Maurice Piat
Stored: Maurice Piat
| His Eminence Maurice Piat | |
| Bishop of | |
| Home diocese: | Diocese of Port-Louis |
| Other diocese 1: | |
| Other diocese 2: | |
| Other diocese 3: | |
| Ordination: | 2 August 1970 by Bishop Jean Margéot |
| Consecration: | 19 May 1991 by Cardinal Jean Margéot |
| Rank: | Cardinal |
| Created cardinal: | 19 November 2016 by Pope Francis |
| Personal details | |
| Born: | Maurice Evenor Piat July 19, 1941 Moka, Mauritius |
| Died: | |
| Nationality: | Mauritian |
| Education: | Pontifical Gregorian University |
| Motto: | Pousse vers le large |
| Role: | Emeritus |
| Theology: | Moderate |
| Region: | Africa |
| Rite: | Roman Rite |
| Conclave Eligibility: | Ineligible |
Maurice Piat, born July 19, 1941, is a Mauritian Catholic cardinal and Bishop Emeritus of Port-Louis, serving from 1993 to 2023. A member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), he was ordained a priest in 1970 and consecrated a bishop in 1991. Elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016, he is known for promoting synodality, interfaith dialogue, and social justice within the Roman Rite.[1][2][3]
Born in Moka, Mauritius, Piat was inspired by the Saint Louis of France, patron of his diocese. In 2025, at age 83, he was ineligible for the papal conclave due to the age limit, but his reflections on Pope Francis’s legacy and presence in Rome during the conclave period underscored his influence. His 30-year episcopate, marked by initiatives like the Kleopas project and Synod on Synodality, strengthened Mauritius’s Catholic identity.[4][5][6]
Biography
Birth and early life
Maurice Piat was born on July 19, 1941 in Moka, Mauritius, to Maurice Piat and Alice Koenig, descendants of Franco-Mauritian colonists.[1][2] Inspired by Louis of France’s devotion to justice, he attended the Collège du Saint-Esprit in Quatre Bornes, discerning a Spiritan vocation. In 1959, he entered the novitiate in County Tipperary, Ireland, making his solemn profession on 8 September 1962.[1][7]
Raised in a multicultural Mauritius, Piat developed a commitment to interfaith harmony, later evident in his episcopal ministry. His early education fostered a pastoral heart, shaped by the island’s ethnic diversity.[2][8]
Education
Piat earned a bachelor’s degree from University College Dublin while training at Holy Ghost College, Kimmage Manor, Ireland.[1] He studied theology at the Pontifical French Seminary in Rome, obtaining a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1972.[2][7] His studies focused on pastoral ministry and social justice, influenced by Vatican II.[8]
His Roman and Irish education prepared him for leadership in a diverse diocese. He mastered French, English, and Creole, aiding his ministry in Mauritius.[2]
Priesthood
Ordained a priest on 2 August 1970 by Bishop Jean Margéot for the Diocese of Port-Louis, Piat served at Saint-François-d’Assise, Pamplemousses, and Cœur-Immaculé-de-Marie, Rivière-du-Rempart.[1][3] He taught at Collège du Saint-Esprit and formed seminarians, with a 1977–1979 sabbatical in Paris for spiritual renewal.[7][9]
His priesthood emphasized education and pastoral care. His work with youth and the poor laid the foundation for his episcopal focus on social inclusion.[8][10]
Bishop
Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Port-Louis on 21 January 1991 by Pope John Paul II, Piat was consecrated on 19 May 1991 by Cardinal Jean Margéot, with Bishops Gilbert Aubry and Alphonsus Mathias as co-consecrators.[1][3] He succeeded Margéot as Bishop of Port-Louis on 15 March 1993, serving until his retirement on 19 May 2023.[11] Elevated to cardinal-priest of Santa Teresa al Corso d’Italia on 19 November 2016 by Pope Francis, he welcomed Francis to Mauritius in 2019.[1][2]
Piat served as President of the Episcopal Conference of the Indian Ocean (1996–2002, 2013–2016) and participated in the 2009 and 2015 Synods.[1][7] In 2025, at age 83, he was ineligible for the conclave but remained influential, reflecting on Francis’s legacy of humility and synodality in Rome.[4][5][6] His initiatives, like the Kleopas project and Synod on Synodality, addressed youth challenges and clericalism.[12]
| Diocese | Role | Start Date | End Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port-Louis | Coadjutor Bishop | 21 January 1991 | 15 March 1993 | Appointed by Pope John Paul II |
| Port-Louis | Bishop | 15 March 1993 | 19 May 2023 | Succeeded Cardinal Jean Margéot; retired |
| Santa Teresa al Corso d’Italia | Cardinal-Priest | 19 November 2016 | Present | Appointed by Pope Francis |
