Pastoral Visits by François De Laval, 1660 to 1669 by Gilles Bureau, Historian
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42907022 PP 33 ° N 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 Paris, 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 Rome 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 Pope 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 We care about the environment. This newsletter is published twice a year and sent By voluntarily signing on to our Email distribution list, for free by mail. It can also be found in PDF format you will help us minimize our use of paper. on our website. If you write us at [email protected], Executive Editor: Jean Duval you will receive all forthcoming copies in PDF format. Thank you. Contact us Collaborators: Daniel Abel Centre d’animation François-De Laval Gilles Bureau Legal deposit: 20, rue De Buade, Québec (Québec) G1R 4A1 Maurice Dussault Library and Archives Canada ISSN 2290-3496 2 Centre d’animation François-De Laval Newsletter • December 2016 Pastoral visits by François de Laval, 1660 to 1669 (Continued from page 2) 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 superior 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 Saint-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.