PP42907022 in QuebecCity. Mance, ontheJoanofArcMonumen t byJulesDéchin, Marguerite Bourgeoys,François deLaval,andJeanne Composite photo of the bas-relief statues of, in order, A PAGE OF HISTORY N° 34 time, to the very early days of this great metropolis. great this of days early very the to time, made by its founding figures. St François de Laval knew them well and visited them often. Let’s briefly step back in in back step briefly Let’s often. them visited and well them knew Laval de François St figures. founding its by made princely gift ofprincelythe gift Sulpicians in France, de Bretonvilliers, bestowed the tothekeep of theSuperior mission new The going. their enterprise, however, Montrealers exerted pressure believersbenefitsofthe in firm As pounds. tournois 130,000 of debt a 1657 and 1659 respectively,leaving [Society of Our Lady], Olier and de la Dauversière, died in Montréal de Notre-Dame Société the offounders The on. early very abandoned been have could Ville-Marie a Frenchman thanaFrenchman of aSavage!” l’Incarnationonce easiertois said: “It make Savagea of de Marie Indeed, place! dangerous a such in especially venture,”“mad Frencha becomewas and place one in was already a daunting task; trying to get them to settle Amerindians the Christianizing Island. Orleans on settlethey preferredhave would Montmagny de Governor 20). p. (Baboyart,epidemics multiple of site the and 1665) and Iroquois wars (which continued incessantly between 1643 the forconvergence point a also Unfortunately,was it this. for site ideal the was – routestrading fur various They believed Island – the convergence point of Their goal was purely religious: to convert the Amerindians. France.of region Champagne the from hailed both who Mance, byMaisonneuvewas1642,Ville-Marieand founded in A “madventure” 375 its celebrates Montreal As Number 34•May2017 Montreal Seminary, Queylus, de who later founded the including p.16). Four 1657,in Sulpiciansisland the on arrived behalf of the on community (Litalien, Montreal, of cians By Gilles Bureau deVries andMartina Montreal –steepedinpiety seigneurie (Photo [fiefdom] Sulpi-the on th anniversary this year, we wanted to pay tribute, in our own way, to the contribution contribution the to way, own our in tribute, pay to wanted we year, this anniversary

: DanielAbel) Centre d’animationFrançois-DeLavalNewsletter young girls. few a and Bourgeoys were taught by Marguerite the Hôtel-Dieu and the children and ran a seminary for educating boys. Jeanne Mance ran the parish church. The Sulpicians practiced their ministry - chapel in the Hôtel-Dieu hospital served as the 1683, to 1659 From Amerindians. and settlers visit to Montreal, whose population of 375 included both In August 1660, François de Laval made his first pastoral brought inrecruits for theirrespective institutions. BourgeoysMargueritealso and Mance Jeanne 1660, In and Gabriel Souart, the first parish priest (1657 to 1666). (Continued onpage2) Montreal – steeped in piety

(Continued from page 1) Two tenacious women held in his esteem

François de Laval knew – and liked – the women involved in founding Montreal. Jeanne Mance arrived in 1642, to care for the sick and wounded. With funding supplied by Madame de Boulion, she opened the Hôtel-Dieu in 1648. Marguerite Bourgeoys joined her in 1653, and opened her school four years later, in a former stable belonging to the Compagnie de Montréal.

In 1658, Jeanne Mance and Marguerite Bourgeoys returned to France to recruit companions. They returned on September 8, 1659, after a grueling voyage on Map of the beginnings of Ville-Marie according to A. Léo the Saint-André. Jeanne Mance was accompanied Leymarie, from the 1672 manuscript by François Dollier de Cason, by Marie Maillet, Judith Moreau de Brésoles and a Sulpician, in Histoire du Montréal de 1640 à 1672. Catherine Macé, while Marguerite Bourgeoys returned with Edmée Chastel, Catherine Crolo, Anne Hioux matter and see if they could establish a presence there.” and Marie Raisin. François de Laval, who had arrived (Gosselin, p. 123) However, there were three obstacles to to City on June 16, 1659, was there to greet his plan: the lack of available in , their them. The passengers remained there for a month, lack of funds to maintain two institutions, and the to care for the sick and decide what to do about the remarkable tenacity of Montreal’s female pioneers. Hospitallers of La Flèche. Their return to Montreal on the St. Lawrence took two weeks. The bishop of The original feature of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame Quebec visited them in Montreal a number of times [of Our Lady] was that the nuns were not cloistered. afterwards. Marguerite Bourgeoys had quickly realized the advantages of a new approach in a country like Canada. She believed it was preferable for her teachers to travel to their students, In the interests of creating a united diocese, Msgr François rather than force the students to come to the convent. de Laval would have preferred the to educate She made another trip to France in 1670, to obtain letters girls in Montreal and the Augustinian nuns to take charge patent recognizing her community. of the hospital. In the Annales de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Sister Juchereau wrote: “He only wanted one Hospitaller As early as 1667, Msgr de Laval had assigned three institute in Canada, for the sake of peace; he even sent prominent people the task of attempting to settle the two members from Quebec to Montreal to look into the question of formalization of Marguerite Bourgeoys’s work. (Continued on page 3)

