Love Spans the Centuries - Alliance catholique canadienne de la

Love Spans the Centuries
Origin and Development of the
Institute of the Sisters of Charity of
Montreal, Grey Nuns
Volume 4: 1877-1910
by
Estelle Mitchell, S.G.M.
Source:
courtesy of Service des archives et des
collections Sœurs de la Charité de
Montréal « les Sœurs Grises »
Copyright: © 1991 Méridien Press
Used with permission
Digitized:
November 2014
Estef[eMitcfiet|S.E.M,
tCIVE
SPAN]S
TII]E
N]TURIIE
EE
Volume lV
IB77-1910
L
n",
5FA[I]5
LCII/E
TTilE
EENTI'IRIIE
'EstefkMitcfi,e[L
S.E.fir[,
LCIVE
5PANIS
TttlEeE_lltTUR
VolumelV
I9I 0
1877-
.lV[6rLdig:l
Canadian
Cataloguing
in Publication
Data
Lovespansthe centuries:
originanddevelopment
of the Instituteof the
Sisters
of Charityof Montreal,GreyNuns
Translation
of: L'Hopitalg€ndraldesSceurs
de la Charit6,ScursCrises,
jusqu'enosjours.
depuissafondation
- v.2:1821-1853
- v.3t1853-1877
v.l : 1642-1821
Contents:
lsBN2-89415-045--{
Published
in 1933entitled:.L'HbpitolGm'Eroldx Seursde lo Choit64
SeursGrises,Montr4ol
Cover:
EricL'Archeveque
GraphicDesign:
p.1Aquarelle
lllustration:
de lamesDuncan
(Archives
du 5€minaire
de Qu€bec)
Editor:EricL'Archev€oue
All rightsreserved.
No partof thispublicationmaybe reproduced,
stored
in retrievalsystem,or transmitted,in anyform or by any means,
photocopying,
electronic,mechanical,
recordingor otherwise,
without
the priorwrittenpermission
of TheGreyNunsor Mdridien,l9E0
(Qu6b€c)
Sherbrooke
St.West,suite710,Montr€al
H3H1E8.
Telephone:(5
14) 932-9037
1991
@M6ridien
Legaldeposit3rd trimester1991- BibliothCque
nationaledu Qu6bec
S.G'M.
by AntoinetteBezoire,
Tronsloted
edition,
French
original
from the
L'essor
opostolique
DEMONTREAL,
DELA CHARITE
SOEURS
'soEURSCR/58S"
Mitchell,
S.G.M.1981
by Estelle
1877-1910
Moie- Marguerited' Youvi
Ile
(Pointingby FloreBorrette,s.g.m.,| 959)
PREFACE
Thisfourthvolumeof the historyof the GreyNuns
coversthe years'|877- 1910.In the courseof thesethirtydn e
t h r e ey e a r s ,t h r e e S u p e r i o r G
s e n e r asl u c c e e d e o
a n o t h e r ,o f w h o m t w o d i e d i n o f f i c e : M o t h e r l .
1877 - 87, deceasedlune 29; Mother P.
Deschamps,
F i l i a t r a u l t1, 8 8 7 - 1 8 9 2 ; 1 8 9 7 - 1 9 0 2 ; 1 9 0 7 - 1 9 1 0 ;
r . H a m e1l 9 0 2 - 1 9 0 7 .
d e c e a s el udn eI 1 a n dM o t h eM
At the outsetof this periodof history,the personnel
consistedof 258 Sisters;at its close,there were 745 Grcy
Nuns.In thirty-threeyears,forty-two new workshad been
f o u n d e di n C a n a d aa n d t h e U n i t e dS t a t e sh: o s p i t a l s ,
t si t h
s c h o o l s h, o s p i c e so, r p h a n a g e se,s t a b l i s h m e nw
etc.
refuges,
dispensaries,
multipleworks,nursingschools,
'heroic
women'continuedtheirdifficultworkin the far
The
rapidlyand the
North.Thewestwasdeveloping
Canadian
metropoliswhosepopulationwas increasingrequired
The commonsaying:"Go to the
constantadaptations.
GreyNuns,they neverrefuseanything"had not become
who
d'Youville
out-dated.Committedto followMarquerite
h a d h a n d e dd o w n t o t h e m t h e e x a m p l eo f a w o m a n
heedfulof needs,eagerto relieveany distressand to
promotethe knowledge
of Cod,the GreyNunsat the end
of the nineteenth
a trueapostolicleap
centuryexperienced
f o r w a r ds t i r r e du p b y t h e i r r a i s o nd ' 6 t r ea n d b y t h e
invinciblehope.the ambitionto obtainthe canonization
of
theirfoundress,
MotherMarguerite
d'Youville.
Thediocesan
proceedings
beganin 1884andendedin
1890with the causebeinointroduced
in Rome.Twoworld
w a r s b r o u g h t a b o u t d l l a y s i n t h e p r o g r e s so f t h e
proceedings.
The Sisters
of this period1872- 1910 were
not to seetheir hopesrealized
herebelow.Thiswould be
the privilegeof the Grey Nunsof the 20th Century.On
M a y 3 , 1 9 5 5 t h e h e r o i cd e c r e eo f h e r v i r t u e sw a s
proclaimed;
on May 3, 1959HisHoliness
Popelohn XXlll
'Blessed'the
proclaimed
Charity;on
Motherof Universal
D e c e m b e r9 , 1 9 9 0 H i s H o l i n e s sP o p el o h n P a u l l l
canonized
this first Canadian-born
her to
saintpresenting
the admirationof the Christian
worldasa modelto imitate
by women in everystateof lifetoday.
Thismodestyoung ladyfromVarennes,
born290years
ago foundeda religiouscongregation
consisting
of six
brancheswhosemembersdisseminated
acrossvarious
countriesof the world continueher ministryof mercyand
of love.
TeDeumLaudamus!
Estelle
Mitchell,s.g.m.
May 1991
i0
IN RETROSPECT
The three first volumesof the Grey Nuns' historyLoveSoansthe Centuries- dealt with the birth and
duringthe years1732of the Congregation
development
1877.
a new periodof history.
The presentvolumedescribes
yearsduringwhich
1877to l910, a periodof thirty-three
g
o
v
e
r
n
e
d
b
y
t h r e es u c c e s s i v e
w
a
s
the congregation
from five to
varied
office
SuoeriorsCeneralwhosetermsof
fifteenyears.
T w o h u n d r e d a n d f i f t y S i s t e r sc o n s t i t u t e dt h e
personnel
and this afterone hundredand
community's
forty yearsof existence.This realityis explainedby the
restriction
containedin Articlenineof the LettersPatentof
1753 limitingto twelvethe numberof Administrators.
had
Motherd'Youville,
Deploringthis rulingthe foundress,
attemptedto limit its effectsby taking into partnership
womenwillingto serveaslaySisters.
l1
T h e c h a n g eo f a l l e g i a n c eh a d n o t i m p r o v e dt h e
TheLettersPatenthad becomeobsoletebut noq
situation.
very
survival
of religious
communities
wasin doubt.We
the
recallthe questionoftenraisedby Motherd'Youville
in her
"Willtheytolerateus?"
correspondence
Mattersstabilized
towardsthe 1820'sand we notethat
oneor two nameswerethenaddedannuallyto the register
hardlysufficed
At thisrate,recruiting
to fill in
of professions.
m
e
e
t
t h e d e m a n d so f
t h e v o i d sb e i n gc r e a t e da n d t o
of the
serviceto the poorfor, accordingto the instructions
was
Foundress,
the hospicesituatedat Pointe-d-Callidres
filledto capacity.
Superior
Ceneral
MotherDoroth6eTrottierBeaubien,
from 1833to 1843eventold BishopBourgetin a report
to dispense
dated 1840, that it was sometimesnecessary
in orderto
exercises
from someof the religious
the Sisters
assurethe careof the sick.ln this sameyear,1840,a first
from the maintrunkwhenfour Grey
branchwasseparated
wherethey established
Nunswereinvitedto St. Hyacinthe
Similarly,
threeothersmallgroupsof
a new Congregation.
CreyNunswouldleavein the followingdecade.
wasalmostlikea threatto the lifeof the
Eachdeparture
the numberremained
community.Despitenewadmissions,
and
thirty-seven
Sisters.
varying
between
thirty-five
low,
In fact, therewere thirty-sixwhen the real missionary
began.Fromthe fire whichhad longsmoldered
expansion
beneaththe ashesburstforth the apostolicflame:the
of a far distantmissionbeyondthe bordersof
establishment
the homeland.Manitoba,not yet a provincein I 844, was
partof thisterritorywhichdid not yet belongto Canada.
McMullen,sixth SuperiorGeneralof
Mother Elisabeth
spirit,
the Crey Nuns,who had a profoundmissionary
requestto establish
yieldedto BishopNorbertProvencher's
12
a C r e y N u n h o u s eo n t h e b a n k so f R e dR i v e ri n t h e
Northwestcountry.
her Sisters
MotherMcMullenherselfwouldaccompany
as far as Dorvalfrom wherethey would boardbirch bark
voyageof fifty-ninedays.strewnwith
canoesfor a perilous
untilon lune21, at oneo'clockin the
allsortsof incidents
morning,theyfinallylandedat Saint-Boniface.
the audacityof the undertaking
Thosewho disapproved
v i e w e d i t a s a f o o l i s h v e n t u r e ,a r a s h e n t e r p r i s e .
Nevertheless,
for the GreyNuns,the new missionwas
and stirring
all theirenergies
indeeda reality,
channelling
McMullen
who was
Mother
lt behooved
up theircourage.
the true
of the foundation,to demonstrate
the mainspring
aspirations
of the CreyNuns.To thoselivingin exileat the
4, 1844,someeight
RedRiver,shewrote on December
monthsaftertheirdeparture:
priestwhowas
by a French
in Montreal,
Wewerevisited,
of a Staterevolution.
forcedto leaveSantoDomingobecause
in this
Thisgood priestwould liketo seeour Congregation
region.He addedthat if he couldreturnsafelyhe wouldask
I shallbe filledwith ioy! | ferventlyask
for us.lf thishappens,
places.
Ther€
Godto spreadusout intothe mostabandoned
appearingin largetowns,but few
areenoughcommunities
the blacks,etc.
for the Indians,
themselves
who will sacrifice
of these
Letusbegthe Cod of Mercyto sendusto the rescue
poorinfidelsandforsaken
LetusaskCod,who is so
Catholics.
good, to add to our worksthesemissionfieldscoveredwith
May he giveto thisworkthe meansof
thornsand brambles.
