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Number 33 • December 2016 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter

Pastoral visits by François de Laval, 1660 to 1669 By Gilles Bureau, historian

After the Council of Trent, special emphasis was placed on pastoral visits as one of the duties performed by bishops. Msgr de Laval addressed himself zealously to this task, covering mainly the area between the Saguenay river, north of Québec City, and Lac des Deux-Montagnes, south of Montréal. In the words of Bertrand de Latour, his first biographer, “this would be a large diocese in Europe, but none could be so hard to visit.”(Gosselin 1890, T. I, p. 261)

Our first bishop devoted fifty years of his life to the service of the church in New France. He accepted all the duties this involved, often in difficult circumstances, letting nothing stand in his way.

A PAGE OF HISTORY A PAGE Even while he was still in France he travelled extensively, covering large distances from Montigny to , and also to La Flèche, Caen, La Rochelle and Méobec. As an archdeacon, he made several visits to the 155 parishes and 4 chapels in the diocese of Évreux. And we cannot forget his nine Atlantic crossings.

One of François de Laval’s duties as bishop was to conduct apostolic visits to meet with the faithful, Amerindians and members of religious orders. Eyewitness reports from the time give us more details about his trips. They include the Relations of the Jesuit superiors, the letters and congregational records of the religious orders of women, and above all the confirmation registers, which allow us to put a precise date on each visit by the Apostle of America.

First general visit as apostolic vicar (1660)

The young François de Laval arrived in New France on June 16, 1659 and began his first pastoral visit a few months later in the depths of winter, on January 23, 1660. He travelled with Henri de Bernières, who was still a deacon, his manservant Durant, and the Jesuits’ right-hand man, Father Bosquet, known as the “apos- tolic messenger”, who moved around from one mission

to another. Marie de l’Incarnation referred to him as the (Photo : Daniel Abel) “evangelical visitor”. For Europeans unused to the harsh Canadian winter, these snowshoe treks were difficult (Gosselin 1890, T. I, p. 262). François travelling in his diocese Making of the filmFrançois, apôtre de l’Amérique Msgr de Laval began his visit at Beauport, only 2 leagues [François, Apostle of America], 2014 (4.5 km) from Québec City. He paid a courtesy visit to the (Continued on page 2) Pastoral visits by François de Laval, 1660 to 1669

(Continued from page 1)

The river route Obviously, in New France the St. Lawrence River was used for most long-distance trips. Transatlantic sailing ships could travel upriver as far as Québec City, and from there to Montréal smaller sailing boats or rowing boats were used. Jacques Lacour- sière writes that “to cover the distance between Québec City and Trois-Rivières often took five to six days. In general, boats only travelled upriver or downriver in the daytime, since they had to avoid many obstacles. The tide also had to be taken into account, since it could lengthen or shorten each trip.” (Nos racines [Our roots], no. 29, 1979, p. 566.) On the waterways of his immense diocese Engraving by Maurice Petitdidier in Le Vénérable François local seigneur, Robert Giffard, one of New France’s Montmorency-Laval, Émile Gervais, Comité des fondateurs pioneers. The confirmation register shows, under the date de l’Église canadienne, Montréal, 1952, p. 41. of February 2, 1660, that he confirmed 170 people in the church of Château-Richer, including the young Louis Jolliet, Father Charles de Lauzon de Charny and two servants. who would later become known as the organist of the At this time Montréal was merely a tiny settlement with cathedral in Québec City and a famous explorer of the around thirty houses and a population of 200. He bap- Mississippi. It was reported that some of the people confir- tized several young Amerindians and then, on August med were quite old, since the missionaries in New France 24, confirmed 107 people, including Maisonneuve. He met had not been authorized by to “give” confirmation. Jeanne Mance at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital and Marguerite At the end of February, after returning to Québec City, Bourgeoys at her “school” (Ibid., p. 273). François de Laval confirmed another 60 people. At the end of August, as he was sailing back to Québec City, He was well acquainted with the three religious commu- he crossed a flotilla of 300 Outaouais canoes carrying nities established in Québec City, since he lived with each a cargo of furs that would save the colony’s economy of them in turn. This did not prevent him from conducting during this period of war. He also encountered the an official tour of the religious communities of women, elderly Jesuit Father Ménard and urged him to return to his beginning with the Hospitaller nuns whose courage he mission, where he died. admired. In April, he visited the Ursulines. This encounter is well known because of the objections raised by Marie François de Laval went to Trois-Rivières in late October. de l’Incarnation to some of the changes the apostolic vicar We know that he was absent from Québec City from wanted to make to their rules. Msgr de Laval’s meeting with October 21 to 31, although Abbé Gosselin writes that he the Jesuits was his last apostolic visit during the winter. knew nothing about the visit. The Jesuits had a house in Trois-Rivières, founded in 1634 by Father Le Jeune It is important to note here that, during this whole period, (Journal des Jésuites [Jesuit Journal], Ibid., p. 276). New France was engaged in a war with the Iroquois. Taking advantage of a lull in the conflict, François de On returning to Québec City, he finished writing his report Laval left Québec City on August 17, 1660 on a small to Alexander VI, dated October 29, 1660, including sailing boat to travel to Montréal, one hundred leagues a remarkable description of the Canadian missions. upstream. The trip took five days. He travelled with (Continued on page 3)

