for the

school-going children. About 600 children come for the study centers.

Scout Camp Center

Yellagiri Hills

A campsite has been chosen at the

foot of a small hill on the Yellagiri Hills.
This ‘Scout Camp Center’, can
accommodate over hundred students
at a time. Various developmental
programs are conducted for the youth
who come for the camp.

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II. STREET CHILDREN & YOUTH WORK

STATE: KERALA

Youth Center
Vaduthala

Fr Guezou with Fr Varghese founded Don Bosco Youth Center along that
plays its pivotal role in activities of sports and culture: cinema, theatre,
dance, music, library, and conferences.
The medical professionals, students,
workers, military personnel take part in
the activities of this center. The center
can accommodate two thousand people.

Besides cultural activities, the

Center also houses an ITI
(Industrial Training Institute).
The youngsters learn not only a
life-carrier but also good
education and formation, which
the employers appreciate very
much. The ITI has achieved its
financial self-sufficiency and
investment autonomy.

Street Children Home at

Pallurthy

Sneha Bhavan is a first of its kind in India begun by Fr Guezou that

shelters the street children. It officially became an institution in 1974.
Sneha Bhavan shelters the children who ran away from their home and
lives on streets. This home accommodates 150 to 200 children at a time.
The primary aim of the Sneha Bhavan is to rehabilitate children and
reinsert them back into their family and be accepted by their family
members. So far, 5800 children have been rehabilitated through this
institution.

Working Boys Home – through this

home the Salesian fathers settle
the boys who have no family or
could not be accepted by the
family, in life. The fathers assist in
arranging of the marriage and also
houses are built for the new
couples. Since, the inmates enter
in and depart from the shelter
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home in different periods, the number of the inmates vary.

STATE: KARNATAKA

Street Children Home at

Bangalore

Fr Guezou helped in procuring the land

and construction of three different
buildings that serves as shelter home for
the street children of Bangalore.

STATE: TAMIL NADU

Street Children Home At

Chennai - Anbu Illam

Three centers for the Street children (called anbu Illam in Tamil, meaning
‘Loving Home’) are established
with the help and contribution of
Fr Guezou.

Coimbatore - Anbu Illam

Technical School and Shelter
home for the run-a-way boys are
put up with the help of Fr
Guezou.

Salem - Anbu Illam

Shelter home for the run-a-way
boys bears the name of Fr
Guezou as one who contributed
in founding of the home.

Tirupur
In Triupur, the children who are engaged in work are housed and looked
after. The house has been built with the help of Fr Guezou.

Juvenile Homes

Entire State of Tamil Nadu

Juvenile Homes all over the state of Tamil Nadu has been entrusted to the
Salesians; camps are being conducted for these young criminals at
Yellagiri Hills, which are supported by Fr. Guezou.

Note: All our Street children homes are networked, so that any child going away
from any one of the homes can be tracked throughout India.

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III. HEALTH CARE

STATE: TAMIL NADU

Support for Indian Medical Association

Tirupattur

Health clinics at
The following are the places wherein St Charles Sisters run dispensaries, which
are funded by Fr Guezou:
 Tirupattur
 Jolarpet
 Yellagiri Hills (two dispensaries) and
 Vilathikulam

Care for Leprosy Patients at

Bargur

Fr Guezou initiated the medical

assistance to the leper patients to
whom he has special concern.
Salesian Fathers carry the work of
Fr Guezou in helping the
Government run home for the
leprosy patients. The beneficiaries
also include those patients who live
in a village outside the government
run home in Bargur. Their children
are brought to Yellagiri Hills to
peruse their studies.

Dharmapuri

Here too the leper patients are looked

after and their children are brought to
Yellagiri Hills for their studies (in
Anbagam and Ennagam).

Note: We also help many poor people to get

proper medical treatment in good
hospitals, which otherwise they cannot
afford to avail of.

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IV. EDUCATION & FORMATION

Once Fr Guezou situated himself in the mission

field at Yellagiri Hills, he went about in Southern-
most India (i.e. Tamil Nadu and Kerala) in
helping to establish infrastructures for various
education-related institutions for the youth. The
following are places/towns/cities wherein his
support has ensured the sustainable educational
activities:

STATE: KERALA

Infrastructure Development at

Vaduthala
 Don Bosco English Higher Secondary School (1200 students)
 Don Bosco Malayalam Primary School (250 students)

Pallurthy
 Open School – The first school in India for the Street Children, now
this idea has caught up in the whole country. The exact number
cannot be said, as they are always on the move.