How
evilso that good grainmay be produced...
eradicating
happy I would be if I could live to seea blackgirl in our
my poorheart,it
garb!However
smalland miserable
religious
is stilllargeenoughto containblack,yellow,brownand red
people,etc. Cloryto Cod, thesecolorsbecometo my eyes
and heart,one and the samecolor, all tinted with the
preciousBloodof my dearand lovingspouse,JesusChrist,
Saviorand Lordof all thesepeople.When the happyday
13
lwill cryout
dawnsandmy eyesseewhatmy heartdesires,
Andlwill callmy
Blessed
be Codforever.
with rapture:
yellow,blackandwhiteSisters
to helpme singNUNC
TUUMDOMINE.
SERVUM
DIMITTIS
T h e s ew e r e n o t i d l e w o r d sf o r t h e s i x t h S u p e r i o r
G e n e r a lb, u t a r e a ld e s i r et o b e d i r e c t l yi n v o l v e di n
shewrote on
spreadingthe kingdom.To the sameSisters
the dayaftertheirdeparture,April26:
wouldnot haveleft
HadI beenableto stay,I certainly
youallthewayin orderto
you.I wouldhaveaccompanied
yourhardships.
ButCodwhohasalways
alleviate
andshare
frommethe
givenmegreatdesires,
alsowilledto withhold
gave
me
attraction
He
a
strong
meansto satisfythem. also
led to
River
and
lwas
of the Red
for the lndianmissions
years
In
fact,
I
had
been
ago.
my bishoptwo
approach
years.
aboutit fortwo
thinking
MotherMcMullenwasnot the onlyGreyNun who was
Shehad
stronglydrawn towardsthe distantmissions.
for
volunteers
for the
had
asked
when
she
evidenceof this
RedRiverand seventeenSistersfreelyofferedthemselves.
cameforth.
Thewholeyounggeneration
In 1845,four otherCreyNunsleft Montrealto founda
newcommunityin Bytown(Ottawa)and withouta doubt,
of MotherMcMullentherewoulc
underthe leadershio
hadit not beenfor the tragedy
havebeenotherdepartures
amongthe nursing
of 1847. DeathclaimedsevenSisters
volunteers,
servingthe victimsof typhusamongthe lrish
The tragedycouldhavebroughtaboutthe
immigrants.
extinctionof the community.Thisfear had evenbeen
but fortunately,the OttawaCommunity-sent
expressed,
PhelanandCurranto help.l
Sisters
two of its members,
I
14
Ct6s - SrsOttawa, doc. 129
The sightof the Crey Nunsdying as they fought the
publicityand new recruits
favorable
epidemicprovoked
wereadmitted.
MotherMcMullen
WhenMotherRoseCoutl6ereplaced
i n O c t o b e r1 8 4 8 , s h e l o s t n o t i m e i n c o u n t i n gh e r
and three novices
Sisters
personnel:
thirty-fourprofessed
who wouldtaketheirvowsin Novemberof that year.And
yet, the seventhSuperiorGeneraldid not hesitateto
which
Orphanage
acceptthe full directionof St. Patrick's
had
which
years
and
earlier
had beenestablished
two
movedseveral
timessincethen.2
monthslater,MotherCoutl6esentto Quebec
Several
had done to St. Hyacintheand to
as her predecessors
- in
andone novice- choicesubiects
Ottawa,fiveSisters
order to found the Sistersof Charityof Quebecat Cap
Diamant.Only
onefoundation
wasmadein 1850,that of
or St. Francois-Xavier
u-Cheval-Blanc
the schoolat Prairie-d
of FatherJeanin Manitoba,established
at the instigation
The
Frangois
LaflEche,
the futurebishopof ThreeRivers.
placewasmodestit is true,but it marksthe beginningof
the Canadian
of the GreyNunsthroughout
the expansion
West.
wereconcerned
Whileat the MotherHouse,the Sisters
an eventtook
with the formationof the new candidates,
p l a c ew h i c h g a v et h e c o m m u n i t ya g r e a t e ri m p e t u s
t o w a r d st h e c r e a t i o no f n e w w o r k s . T h i s w a s t h e
publicationin 1852 of the biographyof their Foundress.
ot
had only the two manuscripts
Untilthen,the Sisters
2 G i r l sa n d t r i s h o r p h a n sh a d f i r s t o c c u p i e dt h e M c G r a t h h o u s e ;
later, they had moved from Colborne to Wellington, Murray,
Bleury, then to Craig Street. lt would apPear that severalhouses
had been required simultaneously,especiallyafter the typhus, in
order to take in as many as fifty immigrant families (PiCcesd'Arch.
1 8 4 3 - 4 9 ,p p . 4 3 1 - 5 7 3 )
15
FathersCharlesDufrostand the Lifedrawn up by Father
AntoineSattin,p.s.s.3
Then appearedthe detailedbiographyof Mother
d'Youvilleby the renownedhistorian,FatherEtiennewho, in
MichelFaillon,p.s.s.He is the first biographer
recountingthe life of the Foundress,
alsorevealed
the
i n s i g h to f a t h e o l o g i a na s h e d e p i c t e dh e r i n t e r i o r
motivationandthe stateof hersoul.
In Marguerite's
intimatevision,everythinghadbecome
simolewhen shecameto understand
to what extentGod
i s F a t h e ra n d m e n a r e b r o t h e r s A
. t p r a y e rs h e h a d
him, and in actionshehadservedhim. She
contemplated
proven
of her loveby herworks."lt is
had
the authenticity
the gloryof my Fatherthat you bearmuchfruit" (n 15:8)
saidthe Master.Margueritewishedto respondto the
divinity of God by dedicatingher life to the serviceof
to be
humanity.Thisis why one day in 1737,sheresolved
for the humble,the destitute
an instrumentof Providence
whichGod himselfplacedon her path.Wthout distinction
of class,nationality,
or creedshe had openedher door to
'Whoeverwelcomes
them,mindfulof the Cospelmessage:
in my nameone of thesechildren,welcomesme; and
whoeverwelcomesme, welcomesalsothe One who sent
me" (Mk 9: 37).
In callingto mind the itineraryfollowedby the Mother
the
Charityfor the edificationof the Sisters,
of Universal
historianFatherFaillonled them backto their rootsand
made them more awareof the directionof their future
apostolate.
Until then, their workshad beenconfined
w i t h i n t h e C e n e r a lH o s o i t a li n M o n t r e a la n d i n S t .
3 C. Dufrost,son of Motherd'Youville.was born in Montrealin
1729 and died in Bouchervillein 1790. tather Sattin arrivedin
Canadain 1794. He offeredhi5 biographyof Motherd'Youvilleto
MotherLemaireon luly 20, 1829.
16
fieldopenedup before
Boniface;
but now a vastapostolic
they would go wherethey were most
them. Henceforth,
neededand preferably
"to the mostabandonedregions"
had
asMotherMcMullen indicatedin hercorrespondence.
The workerswere ready.Indeed,someof them had
for the RedRiverand wereawaiting
alreadyvolunteered
Amongthesewasone who
the time set by Providence.
at heart.This person.SisterJulie
had the distantmissions
, aselected
H a i n a u l t - D e s c h a mapt sa g e t h i r t y - f o u rw
1853.
There
was
no longer
Superior
Ceneralon October3,
questionof leavinghercountry,but it wasshewho would
Shewouldopenseventeen
extendthe distantfoundations.
areas.aswell as
new housesin Montrealand surrounding
West.a
in Ontarioand in the Canadian
secondterm of officeas
When MotherDeschamps'
by
SuperiorGeneralcameto an end, shewassucceeded
MotherlaneSlocombe.
Bornin Englandin 1819,convertedto Catholicism
during the Oxford Movement,lane Slocombearrivedin
Canadatowards1836andjoinedthe GreyNunsfouryears
later.Highlygifted, SisterSlocombesoon masteredthe
sharedthe
Frenchlanguageand after her profession,
responsibilitie
o sf S i s t e rD e s c h a m p st h, e n b u r s a ra t
a M i s s i o n sf o u n d e d f r o m 1 8 5 3 t o 1 8 6 3 i n M o n t r e a l a n d
s u r r o u n d i n ga r e a s :H o s p . 5 t . l o s e p h i n 1 8 5 4 ; S t . B r i g i t t e ' sS h e l t e r
1 8 6 0 ; S t . H e n r i ' s H o m e 1 8 6 1 ; N a z a r e t hA s y l u m 1 8 6 1 ; N . D . d e s
N e i g e s S c h o o l 1 8 6 3 ; H o s p i c eS t . B e n o i t I 8 5 4 ; L a j e m m e r a i s
o i1
s861'
H o s p i € ei n V a r e n n e s1 8 5 9 ; S t . l o s e p h H o s p i c e ,B e a u h a r n' 1
859.
In
I n O n t a r i o : S a n d w i c h1 8 5 7 ; A m h e r s t b u r g1 8 5 8 ; W i n d s o r
Manitoba: St. Norbert School 1858, St. Vital School 1860. In
A l b e r t a :L a c S t e . A n n e M i s s i o n1 8 5 9 m o v e d t o S t . A I b e r t 1 8 6 3 ,
M i s s i o n l 8 6 2 . I n S a s k a t c h e w a nl :l e - a - l a - C r o s s e
Lac-La-Biche
cont'd. 1860. The missionin Ontario clos€d in 1861 and that of 5t.
Henriin 1870.The Grey Nunswere replacedat 5t. Henri by the sisters
of ste Anne.
't7
Ch6teauguay.
TheChapterof 1853electedher Directorof
Formation
w h e r es h e g a v ee v i d e n c e
of extraordinary
wisdomin dealingwith people.In 1863,shewaselected
SuperiorGeneral;
in her humility,shewasalarmedat first.
believingherselfincapable
of presiding
overthe destinyof
the CreyNuns.Courageously
shetookup the taskwhile
her own desirefor the missions.
sacrificing
Thisdesire
would alwaysremainwith her as one of her lastletters
attested."l envy your lot," she wrote to Sr. Collette
recentlyassigned
to St.Boniface,
"and lwould liketo share
it with you despiteall the trialsand difficultiesto be
encountered."5
One can surmisethat with sucha disposition
Mother
Slocombewould not diminishthe thrustgiven by her
Nine new houseswould be addedto those
oredecessor.
alreadyin existence.6
Despiteher smallstatureand apparentfrailty,this
petitewomanprovedto be a courageous
leaderand under
her guidance,four Crey Nunswere sentto found the
Missionof DivineProvidence
in the NorthwestTerritories.
These"heroicwomen"whom shedelegated
to go "to the
end of the earth" reachedtheir destination
only afteran
extremelydifficultjourney.Oncesettledthere,they had
great hardships
to endurefrom the cold, the isolation,
often from hungerand alwaysfrom the difficultiesof
adaptation.Nev€rtheless,
Mother Slocombesincerely
enviedherdaughters.
s Letterof April 27, 1871
6 I n M o n t r e a l :1 8 6 8 C o n v e n to f B e t h l e h e mI.n t h € M o n t r e a l
S t . l e a n ;1 8 6 9H o s p i c e
S t .j o s e p hi n C h a m b l y .
a r e a :1 8 6 8H o s p i c e
In Manitoba1
: 8 6 9 S t . M a r y ' sB o a r d i n gS c h o o il n W i n n i p e gt:h e
Provencher
Academyin St. Boniface;1871 St. BonifaceHospital.