Saint François de Laval Phone: 418 692-0228 Translator: Benjamin Waterhouse Number 33 • December 2016 Courriel : [email protected] Reviser: Doris Lamontagne Visit our website: www.francoisdelaval.com Graphic design : Lecourscommunication.com Print run : 2,500 copies, available in French and English

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2 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • December 2016 Pastoral visits by François de Laval, 1660 to 1669

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This first general episcopal visit set the pattern for later visits by François de Laval as a bishop. He never hesitated to spend time with the settlers and to eat and sleep in their houses. He met with the members of the religious communities whose works he admired, visited the Ame- rindians and confirmed hundreds of people. Québec, port de mer, 1760, Richard Short It is also important to relate other key moments from his visits in following years. The descriptions written by the temple in which God is pleased to reside is that of your Jesuit Father François Le Mercier are a precious source soul. Continue to beautify it with all the Christian virtues. for historians. After working for many years as a missio- I have come to assure you, at the same time, of the warm nary to the Hurons, he was appointed as general regard in which the King holds you. He has but recently of all the missions in New France from 1653 to 1671. given you a clear example of this, by the expedition he caused to be undertaken against the Iroquois, and by the First pastoral visit to Trois-Rivières and Montréal (1664) peace he forced them to sign” (Ibid., p. 527).

In 1664, François de Laval returned to Trois-Rivières and Msgr de Laval, as usual, visited them in their houses, Montréal. In 1665, he made no visits in order to devote took an interest in the sick, extended his goodness to his time to the soldiers of the Carignan-Salière regiment, them, and gave a great feast. He spent five or six days in who had arrived at last to protect the colony against the Tadoussac and confirmed 149 people. He wrote to his friend, Iroquois attacks. He confirmed a large number of sol- the parish priest of -Josse in Paris, as follows: “If Our diers. The Jesuit Journal reports that several soldiers Lord grants me as much good health next year as I am recanted their Protestant faith (Msgr de Laval writing to enjoying this spring, I hope to return there; since I admit the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda) (Ibid., p. 470). that the joy they demonstrated at seeing us there was matched by our own joy in our visit” (Ibid., p. 528). Second pastoral visit (1666) And Father Gosselin added at this point: “During his fifth visit Msgr de Laval was in Montréal with the Marquis de Tracy to Montréal in 1669, Msgr de Laval found the institution on St. John’s Eve on June 23. The traditional bonfires, of Marguerite Bourgeoys so firmly established that he a celebration that had come from Europe, were magnifi- gave it his approval,” and then, “the solemn recognition cent. “His Grace the Bishop, in full pontifical vestments, of the existence of the Congrégation des Filles séculières was present with all the clergy and our Fathers wearing de Notre-Dame de Montréal [Congregation of the Secular surplices. He presented the torch of white wax to Monsei- Daughters of Notre-Dame of Montréal] by canonical gneur de Tracy, who returned it so that he could be the letters was dated August 6, 1676” (Ibid, pp.576 and 578). first to light the fire” (Ibid., p. 482). It was not until 1676 that his wish to return to Montréal was Second pastoral and general visit (1668-1669) fulfilled, since on November 3, 1671, he sailed from Québec The year 1668 is notable for two remarkable events. City to France, returning in September 1675 with the title of Msgr de Laval visited all the forts on the Richelieu river Bishop of Québec. He completed three more pastoral visits (historical letter 78). Abbé Gosselin wrote that this was the of his diocese between 1676 and 1681, and also returned to bishop’s longest and most difficult pastoral visit. “His cha- Montréal in 1688 and 1702 during his retirement. rity led him to visit all the forts, as far as the fort closest to the Iroquois (Fort Sainte-Anne at the entrance to Lake Means of transport Champlain), where he gave the sacrament of confirmation to all those who had not yet received it” (Ibid., p. 524). It was only in the 1730s that a passable road was com- pleted between Québec City and Montréal. Even then, On June 24 he was in Tadoussac, where 400 Montagnais, rivers remained an obstacle and had to be crossed by “the most docile we had ever met” in the words of Marie ferry, and nights were spent in settlers’ houses. Horses, de l’Incarnation, had assembled. In 1665, they had lost which Intendant Talon had ensured were sent to New their chapel in a fire, and expressed a wish to see their France, were used mainly for local transportation and bishop. Father Le Mercier explains how he was greeted by farm work. Although François de Laval, like all noble- a volley of rifle fire and shouts of joy at seeing a person men, was a fine horseman, it is unlikely that he was so dear to them who had so often bestowed his goodness able to complete his visits in New France on horseback. on them (Ibid., p. 525). Luckily, the ingenious Amerindians had invented snowshoes and birch-bark canoes, which were light Observers of the period rarely cited the actual words and easily repaired. They were quickly adopted by the spoken by Msgr de Laval, but here is what Father Le Mercier European population. To avoid piercing the bottom of recorded at the time. “I have come,” Msgr de Laval said, the canoe, passengers had to remove their shoes, and “to rejoice with you in the affection and attachment you it is said that the Amerindians were concerned about feel for our holy Religion. You have been cruelly tried by over-weight passengers such as Father de Brébeuf. the destruction of your beautiful church; but the finest

Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • December 2016 3 Service in the eyes of Saint François de Laval

The ocean crossing to New France was extremely perilous, and travellers ran a number of risks. When the ship Saint-André moored at Québec He had barely arrived when an opportunity arose to demonstrate his zeal. One of the City on September 7, 1659 with 200 passengers on board, almost all ships that returned to Québec carried a were sick. Ten more had died at sea after being infected by the “purple contagious disease that spread to the and pestilential fever”, which then spread to the colony’s inhabitants. whole country: the hospital was completely Several people died. François de Laval, who had arrived in June, was full, and the Prelate practically never left quick to offer pastoral care. it for the entire duration of the sickness, always busy serving,

A PAGE OF HISTORY A PAGE teaching, and consoling the sick. Our Lord Bishop is continually at the hospital, helping the sick [...] The Prelate distinguished and making up their beds. We do what we can to prevent him himself and led others even from going, in order to preserve his own person, but there are more effectively by his charity no words eloquent enough to turn him away from these acts of than by his dignity. He was used humility. The Reverend Father de Quen, in his great charity, to sickness since his frequent caught the sickness and died of it. visits to the hospitals in Caen and Marie de l’Incarnation, lettre 183, Marie de l’Incarnation the great services he rendered (1599-1672), Correspondance, Abbaye Saint-Pierre, Solesmes, under the direction of Monsieur 1997, page 616 de Bernières. Bertrand de La Tour, Msgr de Laval at the bedside of the sick Anonymous, Mémoires sur la vie de M. de Laval, premier évêque de Québec, Cologne, 1761 stained glass, undated but probably from : Daniel Abel) the 19th century. Séminaire de Québec,

Jean-Olivier Briand Building, Québec (Photo

New books

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The Spiritual Writings of François de Laval Envoyés à toutes rencontres Introduction and selection of texts Actualité des repères missionnaires de François de Laval by Msgr Hermann Giguère, P.H. by Doris Lamontagne Preface by Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Preface by Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Québec Québec, Translation by Benjamin Waterhouse When Pope Francis canonized François de Laval in 2014, François de Laval is known mainly as a determined bishop he confirmed the present-day relevance of the missio- and a great builder of institutions. Most of the surviving nary message of the Apostle of America. This book of- documents he left concern his official functions. However, fers a new way of looking at the life of Saint François by looking in more detail at certain passages, we can de Laval and identified the missionary discern a warm-hearted man with a principles that guided him. The mis- constant pastoral focus for whom sionary bishop drew inspiration from action was always preceded by the early Church, since he deeply be- prayer, as revealed in this book by lieved that the church in New France Msgr Hermann Giguère, P.H., a retired had received a similar gift. Times and Professor of Spiritual Theology and places have changed, but the same History of Spirituality at the Faculty principles can still provide a firm foun- of Theology and Religion at Univer- dation today. sité Laval in Québec City. He is a 2016, 316 pages member of the Québec Seminary, Available soon in printed and ePub versions where he was Superior General from Also available in French 2002 to 2012.