CORRECTION

From Gilles Bureau’s prodigious research to produce a list of 1999: Msgr Jean Gagnon attended the Major Seminary, and died bishops educated at the Quebec Seminary, which we published in December 2016. in our last issue, a few well-informed readers have provided us with the following details. We thank them for their input. 2008: Msgr Yvon-Joseph Moreau, S.E., was a student at the Major Seminary and is bishop of the Sainte-Anne-de-la- The following lines on page 6 should read as follows: Pocatière diocese. 1974: Msgr Noël Delaquis should not be followed by the (O.C.S.O.) designation.

Saint François de Laval Phone: 418 692-0228 Reviser: Martina de Vries Issue 34 • May 2017 Courriel : [email protected] Graphic design : Lecourscommunication.com Visit our website: www.francoisdelaval.com Print run : 2,500 copies, available in French and English

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Contact us Contributors : Daniel Abel Legal deposit: Centre d’animation François-De Laval Gilles Bureau Library and Archives Canada ISSN 2290-3496 20, rue De Buade, Québec (Québec) G1R 4A1 Martina de Vries

2 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • May 2017 Montreal – steeped in piety

(Continued from page 2)

As written by Gosselin, “having Msgr de Laval’s permission His support of devoted missionaries undoubtedly carried much weight in making this business a success, since the prelate was highly reputed for his From the time of its foundation, the remoteness of wisdom and caution.” (Gosselin, p. 117-118) He officially Montreal made it a very independent community, often approved the Hospitallers of St. Joseph of the Hôtel-Dieu escaping the authority of the Governor of . of Montreal during his 1671 pastoral visit, and the Congré- Msgr de Laval’s authority was similarly challenged at gation de Notre-Dame in 1676. times.2 The jurisdiction of an apostolic vicar, a novelty at the time, was not immediately accepted by all, and a period of uncertainty marked the first years of François Msgr de Laval also knew Marie Morin (1649-1730), de Laval’s episcopacy. In Montreal, the “fiery” Abbé de the first Canadian woman (born in Quebec City) to Queylus, a Sulpician, at some times submitted to Msgr de join the Hospitallers of St. Joseph of Montreal. Laval, who allowed him to preach at a ceremony, and at Gabriel Souart, the second Superior of the Sulpicians, others he exercised the role of Vicar General assigned by received her vows in Montreal on March 20, 1665. the Archbishop of Rouen, who challenged François de She was the author of Une histoire simple [A simple Laval’s authority over the Church of Canada. Abbé de story]. Les Annales de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal de Queylus was recalled to France, but allowed to return to New 1659 à 1725, an interesting story of her community and, France in 1668. Msgr de Laval then designated him Vicar by the same token, of the early days of Montreal. General of Montreal, where he acted as Seigneur and first She speaks magnificently of the Bishop of Petraea: Superior of the Sulpicians. He returned to France for “a great and a highly apostolic man.” health reasons, and died there in 1677 (Bureau, p. 79). (Gosselin, p. 123) Her oldest brother, Abbé Germain Morin (1642-1702), was the first Canadian to be or- Msgr de Laval traveled to Montreal in the spring of 1676, dained as a priest, on September 19, 1665. He was as soon as the waterway was reopened. His visit spanned Msgr de Laval’s secretary from 1659 to 1665, and then several days, and he performed the first ordination of a went on to become a missionary priest, serving as Sulpician priest in the Hôtel-Dieu church on May 31. Abbé vicar or parish priest in roughly ten parishes. Pierre Rémy (1631-1726) served primarily as parish priest in Lachine, as chaplain of the Hôtel-Dieu, and as procurator of the Montreal Seminary. After the Iroquois raid in 1689 Moved by their misfortune – also called the “Lachine massacre” – he asked Marguerite Bourgeoys to take charge of the orphans. His parishioners When the Congregation buildings were always held him in esteem. He served as a ravaged by a fire during the night of priest for fifty-one years. December 6-7, 1683, Msgr de Laval wrote: “I am deeply stricken by this accident, The following year, in 1677, Msgr de Laval especially the loss of our two sisters, officially approved the Séminaire de Geneviève and Marguerite, who were Saint-Sulpice de Montréal, following two consumed in the fire. They were fruits decades of work by its members, who had ripe for Heaven, but your community still succeeded the Jesuit missionaries in 1657. needed them.” (Gosselin, p. 119) He was just as saddened by the fire at the The Sulpicians were the Seigneurs of Hôtel-Dieu of Montreal, in 1695. Although Montreal from 1663 to 1840, serving for a he had retired to the Quebec Seminary, long time as chaplains for the religious he sent them 200 pounds1 for the recons- communities and as parish priests for the truction fund. island, as well as those along the north and south shores for varying periods (Litalien, Jeanne Mance died in 1673 and had named p. 15). A total of 126 Sulpicians came to the Bishop of Petraea the executor of her Canada during the French Régime. Between will (see page 5). Marguerite Bourgeoys 1668 and 1680, seven Sulpicians traveled lived until 1700, and was the subject of The true motives of the men north of Lake Ontario to work among the a beautiful tribute by Msgr de Laval: and woman of the Society of Hurons. Msgr de Laval wrote his well-know “Sister Bourgeoys was a fruit ripe for Our Lady of Montreal, “Instructions to missionaries” for two of Heaven – a humble, simple being. God published in 1643. them – Trouvé and Fénélon – and their has bestowed all of His grace upon her; colleagues. The Sulpicians, who had more she will be at Our Lord’s side, a powerful funds at their disposal, financed the protector of your home.” (Bureau, pp. 158-159) construction of many buildings. One of them was Notre- Dame-du-Bon-Secours [Our Lady of Good Help], a stone