I n t h e U n i t e dS t a t e s1: 8 6 6S a l e mO r p h a n a g e1;8 6 8O r p h a n a gien
Lawrence,
Mass.
18
youasfortunate
andprivileged,
and
I cannothelpseeing
with
andthenremain
gladlywouldljoinyouonthejourney
youif suchwereCod'swillforme.7
God had other plansfor this bravewoman;it wasshe
w h o w o u l d e x e c u t ea p l a n w h i c h h a d b e e n u n d e r
for sometwentyyears.As earlyas 1843,the
consideration
llibres
Crey Nunshad thoughtaboutleavingPointe-i-Ca
had
McMullen
Mother
flooding.
of
the
frequent
because
of
certain
in this regardbut because
initiatedproceedings
Then
oppositions
to the plan,the proiectwassuspended.
agreedto sellto the CreyNunsthe
in 1861,the Seminary
land knownasthe "RedCross"on the cornerof Cuy and
The Cuy Streetwing havingbeen
Dorchester
Streets.e
occupiedit on October6, 1871. fo
the Sisters
completed,
who weregrievingat the thoughtof leavingthe
the Sisters
MotherSlocombe
placemadeholy by Motherd'Youville,
In the new locale,you will
wrotethiscomfortingmessage:
houseand family.Do pray
alwaysfind Motherd'Youville's
of losingthe spirit
that we may neverhavethe misfortune
left us asa legacy'lt
whichour belovedMotherFoundress
lossif, upon leavingthe
would indeedbe an irreparable
behind.l0
old house.we wereto leavethistreasure
had
of the Congregation
General
The ninthSuperior
w i t h t h e s p i r i to f M o t h e r
i n d e e db e e n i m p r e g n a t e d
d'Youville.5he gaveadequateproof of it upon being
electedto this office.For manyyears,there had beena
groupof "fillesdonn6es".
finewomenwho wishedto serve
G o d a n d n e i g h b o r w i t h o u t h o w e v e r ,c o m m i t t i n E
t h e m s e l v eisr r e v o c a b l yT.h e s ew o m e n p r o v e dt o b e
7 Letter to the missionaries,May 1O, 1867.
8 P i a c e sd ' A r c h . 1 8 5 8 - 6 3 ,p . ' 1 5 1.
e s r . c o l l e t t e ,V i e d e M i r e D e s c h a m p sp, . 1 1 7
l 0 L e t t e rt o S i s t e rC h a r l e b o i sA, u g u s t 7 , 1 8 7 1 . S i s t e rC h a r l e b o i s
was delegated to make the official visitation of the houses in the
CanadianWest.
19
dedicated
andfaithful,fulfillinghumbletasks,
exceptionally
the Sisters
to distantmissionposts,serving
accompanying
remuneration
but theirdailybreadand
withoutany other
that theywouldbe caredfor in theirold age.
the assurance
The situationof these"Marys" touchedthe Superior
them,sherecommended
Therefore,
to encourage
Ceneral.
In
that they be enrolledin the Third Orderof St. Francis.
orderto highlightthe eventshearrangedto haveBishop
l g n a c eB o u r g e ta t t h e f i r s t r e c e p t i o nc e r e m o n yo n
Motherwrote
The Compassionate
December23, 1863.11
"Theirlife is filledwith hardship,
and we mustalleviate
theirburdenasmuchaspossible."l2
The Franciscans
did not disappointher expectations.
Everywhere,
they were heroicallyfaithfulhelperswho
couldbe countedon in mostdifficultcircumstances.
, o t h e rS l o c o m b e
I n t h e c o u r s eo f h e r m a n d a t e M
apartfrom the missionin the
openedeightotherconvents
Two were in the United
distantNorthwestTerritories.
Her
States,three in Manitobaand three in Quebec.13
aoostolic
careercameto an end whenshedied
remarkable
on June22, 1872 at the age of fifty-two.The General
Chapterwas promptlyconvenedand electedthe tenth
Generalon August26.
Superior
Dupuis,"formerlyDirectorof Formation",
Sr.Elizabeth
life until 1861
had nursedthe sickearlyin her religious
Seven
whenshewasaskedto openthe schoolat St-Henri.
l1 These volunteer women would be called successively"Marys,
the FranciscanSistersand the Sistersof St. Martha. In 1889, the
association of the Little Auxiliary Sisterswas created. Two years
later, in 1891, the latter name was adopted. ln 1905, the
A s s o c i a t i o nw a s c a n o n i c a l l y e s t a b l i s h e d .T h e A u x i l i a r y S i s t e r s
m e r g e dw i t h t h e r e g u l a rm e m b e r so n D e c e m b e r2 3 , 1 9 4 6
r2 Letter to the Sistersat lle-a-la-Crosse,
April23, 1864.
l3 Seenote 6 above.
20
yearslater,she was appointedDirectorof Formation.
of
M o t h e r D u p u i sw a s e q u i p p e dw i t h a b a c k g r o u n d
help
her
in
her
duties,
she
fields.
To
various
in
experience
w a s g i v e n t h r e e a s s i s t a n t sn. a m e l y S i s t e r sU r s u l e
C h a r l e b o i s ,E i i s a b e t h M c M u l l e n a n d H o n o r i n e
lt.1a
neau
Pinson
7, Mother
term,1872-187
fn the courseof herfive-year
D u p u i s p r e s i d e da t t h e i n a u g u r a t i o no f s i x n e w
in the
foundations.
In Montreal,the NazarethDispensary;
of
distantterritoriesof the Northwest,the convent the
H o l yA n g e l sa t F o r tC h i p e w y a nI n
. t h e U . S . A .i:n F o r t
Totten,North Dakota,the Missionof Our Ladyof Seven
Hospitalbuilt in
in Toledo,Ohio, St. Vincent's
Sorrows;
g
r
o
w
i
n
g
p o p u l a t i o nS
, t.
response
t o t h e n e e d so f a
Anthony'sorphanagebuilt in 1855 havingbecometoo
s m a l lt o h o u s eb o t h t h e o r p h a n sa n d t h e p a t i e n t sI.n
of St.
the management
Longueuil,
the GreyNunsaccepted
for
the
reality,
a
home
AntoineHospitalwhich was in
elderly.Finally,in old Montreal,HospiceSt. Charleswas
the
the homeless,
opened.Thiswasa shelterfor itinerants,
d e s t i t u t ew h o w e r e a d m i t t e d o n a t e m p o r a r yo r
workwhoseexistence
permanent
basis.lt wasa precarious
the dailylifeof the verypeopleit sheltered.ls
resembled
of
The openingof new missionsrequiredan increase
workers.MotherDupuistried to respondto this needby
aspiringto life as a
for candidates
openinga pre-novitiate
where
the community
House
At
the
Mother
GreyNun.l6
'16
l 4 S i s t e rP i n s o n n e a u w
l t a s e l e c t e do n S e p t e m b e r a s a [ e s u l to f
a Chapter decision.Until then, there had been only two Assistants
p r o v i d e db y t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n s .
l5 After many fluctuations this work would stabilizeand become
A c c u e i lB o n n e a u .
l6 Circ. mens. 1909-1'l p. 1 12. The
Preparatorynovitiate created
in 1874 was abandoned in 1879. The school to prepare
candidates,a similar initiative, had known the same fate some 20
years earlier.
2'l
had movedon October6, 1871,spacewasalreadyscarce
as only the Guy Streetwing was completed.The wing
Streetendedwhere the chapel
oarallelto Dorchester
would be. As earlyas 1874,the beamssupportingthe
communityroom and the dining room had createda
was
hazardwhen they beganto buckle.This weakness
T The work was
correctedby meansof supportivepillars.l
completedon March| 5 and threeweekslater,on April8,
Mother Dupuisand her councildecidedto proceedwith
the construction
of the churchand the secondpartof the
m a i n w i n g a s f a r a s S t . M a t h i e u S t r e e t .O n l y t h e
foundationand the groundfloor were includedin the
plansfor thatyear.l8
Mother Dupuiswas alsothe first SuperiorCeneralto
visitthe Manitobamissionsincethe foundationin 1844.tv
Sheset out on May ?1, 1876 with Sisterslansonand
or
andwith a few volunteers
Carroll,two new missionaries,
on
reached
St.
Boniface
donn6es".Ihey
"filfes
lune 8.
Thanksto improvedmeansof travel,the iourneyhad
lastedeight days as comparedto the fifty-ninedays
requiredthirty yearsearlier.
T h e S u p e r i o rG e n e r a l l a v i s h e dp r a i s e o n t h e
by the Sistersin this
magnificentwork accomplished
to
visit
the Albertamissions
distantland.Shewas unable
but managedto visit FortTotten,the most recentpost,
where the Sisterswere strugglingto learnthe Sioux
of their apostolate.
languagein orderto ensurethe success
r 7 A n c .J o u r n a1l 8 6 7 - 7 7p, . 3 4 3 .
1 8c i r c . m e n s . 1 8 7 7 - 8 o ,p , 2 5 0 . T h e b u i l d i n g w e s e e t o d a y
would graduallybe completed.
le Mother McMullenvisited St. Bonifacein 1859 but she was
then AssistantGeneral.SisterCharleboisalso the Assistant,had
Westin 1870 by MotherSlocombe,but the
beendelegatedto the'1872
had interruDted
the visit.
deathof the latterin
22
Havingreturnedto Montrealon August24 after her
long trip, Mother Dupuiswhosehealthinspiredsome
concern,set about to preparethe Chapterwhich was to
electhersuccessor.
Sometwenty novicesand postulantswere preparingto
takeup the torchfromfailinghands,andtherewerethirtyfor the careof the sickand the elderlyand
two Institutions
for the teachingandcareof the children.20
20 5t. Mary's BoardingSchoolin Winnipegwas turned over In
'1874
to the Sistersof the HolyNamesof Jesusand Mary.
CHAPTER
I
',a77-1880
'l
On October , 1877,the twelveGreyNun adminisfrom the variousmissionsheld
tratorsand the delegates
the GeneralChapterand electedSisterJulieHainaultCeneral.