 Don Bosco School for those who want to carry on their studies.
Here too the number cannot be said.

Vennalla
 The Boarding at
Vennalla houses the
artistically gifted
children and a
cultural Academy.
Over eighty-to-
hundred children
learn music and
dance here. The
house also
accommodates a
Printing School for
eighty students.

Pudupalli (Kottayam)
 A Secondary School for about thousand students; there is a plan to
start an English Medium School for the children of plantation
workers, because they too will get a chance to study like other
children and find good jobs.

Pavoor
 The activities here are focused on tribal people. We have a Don
Bosco School here with three hundred students.
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STATE: TAMIL NADU

Infrastructure Development at

Alangulam, Sivakasi
 Don Bosco High School (600 children)
 Don Bosco Boarding, which could house 100 children

Jolarpet

 Don Bosco Primary

School (750 students)
 Don Bosco High School
(650 students)
 Don Bosco Boarding for
the boys (60 students)
 Boarding at St. Charles
Convent (40 girls)
 Two workshops,
carpentry and lathe
buildings to teach skills
and work for the youth

Karaikal
 Don Bosco College of Education and Research, Teachers Training
Institute for rural young men and women. (220 youth benefit every
year)

Katpadi-Vellore
 A hall for the Technical School, wherein a Music School is being
conducted and the students join the defense as band players;
 Machinery upgrading for the Technical School in the year 2005; and
 Computer Center attached to the Don Bosco Higher Secondary
School.

Lalgudi
 Don Bosco School

Madurai-Pudur
 Yanamalai School - Don Bosco
Middle School for children of the
bonded-laborers (440 children).
 Yanamalai School Compound
wall, toilets and fencing of the
vacant land in the year 2005

Pallithammam
 Don Bosco Higher Secondary School

Pavunjur
 Primary School (400 children)

Polur
 Elementary School (400 students)
 Don Bosco Higher Secondary School (1200 students)
 Page 19 of 22

Sagayathottam

Don Bosco High

School (420
students)

SIARD – An
Agricultural
Technical School
(120 students)

Tirupattur

 Sacred Heart College’s Library building

 A new hostel for Sacred Heart College
 Computer section of Sacred Heart College (for at least 500
students)
 Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School and Hostel
 Don Bosco Center - built for the School Drop-outs and Balwadi (i.e.
nursery school)
 MSW (Master of Social Work) building for those who are doing their
Social Work studies in Sacred Heart College
 Indian Medical Association (IMA) building for Tirupattur circle
 A building for Dominic Savio Orphanage in Higher Secondary School

Tirupattur-Annandapatti
 Government Middle School building

Tirupattur-Ashok Nagar
 Government Middle School building

Tirupattur-Pussanikka Vattam
 Government Middle School building

Tirupur
 Technical School for textile,
motor winding and
videography

Tiruvannamalai-Alikondapattu
 Middle School building (250
children)

Villathikulam
 Don Bosco Boarding house
 Computer Center at
Vilathikulam parish compound
 Computer Center and Tailoring Institute (St Charles)

Yellagiri Hills
 Idaya Deepam, the Salesian Novitiate for the formation of young
Salesians, who are willing to serve the people
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Procurement of Land for School building at

Dharmapuri
 Land for the construction of Don Bosco is bought and the school
with 450 students is functioning at present

Dindugal
 Land for the future construction of a School has been procured.

Total Involvement in the Education of Children and Youth at

Yellagiri Hills

 BICS InfoTech, (350

students and trainees)
 Papa Duhayon Hostel and
Arokiya Annai Hostel for the
young men and women of
the BICS InfoTech
 Scholarship: the University
fees and hostel fees of 105
students are being paid
every month at present.
This work has been going on
for the past twenty-years.
 Don Bosco Boarding (for
120 tribal students)
 Anbagam and Ennagam: forty boys and twenty-one girls of leper
patients are given accommodation for education and growth.
 St. Charles English Matriculation School (250 children)
 St. Charles Higher Secondary School (900 children)
 St. Charles Tamil Primary School (600 children)
 A building for three classrooms in Government Primary School,
Athanavoor (for 70 students)

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 Page 21 of 22

Association of Friends of Fr Guezou

‘Friends of Father Guezou’ is an association providing humanitarian service to the South

India. ‘The Friends’ came into being in 1952, when Father Guezou and Leyon Duhayon
contacted each other for the first time to collaborate in their mission of South India.