(Continued on page 4)

1 In the 17th century, a man with two occupations – e.g., masonry and clearing the 2 The relationship between Montreal and the authorities in Quebec City was land – earned an average of 100 pounds yearly. changed after two new developments: in 1663, Louis XIV decreed he would rule alone and granted the Governor of New France increased powers; and François de Laval was officially appointed Bishop of Quebec in 1674.

Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • May 2017 3 Montreal – steeped in piety

(Continued from page 3)

church ordered by the second Superior, Dollier de Casson, in France, became concerned about his health, but praised and the second parish priest, Gilles Pérot. The bishop of- his courage in traveling to administer the sacrament of ficially opened it ten years later, during his 1681 pastoral confirmation in the absence of the acting bishop. visit, although it still had no façade or bell tower. He had canonically established the the Notre-Dame de Montréal An often forgotten fact is that François de Laval knew parish three years earlier, and united it with the Seminary and interacted with the religious founders of Montreal. in perpetuity. Some days later, he also united in perpe- As Abbé Gosselin concluded: “The foregoing reveals that tuity the chapel built by Marguerite Bourgeoys in 1657. no relevant aspect of the spiritual well-being of Montreal was unknown to Msgr de Laval. The three predominant religious communities of this city – St. Sulpice, the François Dollier de Casson, PSS (1636-1701), served Congregation of Our Lady, and the Hospitallers of St. Joseph twice as Superior of the Sulpicians – 1671-1674 and – found in him a faithful friend and a wise protector, 1678-1701 – and was Seigneur of Montreal Island, parish cautious and well educated.” (Gosselin, p. 149) priest, Vicar General of the Quebec diocese, explorer, architect, and historian, as well as a friend of François de Laval. He founded the Mission de la Montagne [Mission of the Mountain] on the island, to minister to Bibliography: the Iroquois and the Hurons. While the Sulpicians chose Baboyant, M. “Sainte Montréal,” Cap-aux-Diamants, no 27 (Fall to make the Amerindians into Frenchmen, at the king’s 1991), p. 18-21. request, the Jesuits opted to learn their languages. Bureau, G. François de Laval, his life and times, 2016, Quebec City: The Jesuits’ method was later accepted by the Sulpi- Séminaire de Québec, 314 p. cian missionaries, since their own had mixed results. Daveluy, M.-C. Jeanne Mance, 1962, Montreal: Fides, 418 p. Deslandres, D. et al. Les Sulpiciens de Montréal, une histoire de pouvoir et de discrétion, 1657-2007, 2007, Montreal: Fides, 670 p. A protector Gosselin, A. Vie de Mgr de Laval, Vol. 2, 1890, Quebec City: As Apostolic Vicar, Bishop of Quebec, and then Old Demers & frères, 704 p. Monsignor François de Laval traveled to Montreal at least Lacoursière, J. “Ville-Marie, du rêve à la réalité,” Cap-aux-Diamants, ten times. These dates are confirmed: 1660, 1664, 1668, no 27 (Fall 1991), p. 9-12. 1669, 1676, 1678, 1681, 1688, and 1702. When he made his Litalien, R. “Les Sulpiciens au Canada de 1657 à aujourd’hui,” last visit, Tremblay, procurator of the Quebec Seminary Cap-aux-Diamants, no 58 (Summer 1999), p. 14-19.