Deschamps
asSuperior
Fabreof Montrealpresidedat
BishopEdouard-Charles
by FatherMoreau,the Vicaraccompanied
the assembly
Ceneraa
l n d F a t h e rM a t h u r i nB o n n i s s a n tp,. s . s .H e
a p p r o v e dt h e d e c i s i o ntsa k e nb y s i g n i n gt h e m i n u t e s
elected
whereappearedthe namesof the threeassistants
n a m e l y :S i s t e r sH e d w i d g eR o b i n ,E l i z a b e t hD u p u i s ,
f o r m e r l yt h e S u p e r i o rG e n e r a l S
, i s t e rU r s u l e - C 6 c i l e
as Director
aswell as SisterVictorineStubinger
Charlebois,
of Formation.l
was no surprise,
The re-election
of SisterDeschamps
to MotherDupuissinceshe had beggedthe
especially
1 U n l e s so t h e r w i s ei n d i c a t e d t, h e d e t a i l sc o n c e r n i n gM o t h e r
D e s c h a m p as r e t a k e n f r o m h e r L i f e b y 5 r . M . C o l l e t t e ,t h e
€ x t o f w h i c hi s p r e s e r v eadt t h e A . S . C . M .
u n p u b l i s h et d
25
capitulars
"not to think of her" considering
her failing
health.zAlongwith hercompanions
and thoserespectfully
c a l l e d" t h e s e n i o rs i s t e r s " s, h e c o n s i d e r e dM o t h e r
Deschamps
to be a womanof prayerand of action,a
leadercapableof safeguarding
the primitivespiritof the
while
it
Congregation,
adapting to the changingneedsof
societyin an expanding
town,a growingcountry.
MotherDeschamps
had won the respectand trust of
'1853-1
the communit, not only in the decadefrom
863
when she had presidedover the destinyof the Institute,
i0, 1836.In
but eversinceher profession
on September
fact, her association
with the CreyNunsdatedbackeven
furtherinto the past.Admittedto the old CeneralHospital
in 1827,sheremainedtheretwo yearsin orderto prepare
for her first Holy Communion.At that time, she had the
preciousadvantageof beingtaught by FatherAntoine
Sattin,p.s.s.,the secondbiographer
of Motherd'Youville.3
Theveneration
shehadfor the Foundress
of the GreyNuns
and the esteemshehadfor the vocationof the servantof
the poor undoubtedlydatesbackto that time. Shehad
w o m e ns u c ha s M o t h e r
s e e ni n a c t i o n ,r e m a r k a b l e
Lemaire,MotherTrottierde Beaubien,
as well as her own
in the Community,
and
aun! SisterHainaul!thenAssistant
manyotherswhosehumbleand hiddencareercontributed
no lessin maintainingthe heroicspiritestablished
by
Mother d'Youvillein her GeneralHospitalwhere she
persons
in everykindof distress.
sheltered
2 For severalyears,Mother Dupuishad been sufferingfrom a
chestconditionwhich was now increasingin severity.In fact she
it
M a r c h 1 5 , I E 8 3 i n h e r 5 2 n d y e a r ( C i r c .m e n s .
d
f r-o1m
' 1i e
8d
84
8 8 7o n
pp. 183-187).
3 F r . s a t t i n w a s a b l e t o i n t e r v i e we i g h t G r e y N u n s w h o h a d
b e e n c o n t e m p o r a r i eosf M o t h e r d ' Y o u v i l l e a
, nd M. Louise
O ' F l a h e r t yt,h e o r p h a n g i r l w h o h a d b e e n t a k e n i n b y t h e
Foundress
about the year1756,and who had becomea GreyNun
five yearsafterMotherd'Youville's
death.
lo
in 1829.ln1833,
to herhomein Lachine
fuliereturned
whenshewasfourteenyearsof age,her motherdied.This
resultedfor her in anotherexilesincealong with her
foster
brother,Honor6,she was placedin a respectable
pursue
her
home on St. LaurentStreetso that she could
Schoolmanagedby
me-des-Victoires
studiesat Notre-Da
of NotreDame.Herteacher
of the Congregation
the Sisters
was a novicecalledMotherSt. Bernard,a futureSuperior
General.Sometwentyyearslaterthe teacherand her
to meet.
studentwouldhavemanyoccasions
lulie and Honor6attendedSundayMassregularlyat
Notre Damechurchafterwhichthey visitedtheir aunt,
l o s p i t a lA. t t h a t t i m e ,
S i s t e rH a i n a u l at t t h e C e n e r a H
nothing indicatedthat a future religiousvocationwas
the regularvisits
in the younggirl. Nevertheless,
awakening
of the two young peoplearousedcuriosityamong the
Sisters.
marriedthe
On February3, 1834, Mr. Deschamps
which
the children
after
dit
Rolland
Nicolas
Lenoir
widowof
her
step-mother
returnedto their family home,lulie and
soon becameclosefriends.Togetherthey went to social
gatheringsminglingwith the elite of societywhereJulie
becameso popularthat it was believeda certainsuitor
oneeveningwhileattending
wouldwin herfavor.However,
in a homecloseto the
anotherof theseworldlygatherings
she heardthe conventbell callingthe
GeneralHospital,
Sistersto prayer.Thissoundstirredher to the very depth of
her soul and she becameawareof the vanityof these
f l e e t i n g e a r t h l y p l € a s u r e sa s c o m p a r e dw i t h t h o s e
experiencedin the pastwhen shewaswith the servantsof
the poor.Much later,shewouldadmitthaf "it wasin the
courseof the twenty monthsspentcloseto my aunt (Sister
Hainault)
that God put into my heartan esteemfor,and an
life."
to the religious
attraction
27
julielostno time.Sogreatwasherdreadof separation
that she went to the GreyNunsa week laterto request
a d m i s s i o nw, i t h o u t i n f o r m i n gh e r f a m i l y .O n F r i d a y ,
S e p t e m b e r9 , 1 8 3 6 , M o t h e r D o r o t h 6 eT r o t t i e rd e
Beaubien,
the fourth SuperiorGeneral,welcomedher to
the FormationCentre.The candidatewas then eiqhteen
years of age.
Fromthe very beginningof her religiouslife,Sister
Deschamps
qualitiesof mind
displayed
traitsof character,
and heartwhichledto believethat somedayshewouldbe
considered
asone of the mostsolidpillarsof the Institute.
Ferventin prayer,diligent and resourceful
at work, her
attentionand concernwere mostlydirectedto the needy.
Like Mother d'Youville,she recognizedin them "the
sufferingmembersof JesusChrist".Livelyand frolicsome,
the noviceradiatedjoy wherevershe went. Everyone
admiredherreadiness
to serve,hermirthfulspirit,herdeep
f a i t h a n d t h e m a n yt a l e n t sw i t h w h i c h t h e L o r d h a d
endowedher.Yet,whentimecamefor herperpetual
vows,
was hesitant.Shedeploredthe fact that
SisterDeschamps
the GreyNunshad no foreignmissions.
MotherThuot,her
Directorof Formationreassured
her by saying:'You shall
havemissions
someday".Shecouldhaveadded;"andyou
shallfoundthemyourself".
SisterDeschamps
was first assignedto the careof the
orphangirls,thenshebecamethe assistant
to SisterValade
w h o w a s t h e m a n a g e r a t S t . B e r n a r dl s l a n d o f
Chiteauguay.
When,in the fall of |843, an appealwas
finally launchedin favor of a missionat the RedRiver,
everyonewas surprisedthat the young Sister's
namedid
not appearon the list of volunteers.Shewas often teased
aboutthis but withstoodthe teasingwithouta frown and
especially
without explainingthat her name had been
z6
SisterDeschamps
withdrawnby'a competentauthority'.4
was retainedin " Canada"despiteher great desireto go
abroadon a missionof evangelization.s
S i s t e r D e s c h a m p sr e p l a c e d S i s t e r V a l a d e a t
with a
therealmostpermanently,
Chateaugua,residing
In additionto her
who did the bookkeeping.
companion
the
sheassumed
dutiesasfarm managerand "Landlady,"
to the childrenof the land-holders
teachingof catechism
haddonein the past.
asMotherd'Youville
Whenthe typhusepidemicbrokeout in 1847,Sister
D e s c h a m p vs o l u n t e e r e dt o n u r s et h e s i c k a n d s h e
but did not succumbto it asseven
contractedthe disease
o f h e r c o m p a n i o n sh a d d o n e . A s s o o n a s s h e h a d
recovered,
she set about organizingthe convalescent
and sheherselfcouldnot restuntil
homeat Chateauguay,
sufficientstrength,
havingrecovered
her companions,
returnedeitherto the lazarettoor to their regularduties.
T h e h o s t e s s - n u rw
s ea s r e m a r k a b lbey h e r w a r m a n d
towards
gracioushospitality,
the concernshe manifested
the more severelystricken,and the effortsshe madeto
diet.
provideeveryone
with a moresubstantial
that, by her
in no way suspected
SisterDeschamps
and
the competence
behaviorduringthe typhusepidemic,
the
of
in
the
administration
maturity
had
displayed
the
she
h
er
t
r
u
s
t
o
f
m a n o rh a d w o n h e r t h e e s t e e ma n d t h e
Thesewere manifested
and of her companions,
superiors
a t t h e e l e c t i o no f 1 8 5 3w h e n s h ew a s e l e c t e dt o t h e
4 In 1880 when BishopTach€revealedthat Mother Deschamps
he receiveda gentlereproachfor
had volunteered
for St. Boniface,
revealinga secretwhich had until then beencarefullykept.(Circ.
m e n s .1 8 7 7 - 1 8 8p0p . 5 7 31 . .f )
s T h i sw a s b e f o r eC o n f e d e r a t i ownh e n t h e w e s t e r np r o v i n c e s
w e r e n o t y e t e s t a b l i s h eadn d d i d n o t b e l o n gt o t h e D o m i n i o n .
going into exile.
going westwardwasconsidered
Consequently,
29
highestofficein the Institute.The SuperiorGeneralwas
onlythirty-fouryearsof age but shewouldsoonjustifythe
that the time
choicemadeby the capitulars.
Sheperceived
had cometo reoeatthe heroicdeedsof 1844and to send
G r e y N un s t o e v e n m o r e d i s t a n tp l a c e sw h e r e t h e i r
presence
wouldbe needed,
MotherDeschamps
becamerenownedin the courseof
admiredher
the decade1853-1863,
but her companions
whenshe"re-entered
the rank" at the end
self-effacement
asif she
of hermandateandservedunderanotherSuperior
governed.
quietly
resumed
her
had neverherself
She
duties
a changeof
as farm managertill her healthnecessitated
climate.Shewas then namedSuperiorat the Home in
T o l e d of r o m w h i c h s h e r e t u r n e di n 1 8 6 8 t o b e c o m e
of the MotherHouse
fusistantSupervisor
of Construction
on GuyStreet.Theconditionof herhealthagainforcedher
to resignand she returned to Toledowhere the climate
brought reliefto her asthmaticcondition.Thistime, she
r e m a i n e du n t i l 1 8 7 3 w h e n s h e o n c e m o r e b e c a m e
manager.Sheassumedeverydetailof the taskand on
stated: "MotherDeschamps
lanvary7, 1874 the chronicler
for the lastfour days.Shehasiust
hasbeenin the basement
had170 hogsslaughtered
andquartered".
