Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/671

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QUEBEC


597


QUEBEC


general (1862), theologian of Archbishop Baillargeon at the Vatican Council, administrator (1870), arch- bishop (1871), cardinal of the title of Santa Maria delta Vittoria (1886). Among the many facts of his admin- istration may be quoted: the foundation of the Hos- pital of the Sacred Heart, which he entrusted to the Sisters of the General Hospital (1873); the erection of the Chicoutimi college and see (1878); the inaugu- ration of a classical course of studies in the Commer- cial College of Levis (1879); the creation of more than fifty parishes with the funds of colonization and of the Propagation of the Faith, kept since 1876 for local wants; the foundation (1892) of the now prosperous order of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, by the Abbe Brousseau; the fifth (1873), sixth (1878), and seventh (1886) Councils of Quebec. Among the decrees must be mentioned that on the improvement of theological and philosophical studies after St. Thomas's prin- ciples, according to Leo XIII's direction. Archbishop Taschereau had to deal with some perplexing cases: he was papal delegate for the division of Notre Dame parish in Montreal (1871), and the conclusion of his report was adopted by Cardinal Barnabo. In the exciting question of Catholic Liberalism, his pastoral letters of 1875 and 1877 procured for the country a lasting peace. Another cause of discord was the uni- versity question, finally settled by establishing at Mon- treal (1876) a branch of Laval, which, by the Decree "Jamdudum" (1896), has become nearly independent. In 1888 the long pending debate on the Jesuits' estates ended by an agreement between Prime Minister Mercier and Father Turgeon, S.J., authorized by Rome. The Government paid an indemnity of $400,- 000 to be divided among the Jesuits, Laval Univer- Bity, and the bishops for educational purposes. A share of $60,000 was granted to the Protestant Board of Education. When Cardinal Taschereau handed over the admini.st ration to his coadjutor (1894), the archdiocese contained 320,000 Catholics, 392 secular priests, 33 regulars, 3 colleges or seminaries, 65 con- vents, 195 churches and chapels, 192 parishes and missions, although more than 50 had been cut off for the new sees of Rimouski and Chicoutimi.

(17) Louis Nazaire Begin, b. 1840, after several years of studies in Rome, where he was ordained in 1865, filled in the seminary of Quebec the successive positions of professor of theology, director of students, and prefect of studies. Principal of the Laval Normal School (1884), Bishop of Chicoutimi (1888), coadjutor of Quebec (1891) with the title of Archbishop of Cyrene, granted future succession (1892), he took possession of the see in 1898. He has written books on infallibility, the rule of faith, and the veneration of the saints. During his administration the arch- diocese has greatly developed by the admission of several orders of men and women, and by the crea- tion of many new parishes. He played a leading part in the struggle of the Canadian bishops (1896) against the unjust law of 1890, by which the Catholics of Manitoba had been deprived of their schools. After the delegation (jf MRr. .\IiTry del Val, now Secretary of State to Pius X, lie ri'ceived (1898) the EncycUcal letter "AiTari vos" (1S1)7), in which Leo XIII, while he praised the bishops for their vindication of Catholic principles of education, advised union and charity when claiming justice. On the tercentenary of the foundation of Quebec (1908) a monument was erected to Bishop Laval. Important events are: the organization of the "Action sociale catholique", a branch of which is the paper "L' Action Sociale", edited at Quebec since 1907; the first Plenary Council of Canada (1909), attended, under the presidency of Archbishop Sbaretti, delegate Apostolic, by 7 arch- bishops, 26 bishops, 1 prefect Apostolic, 1 mitred abbot, and 5 episcopal proxies. At this date (April, 1911), the decrees have not yet been published. Mgr Paul-Eugene Roy, b. 1859, was consecrated auxiliary


bishop in 1908. His classical course was made in Que- bec; after taking in France the degree of licentiate in letters, he was professor of rhetoric and prefect of studies in the Quebec seminary, becanit pastor of the Canadians at Hartford, Conn., and in 1901 was first parish priest of Jacques-Cartier in Quebec. He is the chief force in the "Action Sociale".

Organization. — The Archdiocese of Quebec is in- corporated under the title "La Corporation Epis- copale Catholique Romaine de Quebec" by XII Victoria, ch. 36, which also grants (§ 7) incorporation to all dioceses then existing or to be afterwards erected in Canada. "L'Eveque catholique de Quebec" was personally, and remains, incorporated by letters patent of Queen Victoria in 1845. Parishes receive civil incorporation after canonical erection, but possess their legal rights even without it. Church property, administered under the pastor's presidency by church-wardens elected by parishioners, cannot be legally alienated without the bishop's assent. In the ecclesiastical province of Quebec, a mutual insurance, with its seat in Quebec, covers risks on church buildings and par- sonages to the amount of $7,500, 000. A similar in- surance exists for Catholic educa- tional or chari- table institutions. The parish church of Quebec is the cathedral. Begun in 1647, conse- crated by Bishop Laval in 1666, re- built on a larger scale by Bisliop Pontbriand(1744- 9) and again, after the siege by Bish- op Briand (1767-

71), it was hon- Church of Notbe-Da oured in 1874 by Qdeb

the title of basilica. With the exception of a few students, sent every year to Europe to receive a train- ing as professors, most of the clergy are educated in the higher seminary of Quebec. None is admitted until after satisfactory classical studies and two years of philosophy. The course of theology lasts four years. Four times a year all priests in office have to meet by groups of ten and twelve to treat of questions of theology or church history determined by the bishop, to whom report must be sent. Two retreats every year are preached in the seminary, so that all the clergy inay attend one or the other. An ecclesiastical asso- ciation ("La Caisse St. Joseph") grants a pension to its members out of office through sickness or old age.

Charities. — Two hospitals (Hotel-Dieu) for the sick; 12 for old persons of both sexes; 7 orphanages; 3 patronages for foundlings; 1 refuge for repentant girls — all entrusted to religious orders; several pros- perous societies or conferences of St. Vincent de Paul; a Tabernacle Society and an Association for the Pro- tection of Maid Servants.

Religious Orders. — Male. — (The asterisk shows which have in the diocese a novitiate or at least a preparatory house or postulate.) Jesuits, Franciscans*, Capuchins*, Dominicans, White Fathers, Oblates, Fathers of the Sacred Heart*, Brothers of the Christian Schools, of Christian Instruction, of St. Viateur, of the Sacred Heart, Marists*, Fathers and Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul. The Fathers of Ste Croix have a house and 9 students following the course of theology at La\'al. The Franciscans have their own classes of theology


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