New book on François de Laval NEW THE SPIRITUAL WRITINGS OF FRANÇOIS DE LAVAL

The Centre d’animation François-De Laval of the Quebec Seminary recently published The Spiritual Writings of François de Laval , a translation of Msgr Hermann Giguère’s book, Les écrits spirituels de François de Laval, published

in 2016. After Gilles Bureau’s first book – François de Laval, his life and times, NEW a description of what awaited the first bishop of New France and the challenges he faced – was published, the English speaking community showed a definite, ongoing interest in this Apostle of America. Readers will discover 39 of the saint’s spiritual writings – written, for the first time, in the language of Shakes- peare. In another major first, this work is also available as an e-book.

Details : Book: 214 pages, ISBN 978-2-9812957-4-3 $25 plus taxes or e-book $15 on our website. The Spiritual Writings of François de Laval by Msgr Hermann Giguère Foreward by Cardinal Gérald Cyprin Lacroix

4 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • May 2017 Jeanne Mance’s will By Gilles Bureau, historian

Research often brings surprises that shed light on the past, elicit strong emotions, and inspire our admiration. Included in Marie-Claire Daveluy’s book Jeanne Mance (Fides, 1962) is a reproduction of her heroine’s holograph will. The founder of the St. Joseph Hospital of Montreal appointed the Bishop of Petraea the executor of her will, which was first drawn up in 1669 – a year Msgr de Laval visited Montreal. The person named executor is usually advised, but François de Laval was, unfortunately, away in France when Jeanne Mance died on June 18, 1673 in Montreal. He had left in 1671 and only returned in 1675. What follows is a translation of the text, reproduced from page 274, which I transcribed into present day French. Gilles Bureau, historian

I hereby appoint the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend I most humbly implore His Greatness to accept this task A PAGE OF HISTORY A PAGE Bishop of Petraea, our most honorable prelate, as the in his graciousness, and I ask that, immediately upon my executor of my current will, most humbly seeking the demise, the doors to my apartments be locked from without, indulgence of His Greatness, with the greatest respect I and all of my papers – both personal and those pertaining am able to summon up, in forgiving my audacity as I take to the Hospital, as well as any letters sent to me from the liberty of appointing him to this task of such minor France – be placed in his hands, and I ask his indulgence import, which I nonetheless believe is necessary for the in having prayers offered up to God for the repose of my soul. well-being and tranquility of this House, so it may remain This is what I most humbly implore of His Greatness and undisturbed and untroubled by my family or any other what I hope will emanate from his goodness, for God’s love. person. Executed by me, the undersigned, administrator of this Hospital in Montreal, on this, the third day of June sixteen hundred sixty-nine, in the House from which I run the Hospital that also belongs to the poor souls within it. Signed by me. Jeanne Mance.

Codicil added in 1672

In the absence of Monseignor the Bishop of Petraea, I wish Mr. Soüart to act as the executor of this will and, in his absence, that this duty be discharged by the Eccle- siastic Superior of the Seigneurs of Montreal Island. Exe- cuted in Montreal on February 16 sixteen hundred seventy-two. Jeanne Mance.

Signed hereunder by me, the clerk of the court [...], on this, the nineteenth day of June 1673. Basset, Clerk of the court.