Sometwo monthslater,on March19, sheparticipated
in a 'historicpilgrimage'organizedin orderto obtainthe
facedgreatdifficultyin
of the chapel.Pilgrims
construction
comingto the muddyspot wherethe buildingwould be
dug up a bit of earth.
erected.With a spadeSisterManseau
A medalof 5t. losephand
Sixteenelderlymen did likewise.
was
a crosswereburiedin the ground.MotherDeschamps
giventhe honor of blessingthe cross.Recorded
in the
minutesisthe followingnote:
we wishedto
is so scarce,
At this time whenmanpower
paralytics,
proiect
the
in the companyof
beginthis
in
handicapped,
the blindandthe lame orderto showthe
30
greattrustwe havein the Carpenter
to whom
of Nazareth
we entrustthisenterorise.
was appointed
Eightdayslater,MotherDeschamps
she readily
Thoughsurprised,
Directorof Formation.6
Mostof
in a spiritof obedience.
acceptedthe assignment
wereignorantof the
and postulants
the sixtysomenovices
f a c t t h a t t h e n e w D i r e c t o rh a d o n c e b e e n S u p e r i o r
towards
Ceneral.Someexoerienced
a certainuneasiness
therewas
herfor whenMotherDeschamps
wasdescribed,
"only one shadowon the picture":an austereand even
but one
severeappearance
only gavea falseimpression,
of
and kindness
her keenintelligence
soon discovered
hearthiddenbeneathherapparentaloofness.
Forthreeand one halfyears,the Directorof Formation
diligentlypreparedthe new generationof Grey Nuns,
teachingmore by examplethan by words,by her fidelity
to everyobservancgand by her ever presentpredilection
for the serviceof the poor. Her duties in this office were
fell on her in
whenthe choiceof the capitulars
interrupted
once
of October1, 1877.MotherDeschamps
the elections
of leadingthe Grey
more acceptedthe heavyresponsibility
and of
of obedience
Nun familyin the waysof regularity,
perfect
union
in
a
spirit
of
mortification,and especially
nf the
a c c o r d i n gt o t h e u l t i m a t er e c o m m e n d a t i o o
Foundress.
- 1878wereno longer
General
Althoughthe dutiesof Superior
the responsibilities
unfamiliarto Mother Deschamps,
had intensifiedas a resultof the accrued
nevertheless,
numberof Sisters
andof missions.
6 Sr.Suzanne
had had to resignfor healthreasons.
Versailles
31
M o t h e rD e s c h a m p sd,e s p i t eh e r f i f t y - e i g h yt e a r s ,
assumed
h e r d u t i e sw i t h c o u r a g ea n d d e t e r m i n a t i o n .
D u r i n g h e r t e r m o f o f f i c e ,s h e w o u l d i m p a r t t o h e r
community,
a renewedzealfor the GreyNun ideal.She
wasthe verysoulof the lnstitute.Everyimportantdecision
wasratifiedby her,so that this periodof historybearsthe
imprintof her strong personality.
For this reason,it is
n e c e s s a rtyo u n d e r s t a n tdh e m o r a lc h a r a c t eor f t h i s
her
illustrious
GreyNun beforeundertaking
to summarize
work,
T h e C e n e r a lC h a p t e rb e g u n o n O c t o b e r1 , w a s
interrupted
the followingdayto allowthe Superior
ceneral
to pay homageto the elderlyBishopof Sault-au-R6collet.
The saintlyBishopBourgetreceivedthe membersof the
GeneralCouncilwith greatkindness
and gladlygavethem
/
hisblessing.
O n t h e m o r n i n go f t h i s d a y , t h e G r e y N u n s h a d
r e c e i v e da v i s i tf r o m t h e A p o s t o l i cD e l e g a t eB, i s h o p
Conroy,who had promisedto come and meet the new
by his secretary,
Father
Council.He was accompanied
who
found
among
the
Crey
Reddy,
apparently
a cousin
BishopConroywas delightedto
Nuns,SisterSweeney.8
who had servedin the far Westand
meet missionaries
in Indiandialects.
invitedthem to expressthemselves
7 C i r c . m e n s .1 8 7 7 - 8 0 ,p p . l 0 - 1 I .
8 This Crey Nun's history is most interesting. Born in 8irr,
Dioceseof Killaloe, lreland, Ellen had not been able to follow her
sister, Sister Carroll to the novitiate becauseshe had to care for
h e r s i c k f a t h e r w h o p a s s e da w a y a t a g e 8 6 . E l l e n e n t e r e d t h e
n o v i t i a t e i n M o n t r e a l o n M a y 1 7 , 1 8 7 6 . S i s t e rC a r r o l l h a d b e e n
a s s i g n e dt o L a c - L a - B i c haen d w a s t o l e a v eo n M a y 3 l . F o r a s h o r t
while, the two sisterscould be together. Sister Sweeneycaught a
"bad cold" towards the end of the year. The 5uperior offered to
s e n d h e r b a c k t o l r e l a n di n t h e h o D et h a t h e r n a t i v ec l i m a t ew o u l d
allow her to escape the dreaded and often fatal "consumption",
The novice instead requestedthe favor of remaining with the Crey
32
SistersHamel,Clapinand Agndscompliedgracefullyand
t h e d i s t i n g u i s h egdu e s tc o n g r a t u l a t et dh e m f o r t h e i r
his amusement
expressed
His Excellency
achievement.
their homageand a
when the orphanswerepresenting
l ouquet
s m a l lb o y r e f u s e dt o g i v e u p t h e b e a u t i f u b
visitor.He clutchedit to
destinedfor the distinguished
to hisplace.
himselfand returnedtriumphantly
On the followingday,October3, MotherDeschamps,
to Notre-Damefaithfulto tradition,went on a pilgrimage
Shethen madebriefvisitsto the Sister
de-Bonsecours.
Ottawaand Quebec.The
of St. Hyacinthe,
Communities
'l
Ceneralthen
Chapterendedon October 0. The Superior
In the
reportedthe highlights
to a gatheringof 120 Sisters.
courseof the yearsahead,stepswould be takento have
the circularletters,till then
our Constitutions
approved;e
would
henceforth
be printedand would
writtenby hand.
giveall the Sisters
of the various
an accountof the activities
houses,
especially
the moredistantones.Accordingto the
thesewere provingto be a
convictionof the Superior,
The Superior
Institute.
for
whole
sourceof blessings the
typical
entirely
with a recommendation
Generalconcluded
of her:
bemothers
I recommend
to youourdearneedypersons;
Youowethemthe
to them,do not countyoursacrifices.
reliefand the comfortwhich they havea right to expect
from you.
Aware that she owed herself to her far-away Sistersas
w e l l a s t o t h o s e a b o u t h e r , o n N o v e m b e r7 , M o t h e r
8 . . . N u n su n t i l h e r d e a t h - w h i c h o c c u r r e do n M a y 4 , 1 8 7 8 . 5 r
E l l e n S w e e n e yw a s 2 6 y e a r s o l d . l t w a s t h e c u s t o m a t t h e C r e y
Nuns that when two girls from the same family ioined the
community, the first would retain the father's name and the
secondwould adopt the mother's name.
e The Institute was approved by Rome in 1865.
33
Deschamps
left for Salemand Lawrence
in the United
Statesand returnedfor the "recollection"
whichendedon
November21, feastof the Presentation.
Thereagain,she
showedherreverence
for the past:
Let us oftencallto mind the originalcommitment,l0
she
urgedthe Sisters,
the inspiring
chapters
soworthyof respect
whichwere bequeathed
to us by our foundingMothers.
Theycontainthe dispositions
whichshouldinfluence
our
conduct.Theysummarize
of our way
beautifully
the holiness
of life. Tomorrow,we will renewthe samecommitment
whichwe took on the day of our profession.
I urgeyou also
to practisefaithfullythe virtuesof unity,charity,prudence
and discretionin your conversations
in order to be truly
worthydaughters
of the sameMother.
Mother Deschamps'solicitudealwaysextendedto her
Sistersstationedin distant missions.On November23, she
left for Toledo,a placeso dear to her heart sinceshe had
been one of the foundressesin 1855. At the time the
Sistersthere were facing grave difficulties.The Bishopof
Clevelandwanted the hosoital to become a diocesan
institution.The Sistersalone had been resoonsiblefor
heavyloansmade from Canadafor this foundationso they
opposedthe Bishop! views.rI
All the housesin the vicinityof Montrealwere visitedin
turn by the Superior.ln January1878, shewas at St. Benoit
where she attended the official opening of the Youville
Hospicewhich had been moved "into town", near the
oarishchurch.
l0 The commitment formulated by Mother d'Youvilleon
Februaty 2, 1745 and which has since been signed by every Grey
Nun on the day of her profession.
l l T h e d e b a t e w o u l d l a s t t i l l 1 8 8 8 w h e n C a r d i n a lG i b b o n s ,
representingthe Holy See,rul€d in favor of the Grey Nuns on Oct.
6. (Archives5. Vincent Hosp., Toledo, 1888).
34
betweenhervisits,MotherDeschamps
ln the intervals
the buildingof the chapelby Victor
supervised
closely
masonson the
the architect,and the Perreault
Bourgeau,
The
"muddy"groundsof the MotherHouse. healthof the
l a s g r e a t l yc o m p r o m i s e db y t h e
S u p e r i o rG e n e r a w
in Februaryshe becamegravelyill
and
activity
excessive
as a tumor of the throat.An
from what was diagnosed
was
by DoctorsSchmidtand Fenwick
operationprescribed
When a secondoperationwas proposeo,
not successful,
On March
a postponement.
requested
MotherDeschamps
t
h
e
t
r
a
c
heotomy
b
u
t
r
e
m
o
v
e
d
19, the tumor was
weakness.
performedleftthe patientin a stateof alarming
by thistrial
wasnot disconcerted
Superior
ihe courageous
f
o
r
the good
g
r
e
a
t
e
r
s
o
l
i
c
i
t
u
d
e
s
h
o
w
e
d
r
a
t
h
e
r
but
prepared
to resign
She
the
community.
of
management
first
consult
she
her oositionbut the Sistersinsistedthat
The latter,in turn soughta consultation
her physicians.
Deschamps.''
DoctorAlphonse
with a youngcolleague,
h
e
r resignation
o
f
i
n
f
a
v
o
r
w
a
s
n
o
t
Thehalf-brother
which
in
a
weakening
allegingthat inactivitywould result
w o u l d b e d e t r i m e n t atlo t h e r e c o v e r yt h a t c o u l d b e
the
expectedand that with the help of her assistants,
of
obligations
the
fulfilling
of
capable
remained
Superior
Soon,
his
opinion.
agreedwith
hei mandate.Everyone
M o t h e r D e s c h a m p rse c o v e r e dh e r s t r e n g t ha n d t o
the general
sheremained
satisfaction,
everyone's
.animator
of
all itswork.
coordinator
and
of the Congregation
On December23, 1878,sheattendedthe blessingof
the chapeldedicatedto the Holy Cross.The feastof
theretwo dayslater.A
wassolemnlycelebrated
Christmas
lamp placedbeforethe altar of St. losephwas to burn
12 Alphonse and Alexandre,the Superior's
stePbrothers,having
t
h
e
G r e yN u n s .T h e f i r s t
i
n
b
y
been
taken
become orohans had
c h o s e t h e m e d i c aI p r o f e ss i on w h i l e t h e s e c o n di o i ne d t h e
C o m p a n yo f t h e S u l p i c i a n s .