2017, 212 pages Available soon in printed From left to right: Canon Jacques Roberge, Superior General of the Québec Seminary, Sister Doris and ePub versions

Lamontagne, PFM and author, and Cardinal Gérald : Daniel Abel) Also available in French Cyprien Lacroix, at the book launch on June 16, 2016. (Photo

4 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • December 2016 Former students at the Québec Seminary who went on to become bishops By Gilles Bureau, historian

The last two auxiliary bishops appointed to the diocese of Québec, Msgr Louis Corriveau and Msgr Marc Pelchat, are only the latest in a long line of bishops who studied at the Québec Seminary. It was founded by Saint François de Laval with the goal, as stated in the founding acts, of “constituting a reserve from which we can take pious and able subjects and send them out for all purposes, and if needed to the parishes, and to all other places in the said : Daniel Abel) country, to serve as priests and perform the other duties (Photo for which they have been trained.” A PAGE OF HISTORY A PAGE

The Québec Seminary considers Msgr Jean-Olivier Briand In all, from 1772 to November 4, 2016, 89 bishops were as its second founder. He was born in France in 1715 and formerly students at the Québec Seminary: 41 at the Major died at Québec in 1794. He was the first Bishop of Québec Seminary only, 43 at both the Major and Minor Seminaries, after the 1760 Conquest, serving from 1766 to 1784. and 5 at the Minor Seminary only.

Legend: • The “Diocese” column shows the name of the diocese at • Minor: Québec Minor Seminary. the time, with its modern name in parentheses. The name • Major: Québec Major Seminary. of the diocese is in italics when the bishop was appointed • The first column shows the year of episcopal ordination. as a coadjutor or auxiliary bishop.

Ordin. Bishop Diocese Minor Major Death 1772 Most Rev. Louis-Philippe Mariauchau d’Esgly Québec x x 1788 1786 Most Rev. Jean-François Hubert Québec x x 1797 1789 Most Rev. Charles-François Bailly de Messein Québec x 1794 1795 Most Rev. Québec x x 1806 1797 Most Rev. -Octave Plessis Québec x 1825 1806 Most Rev. Bernard-Claude Panet Québec x x 1833 1820 Most Rev. Joseph-Norbert Provencher Québec /Saint-Boniface x 1853 1827 Most Rev. Québec x x 1850 1833 Most Rev. Rémi Gaulin Kingston x x 1857 1834 Most Rev. Pierre-Flavien Turgeon Québec x x 1867 1837 Most Rev. Ignace Bourget Montréal x x 1885 1837 Most Rev. Bernard Donald Macdonald Charlottetown x x 1859 1842 Most Rev. Power x 1847 1843 Most Rev. William Dollard Saint John x 1851 1844 Most Rev. François-Norbert Blanchet Oregon City (Portland) x x 1883 1846 Most Rev. Augustin-Magloire Blanchet Walla Walla / Nesqually (Seattle) x x 1887 1846 Most Rev. Modeste Demers Vancouver Island (Victoria) x x 1871 1851 Most Rev. Charles-François Baillargeon Québec x 1870 1852 Most Rev. Thomas Cooke Trois-Rivières x x 1870 1858 Most Rev. Edward John Horan Kingston x x 1875 1860 Most Rev. Peter McIntyre Charlottetown x 1891 1860 Most Rev. John Sweeny Saint John x 1901 1867 Most Rev. Jean-Pierre-François Laforce-Langevin Rimouski x x 1892 1871 Most Rev. Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau Québec x x 1898 1 874 Most Rev. Antoine Racine Sherbrooke x x 1893 1875 Most Rev. John O’Brien Kingston x 1879 1878 Most Rev. Dominique Racine Chicoutimi x x 1888 1888 Most Rev. Louis-Nazaire Bégin Chicoutimi / Québec x x 1925 1890 Most Rev. André-Albert Blais Rimouski x 1919 1892 Most Rev. Michel-Thomas Labrecque Chicoutimi x x 1932 1908 Most Rev. Paul-Eugène Roy Québec / Québec x x 1926 1911 Most Rev. Olivier-Elzéar Mathieu Régina x x 1929 1921 Most Rev. Joseph Hallé Vicaire apostolique -Nord (Hearst) x 1939 1923 Most Rev. François-Xavier Ross Gaspé x x 1945 1924 Most Rev. Joseph-Alfred Langlois Québec / Valleyfield x 1966 1926 Most Rev. Alfred-Odilon Comtois Trois-Rivières / Trois-Rivières x 1945 (Continued on page 6)

Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • December 2016 5 Former students at the Québec Seminary who went on to become bishops

(Continued from page 5)

Ordin. Bishop Diocese Minor Major Death 1927 Most Rev. Joseph-Omer Plante Québec x x 1948 1928 Most Rev. William Mark Duke Vancouver x 1971 1930 Most Rev. James Charles McGuigan Regina / Toronto x 1 974 1934 Most Rev. François-Xavier Lacoursière, (M. Afr.) Mbarara, Ouganda x 1970 1935 Most Rev. Joseph-Oscar Julien, (M. Afr.) Vicaire apostolique Nyassa, Malawi x 1961 1936 Most Rev. Marie-Joseph Lemieux, O.P. Sendai (Japon )/ Gravelbourg /Ottawa x 1994 1940 Most Rev. Arthur Douville Saint-Hyacinthe / Saint-Hyacinte x x 1986 1940 Most Rev. John Michael O’Neill Harbour Grace (Grand Falls ) x 1 974 1940 Most Rev. Alexandre Vachon Ottawa x x 1953 1943 Most Rev. Georges-Léon Pelletier Québec / Trois-Rivières x x 1987 1943 Most Rev. John Roderick MacDonald Peterborough / Antigonish x 1959 1944 Most Rev. Charles-Eugène Parent Rimouski / Rimouski x 1982 1945 Most Rev. Marie-Antoine Roy (O.F.M.) Edmundston x x 1948 1946 Most Rev. James Michael Hill Victoria x 1962 1946 Most Rev. Trois-Rivières / Québec x x 1985 1947 Most Rev. Louis-Joseph Cabana Rubaga, Ouganda x 1981 1948 Most Rev. Charles-Omer Garant Québec x x 1962 1951 Most Rev. Bruno Desrochers Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière x x 1976 1952 Most Rev. Lionel Audet Québec x x 1989 1952 Most Rev. Paul Bernier Gaspé x x 1964 1952 Most Rev. Raymond Larose (C.S.C.) Chittagong, Bangladesh x 1984 1953 Most Rev. Aimé Decosse Gravelbourg x 1991 1956 Most Rev. Marius Paré Chicoutimi / Chicoutimi x 2002 1961 Most Rev. Jean-Marie Fortier Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière / Gaspé / Sherbrooke x x 2002 1961 Most Rev. Jean-Louis Jobidon (M. Afr.) Mzuzu, Malawi x x 1997 1963 Most Rev. Laurent Noël Québec / Trois-Rivières x 1965 Most Rev. Charles-Henri Lévesque Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière / Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière x 1984 1971 Most Rev. Pedro Rubiano Sàenz Cúcuta / Cali / Bogota, Colombie x 1973 Most Rev. Bertrand Blanchet Gaspé / Rimouski x 1 974 Most Rev. Noël Delaquis (O.C.S.O.) Gravelbourg x 1975 Most Rev. Jean-Guy Couture Hauterive (Baie-Comeau) / Chicoutimi x x 1975 Most Rev. José Dimas Cedeño Delgado Santiago de Veraguas/ Panama x 2015 1977 Most Rev. Jean-Paul Labrie Québec x 2001 1977 Most Rev. Louis-Albert Vachon Québec / Québec x x 2006 1980 Most Rev. Réal Corriveau (P.M.E.) Choluteca, Honduras x 1980 Most Rev. Michel-Joseph-Gérard Gagnon (M. Afr.) Djibouti / Laghouat, Algérie x 2004 1982 Most Rev. Maurice Couture (R.S.V.) Québec / Baie-Comeau / Québec x x 1982 Most Rev. Marc Leclerc, Québec Québec x x 2005 1987 Most Rev. Pierre Morissette Québec / Baie-Comeau / Saint-Jérôme x 1989 Most Rev. Clément Fecteau Québec / Ste-Anne-de-la Pocatière x 1995 Most Rev. Jean-Pierre Blais Québec / Baie-Comeau x 1995 Most Rev. Eugène Tremblay Québec / x x 1999 Most Rev. Jean Gagnon Québec / Gaspé x 2001 Most Rev. Albert LeGatt Saskatoon / Saint-Boniface x 2002 Most Rev. Dorylas Moreau Rouyn-Noranda x 2005 Most Rev. Pierre-André Fournier Québec / Rimouski x 2015 2005 Most Rev. Gilles Lemay Québec / Amos x x 2008 Most. Rev. Noël Simard Sault-Sainte-Marie / Valleyfield x x 2009 Most Rev. Paul Lortie Québec / Mont-Laurier x 2009 Most Rev. Gérald Cyprien Lacroix (I.S.P.X.) Québec / Québec x 2012 Most Rev. Denis Grondin Québec / Rimouski x x 2016 Most Rev. Louis Corriveau Québec x 2016 Most Rev. Marc Pelchat Québec x Sources : • LeBlanc, Jean, Dictionnaire biographique des évêques catholiques du Canada, 2002. • Archives of the Archdiocese of Québec: Armand Gagné, Pierre Lafontaine. • Dictionary of Canadian Biography. • Provost, Honorius, Le Québec Seminary, Documents et biographies, 1964. • Internet