It has representatives and members all over the world. Duhayon covered whole of
France for 40 years of his life to introduce and promote the developmental activities of
Fr. Guezou in India. The Friends of Father Guezou continue the same in assisting the
church activities in South India. The members regularly conduct seminars and
conferences in schools and various other associations.

The Association now has the support of about 5000 members across the countries; and
most of them are French. It has no office on its own and all the official works are done
informally through the volunteers.

OBJECTIVE AND REALIZATION

The association began by Leon Duhayon has the objective of supporting Fr. Guezou in
his developmental activities in three states of India; namely, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Karnataka.

It has contributed in the Church’s efforts for:

Education and formation of Youth,
Rural development in south India;
Relief to the starved, disabled, and lepers;
Construction of Schools, Clinics and water facilities

SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

Offering Education opportunity for the child not only prepares him/her for the future but
also renders hope to his/her family. Hence, The association concerns not only the growth
of the children but also their family’s decent lifestyle with formative and educational
principles. The objective behind sponsorship program is to help the child to grow to be
self-reliant and to inculcate in him/her a sound moral and spiritual values as well as a
sense of fellowship and equality as per the Gospel.

Stanislas Ernoult
19 allee de la Cornemuse
59650 Villeneuve d’Ascq
03.20.67.00.21 Marie-Annick Abcarios
74 rue du Bournard
92700 COLOMBES
01.47.85.63.57
stanislas.ernoult@worldonline.fr
www.guezou.org

Secretary: Laurence Dehaene

Active Volunteers
Rémy Kauffmann (92-Neuilly),
Stéphane Robilliard (31-Toulouse),
Railcar Souchard (83-Cavalaire),
Anne Pittet (Geneva),
Mrs Radiguet (91-Verrières the bush)

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 Page 22 of 22

EPILOGUE

Did Father Guezou become a De Nobli, a Beschi,

a Bede Griffith, or Fr. Livenes of Jharkhand
Adivasi? No, he simply remained a Malai Samiyar
(Mountain Hermit).

He is definitely a missionary. It is seen in the

lives of people whom he served. The cultural
transition in him might have changed his inner
self. He became precise in communication.
Through Fr. Guezou, God might have opened a
new way of being missionary in this post-modern
era. Charity is not only giving. Fr. Guezou was
good at building people for God.

For Fr. Guezou, the Salesian-ness that bloomed at Kochi didn’t happen in Yellagiri very
easily. It came a little late and after a long battle against the vagueness in his
missionary endeavor.

He never appears before the camera alone. And, he is at his best self when the young
people are around him. That is where the Salesian in him happens. As a Salesian he is
for the young, he lives with the young and he is young. In Don Bosco Center, there is
the awareness of freedom. Yet, punctuality is encouraged and kept scrupulously. The
mark of cleanliness echoes the Salesian presence in the surroundings.

Sense of cheerfulness is infectious in the environment created by Fr. Guezou. The

serenity and the peacefulness at Don Bosco Center is the fruit of his toil. He shies away
from any form of self-importance. He is not at ease when praises are showered on him
or receives undue attentions.

With Duhabyon’s support along with other Friends in France who showed deep love for
the Fr Guezou’s Mission,
 Number of schools were opened…
 Houses for children and the sick built…
 Laborers became aware of their human rights…
 Wells were dug, and lands reclaimed, and edifices erected…
 Young people were given new life...

Fr. GUÉZOU could support the Salesian

Mission in South India substantially. But
letting the people have a smile and to sustain
that smile was a difficult mission indeed.

As a gardener, he ploughed well, planted and

watered by the kindness of many selfless
givers in France and he knows that only God
gives the growth. He sees that it is happening
already. Yellagiri changed him and will change
the destiny of people who will dwell here.
Because, God’s work is at hand here, on this
hill – it’s a God’s mountain of grace.

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End of Document