Gabriel Lawrence Sengol

Who was Gabriel Lawrence Sengol?

Gabriel Lawrence Sengol was the Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tiruchirapalli in India.

Ordained in 1955, Sengol was named Bishop on 30 December 1990 and resigned in 1997. He died in 2012, aged 83.

Most Rev. Sengole Lawrence Gabriel was born on 18 September 1928 at Madhakottai, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu. He did his schooling in Thanjavur and Seminary formation at Poonamallee, Chennai. He was ordained priest on 27 April 1955.

During his pastoral ministry Fr. Gabriel served as Asst. Parish Priest at Pudukottai and at Vailankanni; as Parish Priest at Alangudu and at Karunganni; as Rector of the St. Mary’s Minor Seminary, Thanjavur and as Parish Priest at Vailankannni.

Fr. Gabriel contributed immensely to the phenomenal growth of the Shrine Basilica of Vailankanni both as Asst. Parish Priest and Parish Priest. He erected many buildings and bought a lot of land with the intention of developing Vailankanni just like Lourdes in France. In order to provide adequate safety to pilgrims, he reinforced the security personnel. It was at his time that, through the efforts of Bishop Sundaram and his own hard work, the Shrine of Our Lady of Health, Vailankanni was elevated to the status of Basilica by Pope John XXIII. He encouraged the pilgrimages from all corners of Tamil Nadu as well as from other parts of India.