35
the gratitudeof the Sisters
duringan entireyearto express
for the success
of thisenterprise.
Motherd'Youville's
shrinewas olacedin a room close
t o t h e c h a p e l .l t w a s a r o o m m a d ep r i v a t et o a v o i d
The CommunityRoom
the Church'sdecision.
anticipating
which had servedas a placeof worshiptill now, was
returnedto its originaldestination,and the altar of the
EternalFather,built at the requestof Mother d'Youville
was installed
herselfduringthe dark periodof 1760,13
therein a olaceof honor.
Eagerto comfortin their exile,the heroicwomen of
the Mackenzie
districtwho had not beenvisitedsincethe
foundationof the missionin 1867,she delegatedher
who set out on the long circuit
SisterCharlebois
assistant,
on August25,1879.
Two monthslater,on October22, the basementand
the first floor of the centralwing of the Mother House
havingbeencompletedup to St. MathieuStreet,the
elderlymen were able to move into their new quarters.
This great event was celebratedby a fine meal servedby
Generalherself.
the Suoerior
- 1880Althoughshe had beenelectedSuperiorGeneralonly
had successfully
MotherDeschamps
two yearspreviously,
of the chapeland the central
supervised
the establishment
overthe
wing of the MotherHouse.Shehadalsopresided
transferof two housesnamelythat of HospiceSt. Charles
Youville
to 5t. Benoit.
to Montrealandthat of Hospice
1 3T h i s a l t a r h a d b e e n g i v e nt o a s h e l t e rm a n a g e db y M i s s
Bissonn€t,but it had been recoveredi n 1 8 4 9( C i r c .m e n s .1 8 7 7 80 pp. 302-303).
36
foundedin
in Varennes,
As for HospiceLajemmerais
f
r
o
m
1
8
7
1
t
h
e
" H 6 t e ld e s
i
n
w
a
s
t
r
a
n
s
f
e
r
r
e
d
1 8 5 9 ,i t
parish
church,
and
near
the
to the Cirarddwelling
Salines"
more important.closeto the birthplaceof Christophe
daughter.As the new
Dufrostde La lemmerais'eldest
furniture
and linenhad
the
some
of
too
small,
housewas
on March
but
unfortunately,
nearby
shed;
beenstoredin a
by fire.
4,1879,the shedwasdestroyed
M o n s i g n o rD 6 s a u t e l st,h e p a s t o r ,a n e m i n e n t
b e n e f a c t o ro f H o s p i c eL a j e m m e r a iass w e l l a s M r .
and Mr. Lorion,refusedto allow it to be
Bourbonnais
H
e
w
a s s u p p o r t e di n h i s e f f o r t sb y M o t h e r
closed.
D e s c h a m pwsh o w i s h e dt o c o n t i n u et h e w o r k a n d t o
honorin a worthy mannerthe memoryof the Motherof
of that
recalledhow the Foundress
the poor.Everyone
Birs,
1880,
Father
in
early
had
intervened,when
Institution
the
parish,
had
retired
at
former pastorof St. Sulpice
h o s p i c ea s a p a t i e n t a n d b e n e f a c t o rT. h i s w a s a
and the
providential
helpwhich removedall obstacles,
visit
her,anuary
during
not
hesitate,
did
Ceneral
Superior
of a
for
the
construction
to pledgethe fundsrequired
l a r g e rf a c i l i t yw h i c h w o u l d f u l f i l l t h e n e e d so f t h e
area.la
andthe surrounding
pofulationof Varennes
Ceneralof
who wasboth Superior
MotherDeschamps,
the Instituteand localSuperiorat the Mother House,
but shedid not
responsibilities
ever-increasing
experienced
in
shunany of them. Shevisitedfaithfullyall the missions
Quebecand in the UnitedStatesin turn, recordingtheir
asthe casemay be. Each
progress
or applyingcorrections
w
a
s
a
c
c
o r d e da n i n t e r v i e wa s
i
n
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
Sister the
prescribed
by the Constitutions.
14Hospices
in thosedaysshelteredelderlypersons,orphansand
often oarishschools.
5/
Thetwo housesin ToledowerevisitedduringFebruary
aswellasat the hospital,
andMarch.At theshelter
shewas
w
o
r
k
the
o f h e r S i s t e r sd e s p i t ea
a b l et o a p p r e c i a t e
s
situationwhichwasbecomingevermorecomplicated.l
O n h e r r e t u r nf r o m O h i o , t h e S u p e r i o rC e n e r a l
presidea
d t t h e a n n u a lr e t r e a tos c c u r r i n gi n A p r i la n d
attendedto the finaldetailsconcerning
of
the participation
the CreyNunsin thefoundingof NotreDameHospital.l6
Shewassubjected
to a greatpersonai
trialin the death
physician,
her
half-brother
Alphonse,
who died of
of
the
pleuro-pneumonia,
at agethirty-nine.He wasanointedby
in the presence
of theirelder
his brother,the Sulpician,
two
sisterwho now had the taskof comfortingAlphonse's
T
orphaned
children.l
directedher travels
On May 24, Mother Deschamps
West.Thesehouseshad beenvisited
towardthe Canadian
Ceneralin 1859.
officiallyby SisterMcMullen,Assistant
had beendelegatedthere
SisterCharlebois,
alsoassistant,
occurringon
in 1871, but the deathof MotherSlocombe,
prompt
return.
Mother
required
her
lune 22, 1872, had
Dupuis,the first SuperiorGeneralto travelto Canada's
15 See note 1l above. During this visit, Sister Roy, secretaryto
the Superior 6eneral, was filled with admiration at the invention
of the century: the telephone installed at the hospital. By means
of this invention, she states,our Sistersare able to call the doctors
who live far from the hospital (Circ. mens. 1877-80 P. 505). This
was in 1880. lt would be eight more years before it became
oossibleto call the Mother Housefrom Toledo,
15 The history of this foundation will be summarizedlater.
1 7 W e r e c a l lt h a t i n 1 8 5 5 , M o t h e r D e s c h a m p sh a d t a k e n i n h e r
two step-brothersat the General Hospital. Dr. Alphonse had
a d v i s e d r e j e c t i o n o f t h e S u p e r i o rG e n e r a l ' sr e s i g n a t i o ni n 1 8 7 8
a n d i n 1 8 7 9 h a d a l s o s a v e d t h e l i f e o f h i s S u l p i c i a nb r o t h e r
illness. (Letter of Sr. Charlebois to
stricken by a life-threatening'1880).
f/other Deschamps,Sept. 12,
38
then known limits,madeonly a brief sojournthere in
1877.
by two future
was accompanied
Mother Deschamps
Anne-Marie
Arseneault
and
Sister
Elodie
missionaries:
Sister
Giquello.The latter,a nativeof Brittany,had comefrom
Francein 1875with BishopHenriFaraudwho had been
recruitinggenerouspersonswillingto devotethemselves
North.18
in theCanadian
to the missions
T h e m e a n s o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o nh a d i m p r o v e d
so that travellingnow did not entailthe
considerably
it was
in 1844. Nevertheless,
difficultiesexperienced
n e c e s s a rtyo m a k e a l o n g d e t o u r i n o r d e r t o t a k e
itinerary
advantageof the railwaysystem.The Superior's
providedfor a first stop at the missionof Our Ladyof
of
Sorrowsin FortTottenwhichwasunderthe jurisdiction
Thecircuitwasmadeby trainto
vicariate.
the 5t. Boniface
Fort Huron,then to Chicagoand from there to St. Paul,
tvlinnesota,
and finallyto lamestown,Dakotawhere the
there
railwaylineended.MajorMclaughlinmet the Sisters
in personand they continuedthe iourneyin hiswagon
with a caravan
Theyproceeded
drawnby a teamof horses.
The
two young
by
oxen.
consistingof forty cartsdrawn
mentionedearlierbemoanedthe fact that
missionaries
therewas no placein
they had to remainbehindbecause
the carts.
1ESeveralbooks have been written about the Northern missions,
o n e o f t h e m b e i n g " F e m m e sH € r o i q u e 5 "( H e r o i cW o m e n ) b y
F a t h e rD u c h a u s s o i sA.n o t h e r , " L e S o l e i lB r i l l ea M i n u i t " ( T h e S u n
y i t h t h e h e r o i c l i v e so f
S h i n e sa t M i d n i g h t ) d e a l sm o r e e s p e c i a l l w
t h e C r e y N u n s i n t h e N o r t h w e s tT e r r i t o r i e sS. r . C i q u e l l ow o u l d n o t
attain the far Northern missions.After t€n years in Fort Totten she
would become the director for the little Auxiliary Sisters.As for 5r.
Arseneault,she likewise devoted herself in Fort Totten for thirtye i g h t y e a r s ,a n d d i e d t h e r e o n M a y I 6 , 1 9 1 8 . ( A . S . G . M d. o s s ,d e s
5rs.)
39
Nothingdisturbed
not
the silence
of thevastprairies,
eventhe songof the birds.Asfar asthe eyecouldsee,
neither
dwellings
nortreeswerein sightbut onlythe blue
plains,
skyandthegrassy
notedSister
Ciquello.le
Finallyafter two daysof travelling,a white house
appeared
in thedistance.
explained
the
"lt istheconvent,"
Major.MotherDeschamps
was unableto withholdher
tears."ls it possiblethat our Sistersare so far away,so
isolated?
Theooordears!"sheexclaimed.
Alertedby the childrenof the Siouxtribe who had
the bellconvenedall
recognized
the caravanapproaching,
Thefive
the studentsand the adultsof the neighborhood.
missionaries
werevisiblymovedat the sightof Mother
who washerselfoverwhelmed
asshefollowed
Deschamps
The
for
singing
of
the
Magnificat.2o
themto the chapel the
Generalplacedon the altarthe statueof Our Lady
Superior
whichshehad broughtwith herand which
of Providence,
hadwitnessed
the consecration
of the firstCreyNuns.The
fact that they recordedit in their chroniclesis evidence
t h a t t h i s g e s t u r ew a s v e r y m e a n i n g f utl o t h e m . T h e
SuperiorGeneraladmiredthe beautifulvoicesof the Sioux
c h i l d r e n .S h ea t s oo b s e r v e dt h a t t h e y c h e w e dg u m
In the
but thiswasnot the end of hersurprises.
continually
courseof the afternoon,shewould attenda wedding.A
shorttime previously,
a young Siouxhad confidedto the
Majorthat he wantedto marryone of the girlslivingwith
the Sisters.