From the book Jeanne Mance, Fides, 1692, p. 274

A statuette of St. François de Laval NEW After François de Laval was canonized, it seemed appropriate for the Seminary to commission a statuette of Msgr de Laval. The missionary bishop is depicted in a The task was entrusted to the Famille monastique de Beth- walking stance, bringing the Gospel to the lehem, a community of Sisters of the Monastery Notre- New World. This beautiful collector’s Dame-de-Pitié [Our Lady of Pity] of Mougères in Caux, France. The Monastery is home to various large workshops where item, made from powdered stone the Sisters, with help from women in the area, work on the aggregate and hand painted, is available

design and creation of statuettes. “This statuette, ins- at the Centre. pired by historical art and the craft skill of yesteryear, is a creation steeped in prayer that reflects the quest for an $165 plus taxes. entirely different form of Beauty. Its primary mission is (Height: 40 cm, 3.5 kg) : Daniel Abel) in the service of the Church,” says the Monastery’s

website. The Sisters make their living from this artwork. (Photo

Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • May 2017 5 Keeping the memory of François de Laval alive By Martina de Vries

The Quebec Seminary has remained faithful to the spirit This complexity, however, is what of its founder for over three centuries. It has worked made the project so inspiring. tirelessly to have him known as a role model for the For every pitfall we encountered, we PROJECT Universal Church. In 1993, the Seminary set up the had to put our heads together to : Daniel Abel)

Centre d’animation François-De Laval to ensure his life, come up with a solution. As each

work, and spirituality would be more widely known and new challenge arose, we were (Photo loved. In April 2014 – 306 years after his death – the first inspired by the daring of François de Bishop of Quebec, Father of the Canadian Church, and Laval. After all, he also had to face the unknown and Apostle of America was finally canonized. adapt to whatever situation he was facing!

“Our work is done; we can now retire!” joked the team Three months after embarking on this small undertaking at the Centre after the was proclaimed. In of now-colossal proportions, we have now catalogued fact, the Centre was about to launch its most ambitious every modern document written about our beloved bi- project… shop. The next step is underway: taking inventory of every source document – including written works, official Interest in Msgr de Laval has grown continuously among records, letters, etc. – composed or signed by François de the French, English, and Spanish speaking communities Laval over the course of his long life. Since these docu- since 2014. To better meet the needs voiced by resear- ments are housed in a number of museums, dioceses and chers, pilgrims, and tourists, the Centre had to stren- parishes spread over a vast territory, many of you can gthen its reference and documentation components, and expect a visit from us. And to thank you for your help, then centralize these holdings – i.e., create an immense we’ll digitize them all for you, at no charge! online documentary database that could be accessed re- motely. Why not? After all, it had never been done be- fore… what could possibly go wrong?!

The first step was to inventory all present-day documents written – or containing a passage – about François de Laval. We needed to consult an expert for this task. Guy Teasdale, former director (until 2013) of information technology and the digital library at the Laval University library, headed up a number of projects, including Notre mémoire en ligne, Nos racines and a full rework of the Ariane catalogue. Guy was also head of the Program committee for the 2013 Congress of archival settings within Quebec. He presented us with Zotero, an incredible bibliography creation software that lets the user enter bibliographic metadata from every document found throughout the world’s major libraries, along with des- criptions by type (book, journal article, etc.); incorporate bibliographic metadata (in various formats) taken from other databases, to minimize manual entry (thus avoiding typing errors); do precise searches in various fields; generate bibliographies (upon request) formatted to meet major universities’ requirements; and create an interface (Photo : Jean Duval) with the Centre’s website, all with remote access. We are fortunate to be working, at this stage, with Peter “Wow!!! We should be done in three weeks!!!”… but Gagné, an archivist at the Collections and relations with we met our first set of hurdles just three days later. Quebec museums branch of the Musées de la Civilisation The more we advanced in our search for every writing in Quebec City, and with historian Gilles Bureau, who has about François de Laval/François de Montmorency-Laval/ done a lot of searches in the Quebec Seminary archives. François-Xavier de Montmorency de Laval de Montigny/ Msgr de Laval/the Old Monsignor… you see the problem? We have also begun an iconography inventory of St. Fran- We had to filter out duplicates in the document inventory, çois de Laval. Every image, statue, painting, stained glass comb through general and theme-specific history books, window, etc. is being photographed to museum standards and distinguish between “Monseignor of Quebec” referring by our photographer, Daniel Abel. We are keeping him to Msgr de Laval versus Msgr de Saint-Vallier, then search very busy right now on the Beaupré Coast, the bishop’s “Monseignor our prelate” and filter some more… former seigneurie. Mr. Teasdale summed up our perfectly, very early in the process: “It’s not complicated; it’s just very complex!” Follow our progress in the next issue of this newsletter!