Significant events
- Entered the Spiritan novitiate in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1959.[1]
- Made solemn profession with the Congregation of the Holy Spirit on 8 September 1962.[1]
- Ordained priest for the Diocese of Port-Louis by Bishop Jean Margéot on 2 August 1970.[1]
- Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Port-Louis on 21 January 1991, consecrated on 19 May 1991.[3]
- Appointed Bishop of Port-Louis on 15 March 1993.[1]
- Elected President of the Episcopal Conference of the Indian Ocean in 1996, serving until 2002.[1]
- Convened a diocesan synod in 1997, with results published in 2000.[7]
- Named Grand Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean on 12 March 2009.[1]
- Participated in the Synod on the Family in October 2015.[1]
- Created cardinal-priest of Santa Teresa al Corso d’Italia by Pope Francis on 19 November 2016.[2]
- Awarded Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean on 12 March 2017.[1]
- Named member of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development on 23 December 2017.[1]
- Welcomed Pope Francis to Mauritius on 9 September 2019.[6]
- Retired as Bishop of Port-Louis on 19 May 2023.[11]
- Reflected on Pope Francis’s legacy in Rome during the 2025 conclave period.[5][6]
Books
Written about the bishop
- No known books specifically dedicated to Cardinal Maurice Piat have been identified as of May 2025.
Written by the bishop
- Réflexions sur le Malaise Créole, Port-Louis, Diocese of Port-Louis, 1993.[8]
- Lettre pastorale: Chemin d’espérance, Port-Louis, Diocese of Port-Louis, 2021.[13]
External links
- Maurice Evenor Cardinal Piat, Catholic-Hierarchy.org
- PIAT Card. Maurice, C.S.Sp., Vatican Press Office
- “He was a real spiritual Father”: Cardinal in Mauritius Reflects on Pope Francis’ Legacy of Humility, Unity, ACI Africa
- Le cardinal Piat a joué une musique mauricienne sur les paroles de l’Évangile, Le Mauricien
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 "Maurice Piat". 2016-10-14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Piat.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "PIAT Card. Maurice, C.S.Sp.". 2016-11-19. https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinals_biographies/cardinal_piat.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Maurice Evenor Cardinal Piat". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bpiat.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Who can vote in a papal conclave?". 2025-04-20. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/260678/who-can-vote-in-a-papal-conclave.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "“He was a real spiritual Father”: Cardinal in Mauritius Reflects on Pope Francis’ Legacy of Humility, Unity". 2025-05-02. https://www.aciafrica.org/news/2025/05/he-was-a-real-spiritual-father-cardinal-in-mauritius-reflects-on-pope-francis-legacy-of-humility-unity.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Journal romain avec le cardinal Maurice Piat". 2025-05-03. https://www.ktotv.com/video/00413380/journal-romain-avec-le-cardinal-maurice-piat.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Maurice Piat". 2012-05-14. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Piat.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Le cardinal Piat a joué une musique mauricienne sur les paroles de l’Évangile". 2023-04-10. https://www.lemauricien.com/article/le-cardinal-piat-a-joue-une-musique-mauricienne-sur-les-paroles-de-levangile/.
- ↑ "Qui est Mgr Piat et que fait un cardinal ?". 2016-10-09. https://www.lexpress.mu/article/qui-est-mgr-piat-et-que-fait-un-cardinal.
- ↑ "Le Cardinal Maurice Piat rencontre les Managers et les Recteurs des collèges catholiques". 2023-08-08. https://www.sedec.mu/news/le-cardinal-maurice-piat-rencontre-les-managers-et-les-recteurs-des-colleges-catholiques.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Ile Maurice: démission du cardinal Maurice Piat". 2023-05-18. https://www.cath.ch/news/ile-maurice-demission-du-cardinal-maurice-piat/.
- ↑ "“A wonderful adventure”: Cardinal in Mauritius on 30 Years as Bishop of Port Louis Diocese". 2023-08-17. https://www.aciafrica.org/news/2023/08/a-wonderful-adventure-cardinal-in-mauritius-on-30-years-as-bishop-of-port-louis-diocese.
- ↑ "En la mémoire du saint patron du diocèse de Maurice, le cardinal Piat appelle à une prière "plus intense"". 2021-08-27. https://www.aciafrique.org/news/2021/08/en-la-memoire-du-saint-patron-du-diocese-de-maurice-le-cardinal-piat-appelle-a-une-priere-plus-intense.