The latterhad set a firm condition:that the
thoughtthat
suitorfirst build himselfa house.The Sisters
l e L e t t e ro f l u n e1 , 1 8 8 0 .
20 In 1878,two wings of 4OItx 26tt wereaddedto the mission;
one for the hospital,with the chapelon the upperfloor, the other
f o r t h e k i t c h e na n d t h e l a u n d r y (. C i r c .m e n s .1 8 7 7 - 8 0p . 2 0 4 . )
FatherBonin,a priestfrom Montreal,had ministeredat the school
a n d h o s p i t awl h i l ea l s oh a v i n gc h a r g eo f t h e P e m b i n aM i s s i o nI.n
'I
p r i e s t so f
8 7 8 , h e h a d b e e n r e p l a c e db y t h e B e n e d i c t i n e
M e i n a r dl,n d i a n a .
40
considering
the
this would spellthe end of his aspirations
proverbialapathyof the Natives.This time they were
mistaken,
for the young man cameforth to claimhis due
arrival."My houseis
on the very day of MotherGeneral's
built, I want to marrytodayat four o'clock."SisterAllard,
takenaback,wonderedaboutthe weddingapparelwhich
wasasyet non-existent.
In greathasteshesetto work,and
with a calico
as if by miracle,the brideappearedbedecked
dress,a veil,a wreathand gloves.The Maiorand hiswife
servedas witnesses
while FatherClaudeblessedtheir
marriage.
D u r i n g h e r t w o w e e k s t a , t h e S u p e r i o rG e n e r a
and familiarized
with the Sisters
renewedher acouaintance
herselfwith the ways and customsof the country.The
S i s t e r sw e r e s a l a r i e db y t h e A m e r i c a nG o v e r n m e n t
accordingto the dutiesthey performed.The Malor of Fort
Totten represented
the localauthorityand, to date, the
that reigned
Sistersweregratifiedby the good relationships
betweenthemandthosein charge.Butit wouldnot always
would
be thus.Thedaywouldcomewhen localauthorities
garband wouldorder
prohibitthe wearingof the religious
The Sisters
the removalof the crucifixfrom the classrooms.
f a c e d t h e s e s t o r m s c o u r a g e o u s l iyu s t a s t h e y h a d
other trial5in the past.The four foundresses
experienced
who werestill presentat the time of MotherDeschamps'
visit had sownthe good s€ed"amid tearsand fears".At the
beginning,they had had to sleepon the floor, build for
themselves
somerusticfurniture,cultivatethe soil to averta
famine,and especially,
they had graduallyto win the
of the Siouxchildrenand their parents.The
confidence
studentswere literallykingsand mastersat home,and
at school.They
thereforedid not submiteasilyto discipline
sometimesresortedto liesand calumniesagainsttheir
for
educators.Theywould evenhold the Sistersresponsible
from
time
to
time.
the epidemicswhich erupted
41
lifewasthreatened.
Shehad
One day SisterDrapeau's
beensentto pacifyan angrychief,but the timing of her
wasnot well chosen.He had just countedhis
intervention
eaglefeatherstintedwith the bloodof the whiteshe had
he threatenedto
killed.Pointinga gun at the messenger
him from pulling
forceprevented
kill her but an invincible
war
followedby
a
song
trigger.
He
began
chanting
the
juggleryduring which SisterDrapeauescaped.The chief
white men wereable
beganto pursueher but fortunately,
t o r e s t r a i nh i m a n d f o r c e d h i m t o g o h o m e . 2 lT h i s
zeal.Oneday
SisterDrapeau's
adventure
did not attenuate
shewas travellinga distanceof eighteenmilesto assista
woundedman when her "untamedhorse"sankinto deep
herself
to harness
snow.Thevaliantnursedid not hesitate
h
o
r
s
e
f
r
o
m
this
and pull until she had freedthe
predicament,
losingone of her shoesin the struggle.She
state;
reachedher destinationin a somewhatdishevelled
"Seehow she lovesus," he
the neophytewas impressed.
himselfto the Sister,he
saidto his wife.Thenaddressing
said:"l am soongoingup there,andwhenlsee God,lwill
askhim to haveyou by my sidein heaven".22
relatedtheir adventures,Mother
fu the missionaries
listenedwith evidentpride.Shewrote to th€
Deschamos
at the MotherHouse
Sisters
in the Dakotaforestssince
I marvelat whatis happening
thereand I am
we havebeenworkingat evangelization
have
our Sisters
extremelyhappywith the contribution
made.In the six yearsthey havebeenworkinghere,they
All the
havereceived
closeto threehundredchildren.
2l An account by Sr. Renaud,5r. Drapeau'scompanion.lE441 9 4 4 ,S r .M . G u i c h o np, p . 4 7 - 4 E .
22 SisterDrapeau'5
biographyA.S.G.M.
42
havebeenbaptized
and
patients
caredfor at the hospital
faith.23
theCatholic
noworactise
aboutsixhundred
Sioux
Unfortunately,
the SuperiorGeneralcould not foresee
February
16,
that firewoulddestroythe buildingon Friday,
would
again
be
days
hardships
of
the
early
1883.The
Theywould
all overagainby the missionaries.
experienced
untilthe new
haveto find refugein shedsandstore-houses
about1882.As
schoolwas built and readyfor occupancy
reopened
on
the sitewhere
it
would
be
for the hospital,
the old schoolhad stood but would haveto closeon
August30, I890 for lackof funds.The boys'schoolwas
Institution
and
movedto the Fortand becamea Protestant
grants
which
received
the
students'
no
longer
the Sisters
h a d c o n s t i t u t etdh e o n l y s o u r c eo f r e v e n u ef o r t h e
hospital.Theydid however,continueto be in charge
' ducation.
of thegirlse
The dark dayswere dispelledand the missionaries
r eneral.
e n j o y e df u l l y t h e p r e s e n c oe f t h e i r S u p e r i oG
t
h
e
m
f
a
r
e
w
e l l .F o u r
H o w e v e ro, n l u n e 1 5 s h e b a d e
(the
girls"
legendary
missionaries
andfour "goodCanadian
her asfar asthe
"Marys"mentionedearlier)accompanied
fu the weatherwassuperb.the noonmeal
Cheyenne
River.
wastakenon the prairiegrass.Then,it wastime to part.lt
as emotiongrippedthe heartsof
was a silentseparation.
whosehealthwasfailing,
everyone.SisterLajemmerais
with the SuperiorCeneral.They
travelledto St. Boniface
arrivedtherethreedayslateron lune 18. Sincethe railway
on the propertyof the Archbishop's
stationwas precisely
- closeto the provincialhouse,they did not
residence2a
Sister
havefar to go. "The weatherwas magnificent,"
Curranstated."The moonrosein all its beautybeforeour
house,its light enhancingour ioy".2sArchbishopTach6
23 Letterof MotherDeschamps
1880.
21 Letterof MotherDeschamps,
undated.
2s Letterof ,uly 7, I EEo
43
wasthe firstto greetthe MotherCeneral,then the Sisters
embracedher.
The officialvisitationbeganthe very next day, but
nevertheless
shefound time to write a few wordsto the
MotherHouse:
greatly
resembles
St.Boniface
the lsland
of St.Bernard
at
Chateauguay,
especially
the propertywherethe houseis
TheArchbishoo's
residence
iswellconstructed
and
situated.
isaboutthreehundred
feetfromtheroadwhichisbordered
is a short
by a magnificent
avenue
of trees.Thecathedral
distance
away.Thevicarial
house,
datingfrom 1845,is of
wood.Nearby,
arethe hospital
andthe
white-washed
by Bishop
Provencher,
school
on property
obtained
boarding
andtheAssiniboine
merge.
at theplacewheretheRedRiver
on thewatersof
Fourteen
boatsandsteamers
sailconstantly
thesetwo rivers.
As she was writing thesewords,Mother Deschamps
whom she had
undoubtedlyrecalledthe four foundresses
andwho hadarrivedon the banl6of the
knownpersonally
, ho had
r a l a d ew
R e dR i v e ro n l u n e 2 1, 1 8 4 4 . S i s t e V
foundedthe St. Bonifacehouses.had beenthe young
S i s t e r D e s c h a m p ss' u p e r v i s o ra t t h e d o m a i n o f
with the lslandof
whencethe comparison
Chateauguay,
St. Bernard.Whateverthe casemay be, Motherhad little
for the programpreparedby the
time for reminiscing
was indeedheavy.By June19, shewaswelcomed
Sisters
with lolul songsby the thirly-sixpupilsat the boarding
Tach6
a r r i v a lo f A r c h b i s h o p
s c h o o l .T h e u n e x p e c t e d
FatherLacombe,
o.m.i.,
by the legendary
accompanied
causedthe receotion
to be shortened.
of the arrivalof
anniversary
On lune21, the thirty-sixth
the firstCreyNunsin Manitobawasobservedby a formal
schoolholiday.The next day, a telegramarrivedwhich
for a moment.Eightyearsearlier
arousedapprehension
44
t h e d e a t ho f M o t h e r
ea d a n n o u n c e d
s u c ha m e s s a g h
message
of ioy. After
it
was
a
But this time,
Slocombe.
of the CreyNuns
twentyyearsof waiting,the Constitutions
w e r ef i n a l l ya p p r o v e db y t h e H o l y S e e .T o m a r kt h i s
memorableevent,a great celebrationwas organizedfor
which
the Eucharist
Tach6celebrated
lune 25. Archbishop
and
TE
DEUM
was followedby the chantingof a fervent
fell.Magic
onceagainthe housewaslightedup asdarkness
lanternsdeckedthe belfryand treesalong the stately
entrance
to the convent.
On June30, the year-enddistributionof prizesto the
lt wasthen that
studentswas presidedby the Archbishop.
he revealedthe secretthat had till now beenso carefully
guardedby the Superior
General.
joy in
a special
My dearchildren,he said,lexperience
. his
c o n g r a t u l a t i n ygo u f o r s u c c e s isn y o u r s t u d i e s T
exceptionaljoy is due to the presencehere of Reverend
Ceneral.
Superior
MotherDeschamps,
Thirty-sixyearsago,travellersdid not cometo St. Boniface
by train as they do today,nor by steamboat,nor evenby
was
cartsacrossthe prairies.Theonly modeof transportation
fatigue,its
the birch bark canoewith its accompanying
in
persons
did not hesitate
Cenerous
worriesand itsdangers.
the face of obstacles.Four Sistersof Charitywillingly
whichCod inspiredthem to makeand
acceptedthe sacrifices
on June21, 1844.Onlyfour of them
landedat St. Boniface
for this mission
came,but the numberwho hadvolunteered
wasmuch greater.Amongthesewas,I believe,the Reverend
who hasalwaysshowna keeninterestin
SisterDeschamps
thesemissions.
The SuperiorGeneralcomplained in a whisper that a
secretof her life had been revealed.The Archbishopwent
on aloud:
45
her
Reverend
Motheris complaining
that lam revealing
s e c r e t bs u t i n s t e a do f r e p e n t i n gl ,a m g o i n gt o r e v e a l
it
to me that lcan disclose
anotherwhichis so personal
withoutindiscretion.