6 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • December 2016 Photo Album 5 EVENT

(Photo : CECC)

1 : Pierre Lafontaine) : Daniel Abel) (Photo (Photo 6

1. A gift from France Deacon Pascal Champion, chaplain of the Prytanée National military school in La Flèche, France, has sent the Québec Seminary a sketch by 2 Jacques Sergeff, who sculpted the bas–relief of François de Laval in the school’s Saint-Louis chapel: “(…) It would make sense if a piece of the

: Daniel Abel) same work of art was kept on each side of the Atlantic,” he wrote to the Superior of the Québec Seminary, Canon Jacques Roberge.

(Photo 2. Places to see On April 28, 2016, Cardinal Cyprien Lacroix blessed the new premises of the Centre Catherine-de-Saint-Augustin, adjacent to the church of the Augustinian nunnery at the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec hospital. This modern, meaningful building offers visitors an opportunity to discover the inner faith of a young woman whom François de Laval already recognized as a saint. 3. A lucky coincidence : Daniel Abel) 3 The episcopal ordination of two new auxiliary bishops, Louis Corriveau

(Photo and Marc Pelchat, took place on December 8, the date of the Solemnity of the of the Blessed . In addition to being the patronal feast of the Diocese of Québec, it also marks the anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Saint François de Laval in 1658. 4. End-of-life care One year ago, Québec’s catholic bishops received the pastoral letter Approcher de la mort avec le Christ (“Drawing near to death with Christ”), which set out possible ways to consider end-of-life care in light of the Word of God. The question remains extremely topical, and to illustrate the subject our cover shows Msgr de Laval providing assistance for the sick. 5. A model In September, Catholic Bishops of Canada agreed at their 2016 Plenary Assembly that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops would issue a decree approving devotional titles for three Canadian , including Saint François de Laval as patron saint of the Bishops of Canada. 6. Once upon a time... Pierre Lafontaine, the Québec archdiocese’s archivist, recently informed us that François de Laval and the Diocese of Québec are featured in a 4 new school textbook used in the Secondary III history program: Histoire du Québec et du Canada, des origines à 1840 (collection Périodes) published by Les Éditions CEC.

Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • December 2016 7 : Daniel Abel) (Photo

The Québec Seminary is instantly recognizable thanks to the lantern towers on the Camille-Roy Building.

Jan Tillemans

Father Jan Tillemans (1915-1980), an Oblate of Mary Immaculate, was born in Holland and graduated from the Fine Arts Academy in Maastricht and the Higher Institute of Fine Arts in the same city, also known as the Jan Van Eyck Academy. ICONOGRAPHY

The Basilica’s stained glass windows were made using the same techniques as those used in the Middle Ages for gothic cathedrals in Europe such as Chartres, Reims, Le Mans, etc., and mass-tinted glass.

Msgr de Laval on a pastoral visit Jan Tillemans o.m.i. 1964, blown and cut glass Basilica of Notre-Dame du Cap, Trois-Rivières

François de Laval pursues his fruitful ministry

I applied myself to all holy works, preaching, hearing (Photo : Maurice Dussault) confession, administering the sacrament of confirmation, visiting all the faithful entrusted to my care, especially those living in the countryside who, being far from Centre d’animation Québec, receive less assistance. François-De Laval

Excerpt from a letter to the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda, twitter.com/CentreFdL June 13, 1660 www.francoisdelaval.com

Next issue: May 2017