6 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • May 2017 Photo Album 1

(Photo : Msgr Terrence Prendergast) EVENT : Daniel Abel)

(Photo 2 )

3 1. Tribute wall A few months ago, we came upon a wall depicting the and Blesseds of Canada at the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) office. Here’s a screen shot of a picture sent out in a tweet last year, on November 23, by Msgr Terrence Prendergast, Archbishop of Ottawa: Cardinal Gérald

Les Mérites d’architecture 3 Cyprien Lacroix proudly posing before a portrait of St. François de Laval.

2. Assermentation On December 8 last year, two new auxiliary bishops of Quebec City – Louis Corriveau and Marc Pelchat – were sworn in in the funeral chapel

(Photo provided by dedicated to François de Laval. Reflecting in prayer at the tomb of the first bishop of Quebec – who has now been made a Saint – certainly added an emotional element to their new episcopal mission.

4 3. Pride In 2016, the Mérites d’architecture de Québec paid tribute to Émile Gilbert, “a great champion of heritage.” In an article published in the daily Le Soleil on December 10 last year, Michèle Laferrière and the architect discuss some of his work, including designs such as the Palais de justice [courthouse] and the Méduse co-op, as well as the alteration of Domaine Cataraqui (a historic site), rehabilitation of the Pointe-des-Monts lighthouse, and – “one of his proudest achievements” – the funeral chapel dedicated to François de Laval, built in 1993.

4. Celebrations On April 23, the Sainte-Famille de Boucherville parish, part of the Saint-Jean-Longueuil diocese, marked the city’s 350th anniversary by commemorating its founders: Pierre Boucher and his wife Jeanne Crevier, as well as the “founder” of the parish, St. François de Laval. Father Daniel Boivin, the current parish priest, shares this historic note with us: “Pierre Boucher was the great-grandfather of St. Marguerite d’Youville, whose son was a parish priest here.”

5. Trip to France On June 1 this year, the MCR-28 group (Association of Christian retirees – Chartres diocese) will travel to Montigny-sur-Avre, in a quest to “discover St. François de Laval.” Before Mass, Father Didier Henri, the 5 former parish priest, will speak on the still relevant message left by the first bishop of New France. Two hundred people are expected.

Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • May 2017 7 : Daniel Abel)

(Photo

Fresco by Patrick Rodrigue, painter and artist. Complexe funéraire de la Cité, in Quebec City

St. François de Laval stained-glass window in Peru Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix has graciously accepted to tell us the story behind the creation of a stained-glass window of St. Fran- çois de Laval that has recently been installed in Peru. We wish to thanks him for the initiative and for this article.

In the summer of 2015, I had the pleasure the idea came to me spon- ICONOGRAPHY of participating, as a guest speaker, at taneously: Why not offer the National Eucharistic Congress in them a window depicting Peru. This event was held in the city of St. François de Laval, the Piura, where the evangelization of Peru great apostle, pastor, and began and from which missionaries set evangelist in New France? forth to spread the Gospel throughout The archbishop of Piura the country. quickly accepted my offer. The window was created by The Evangelization cross was erected artists in the capital, Lima, in Piura in the early 16th century. This and installed in the chapel. archdiocese proudly bears the city’s name, and the pastor, Msgr José The picture shows the Antonio Eguren Anselmi, is an old final product. I believe this friend. Naturally, this led me to think is the first stained-glass about the cross put up by Jacques window of our beloved founding bishop Isn’t it time we began seeing stained- Cartier in Gaspé when he arrived on in Latin America, and I am very proud glass windows of St. François de Laval this continent. Our diocese, like Piura, of it. I have had the opportunity to here at home? Our Church needs the was also fertile ground in which the share a few inspiring aspects of light that shone as he bore witness, to Gospel took root and grew, spreading St. François de Laval’s life with the continue his mission today. out over a vast territory. seminarians. My next suggestion, in the near future, will be to film an inter - † Gérald C. Card. Lacroix I also visited the Piura Major Seminary, view in Spanish, so I can provide more Archbishop of Quebec where the chapel was undergoing information on the life and mission renovations. They had decided to add of this great evangelist from Quebec. stained-glass windows depicting Saints – both evangelists and pastors Let us pray for this sister church in Peru. – of America. At the top of the list, of Let us also pray that the Good News of the course, was St. Toribio de Mongrovejo, Gospel is experienced, on our continent, a major figure in the country’s evangelist with the same courage and perseve- history and of the bishops rance – and burning with the same inner of Peru. I noticed a few empty spaces flame – as those of the saints (both among the stained-glass windows and men and women) who came before us.

Centre d’animation Next issue: François-De Laval twitter.com/CentreFdL www.francoisdelaval.com December 2017