He later served as the first Bishop of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka from 27 August 1898[3] until his death at Marvejols in France on 11 July 1913.

[4] He is famous for his contributions for education with help of Catholic Church, in Travancore and Malabar region, especially St Berchmans English High School (1891).

[5] Charles was professor at Mend Diocesan Minor Seminary at the time of his ordination and he continued that for two more years.

He joined the novitiate house of the Society of Jesus at Toulouse in France and did his religious profession on 27 December 1866.

[5] Since Jesuits were expelled from France in 1880, he moved to Spain and worked as a science professor at Uclés College.

[11][12] Their role was to pave the way for transition from the governance of foreign hierarchs to local bishops as head of the Syrian Catholics.

Within a few months after Charles returned from Rome to France, he was appointed as Vicar Apostolic of Kottayam, in Kerala state, India on 23 August 1887.

[17] Bishop Lavinge took charge reading his papal bull at St. George Church Edacat on 10 May 1888.

[19] Honoring the instruction from Rome, Bishop Charles appointed four Syrian priests as his consultors.

These Vicar Generals from the local priests had some privileges including dressing like a bishop, right to offer Pontifical Mass, administer the Sacrament of Confirmation, and giving minor orders for seminarians.

[21] Though Charles made attempts to construct his residence and an educational institution in Kottayam town, he could not do them because of the ongoing disagreements with non-Catholics during that time.

So, with the permission from ecclesiastical authorities, he moved his seat to Changanacherry that had a bigger church than Edacat and had a higher Catholic population.

[23] Considering the ardent desire of the Syrian Christians, Bishop Charles worked hard for the development of his vicariate.

[25] Lavinge held a Synod at the Church in Changanacherry from 18 to 20 December 1888 to discuss and decide on the details of pastoral arrangements in his vicarate.

Vicars of parishes, superiors of religious congregations, and rectors of seminaries attended in the Changanacherry synod that made several pastoral decisions.

[27] He codified regulations for church administration, introduced catechism classes in parishes and schools, and showed his interest in administering first Holy Communion to children.

[34] Lavigne started or approved the establishment of religious congregations for men and women in the vicariate.

He approved the desire of eight pious women from Pala and neighboring places, who were members of the Secular Franciscan (Third) Order to start a religious community.

[36] In 1892, Lavigne fell ill and underwent surgery at St. Martha's Hospital in Bangalore by a French doctor.

The prefect of Propaganda Fide in Rome Mieczysław Halka-Ledóchowski asked Lavigne in 1895 to recommend the names of priests who could be his successors of the Vicariate of Kottayam.

His intention was to seek better medical treatment, visit the Pope to present the report of his vicariate, and to raise funds for the upgrading of St. Berchmans School in Changanacherry.

[31] According to the recommendation of the Apostolic Vicars of Kottayam and Trichur, the Holy See reconstituted the two vicariates as three with local priests as bishops.

The bishop trained foreign missionaries in Tamil language for preaching to the local people.

[47] Trincomalee Diocese celebrated the Episcopal Silver Jubilee of Bishop Charles Lavinge on 13 November 1912.

Besides the large attendance in the jubilee celebration, greetings and gifts came to the jubilarian from different countries and people of different religions including Kerala where he served before.

While taking part in a reception in his honor at Montpellier Charity School, he became ill and contracted pneumonia.

The Visitation Congregation's convent in Edacat and the Vallambrosian Benedictine Minor Seminary near Kottayam are established in the name of Bishop Charles Lavinge.