On June24, 1845,anotherbirchbark
Amongthe passengers
thereweretwo
canoeleft Lachine.
CreyNun novices,
an Oblatepriestand a brotherfrom the
s a m e C o n g r e g a t i o nb, y t h e n a m e o f T a c h 6 .S i s t e r
There,
Deschamps
them as far as Lachine.
accompanied
someoneofferedher a pieceof pemican.SisterDeschamps
tooka tasteof it and I mustadmitthat shemadea face,but
thiswasonlya twistingof the lipsand not of the heart,nor
you aresofortunate.
of the will,for shesaidto me: "Brother,
I wishI werein yourplace."
yearshavepassed
Thirty-five
sincethen,and in the rapid
f l o w o f t i m e , a w e a l t ho f g o o d d e e d sa n d m e r i t sh a s
accumulated.
lt is therefore
our dutyfirstof all to thankCod
and then to thank the Sisterschosenby Him to multiply
in our midst.Asfirstpastorof thisdiocese,
theseadvantages
in my name,in the nameof the Church,in the nameof
who foundedthe establishment
of the
BishopProvencher
Crey Nunsin St. Boniface,in the nameof my clergy,of the
children,of the poor. the orphans,the sick,I thank you,
Mother,and I thankthe nobleInstitutewhichyou
Reverend
directwith suchwisdomfof all the good which the Crey
in the courseof these
Nunshavebeendoingin 5t. Boniface
thirty-sixyears.26
The SuperiorCeneral'sheart was filled with ioy on
hearingsuch praisefrom the Pastor.In the days to follow
she would see for herself the works establishedby her
Sistersin the West.
Conventin
On July1, shevisitedthe St. Franqois-Xavier
W h i t e H o r s e P l a i n ,f o u n d e d i n 1 8 5 0 b y t w o o f t h e
pioneers,SistersLagraveand Lafrance.Mother Deschamps
arrivedthere by boat for the dishibution of prizes- but
2 6C i r c .m e n s .1 8 7 7 - 8 0p p . 5 7 2 - 5 7 3 .
zto
The
had to improvise.
therewere no prizesso the Sisters
'medals
fifty,
is,
from
the
studentsreceived
Queen'that
twenty-fiveor ten cent coinsmountedon a ribbon and
medalso{ honor.27
whichconstituted
On July5, the SuperiorGeneraldirectedher steps
Hospitalwhich had beenestablished
towards5t. Boniface
years
previously
Four
1871
.
the HenryClarkhousehad
in
increasing
the bed capacityfrom four to
been purchased
t e n b e d s .W i t h l e g i t i m a t ep r i d e ,t h e h o s p i t a rl e p o r t
patientshad beenadmitted,
indicatedthat eighty-eight
m a n y o f w h o m w e r e l a b o r e r se m p l o y e d a t t h e
construction
of the railway.2s
Thefollowingday,July6, St.NorbertConventfounded
with the honors
in 1858,welcomedMotherDeschamps
worthy of a headof state.Triumphalarcheswere raised,
flagsand bannersdeckedthe pathway.The pastor,Father
by FathersForgetand Doucet
l.N. Ritchof accompanied
in the event.The
from St. BonifaceCollege,participated
of the studentslastedfor five hoursand this
examination
prizeshad arrivedin time to reward
time, magnificent
FatherRitchotcongratulated
were
successful.
thosewho
the CreyNunsand FatherAdolpheForget,directorof the
Mother
College,addeda word of personalappreciation.
who had alwaysshowna keeninterestin the
Deschamps
him on
congratulated
activecareerof thisyoungSulpician,
27 Letterof luly 13, 1880,5r. Curranto the MotherHouse.
2 8A . s . c . M .H i s t .H d p .s t . Boniface
47
d i m t o p u r s u eh i s g o o d
h i s s u c c e sas n d e n c o u r a g e h
work.29
arrivedat
On the eveningof luly 7, MotherDeschamps
rain
reduced
following
day
a
heavy
5t. VitalSchool.On the
the numberof studentsto aboutfifteen.Theysucceeded
however,in conveyingheartythanksto the Superior
Ceneralfor the educationthey were receivingin this
modestschooloverthe pasttwentyyears.
The SuperiorGeneralreturnedto St. Boniface
luly 14,
the feast
werebeingmadeto celebrate
while preparations
The modestprovincialhouse
of Ste.lulie, her namesake.
a multitudeof good
which,for manyyearshad sheltered
lt was
and the hospice.
works,stillharboredthe orphanage
Deschamps
a
the little orphangirlswho offeredMother
bouquetof flowersfor the occasion.One of the elderly
to
residents
took the initiativeof offeringhis respects
notable
followed
by
two
He
was
mother".
"everybody's
Bishopof
Tach6and BishopLafldche,
visitors:Archbishop
whosearrivalon luly
threeRiversand a formermissionary
from the United
6 coincidedwith that of GeneralSherman
States.
After havingpresidedat the annualretreat,Mother
left for Montrealvia Toledoon July27; Sister
Deschamps
Curranwritingthe sameday statedthat therewasnow "a
oreatvoid" in the house.3o
2 e A d o l p h e F o r g e t w a s b o r n a t T e r r e b o n n eo n N o v . 3 0 , 1 8 3 5 ,
a n d o n , a n . 6 , 1 8 7 5 w a s o r d a i n e d t o t h e p r i e s t h o o da f t e r l o n g
years of waiting. His priestly careerwas brief as he died on ,une 9,
1 8 8 1 . F o r f u r t h e r d e t a i l sc o n c e r n i n gF a t h e rF o r g e t s e e t h e b o o k
entitled "Mother lane Slocombe," by SisterEstelleMitchell.
30 The void would be somewhat comPensatedby the reopening
of the novitiate closed five years previouslyand which would soon
admit three new recruits.
48
The SuperiorCeneralhad broughtjoy to St. Boniface
and in Toledo,she had tried to put an end to the serious
however,
that shehadcome
No onesuspected
difficulties.
missions.
Northern
the
concerning
to a gravedecision
Alarmingreportshad comefrom her delegate,Sister
C h a r l e b o i sT. h e S i s t e r sh a d b e e n o v e r w o r k e da n d
so the
and their healthwasthreatened;
undernourished
kindlySuperiorCeneralrequestedBishopFaraud,the
apostolicvicar of thesefar off regions,to organizethe
returnof the Sisters
to coincidewith that of the visiting
delegate.
realizedhow sad the missionaries
MotherDeschamps
'carefully'
concealed
wouldbe,for they hadso
themselves
k
n e wt h a t
a
l
s
o
s
h
e
b
u
t
p
r
i
v
a
t
i
o
n
s
s
u
f
f
e
r
i
n
g
;
a
n
d
their
in fact,
would
had its designs.Providence
Providence
i n a u n i q u ef a s h i o nT. h e l e t t e rr e a c h e dt h e
intervene
Bishoponly after the fusistantCeneralhad left and the
r i g o r o u sw i n t e r h a d r e n d e r e dt r a v e li m p o s s i b l eT.h e
'rescue'of the northernmissions
had beeneffectedthank
mostoftendeploredin the
to one of the inconveniences
'great
whitesilence'- the delayin mailservice.
landof the
T h e n o r t h e r nm i s s i o n sw o u l d b e p l a c e du n d e r t h e
lurisdictionof the St. Albertvicariateand the Crey Nuns
wouldcontinuetheirfruitfulapostolate.ll
s a d a r r i v e da t M o n t r e a la t
Mother Deschamph
ten o'clockin the eveningof Aug.3. Hence,
approximately
only the next day did she noticethe fencethat had been
built on eithersideof the alleyleadingto the chapel,an
alleywhich was two hundredfeet long by eighty-two
wide.An irongratingrestingon a cementbaseformedthe
Fourpillarssupportedthe maingateandthe two
entrance.
3 l F o r f u r t h € r d e t a i l sc o n c e r n i n qthis matter, refer to Le Soleil
B r i l l ee M i n u i t , p p . 9 9 - 1 0 1 .
49
sidegates.The lot itselfwassurrounded
by a wooden
fencesurmounted
by latticeworkand paintedgrey.32
- but notthe building.
Theenclosure
wasfinished
The
Sisterslongedfor the completionof the construction.
S p a c ew a s a l r e a d ys c a r c ei n t h i s c o n v e n tw h i c h n o w
housedsomeeight hundredresidents.33
The problems
r e l a t i v et o m a t e r i acl o n c e r n se v e n t u a l l rye a c h e dt h e
S u p e r i o rC e n e r a l ' sd e s ka n d s h e a t t e n d e dt o t h e m
promptly.However,
priorities.
Hardly
shealwaysrespected
had she returnedfrom her long voyage,when she leftfor
Lawrence,
Massachusetts,
whereher
in the UnitedStates,
presence
wasrequired.
1880.
The FrenchLanguageSchoolin Lawrence,
pastorof Lawrence,
wishedto givethe
FatherBoucher,
francophonechildrenof his parishthe opportunityof
instruction
in theirown language.
receiving
elementary
wereassigned
to
Sisters
McKenna,
Chass6
and Bourgeault
would ioin them a few
this mission.SisterSte-Marguerite
As of the first da, two hundredstudents
weekslater.34
wereenrolled.
she
Whenthe SuperiorCeneralvisitedthe Institution,
of the school
was favorablyimpressedwith the success
which had been in operationfor only two years.The
materialconditionshowever,were lessthan satisfactory,
Parentsand
sinceDrivateschoolswere not subsidized.
teachersattemptedto remedythis situationby holding
events.The schoolwould
bazaarsand other fund-raising
havesurvived,
but for the fact that public
undoubtedly
charitieshad to be channelledto the AuoustinianOrder
3 2C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 7 - 9 0p, . 6 0 9 .
3 3C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 1 - 8 3p, . 8
3 4t b i d .1 8 2 7 - 8 p
0. 6 3 6
50
which was underthe threateningcloudof utter financial
the programwas
ruin. After threeyearsof existence,
in 18833sat the end of the school
obligedto discontinue
year
Notre DameHospital,Montreal,188O.
A v e r y i m p o r t a n te v e n to c c u r r i n gi n 1 8 8 0 w o u l d
undoubtedlybe a landmarkin the historyof the Crey
in the foundingof Notre
Nuns,namelytheircollaboration
on the
hereto elaborate
lt is irrelevant
DameHosDital.
at that time.
which was in full effervescence
controversy
who was a faithful
Moreover,the designatedchronicler,
declared
interpreterof her SuperiorCeneral'sdirectives,
pointedly:
We havealwaysremainedneutralin the difficulties
b e t w e e nt h e L a v a le s t a b l i s h m e nat n d t h e M e d i c a l
School.36
In fact,this neutralityof the Crey Nunsconcerning
mattersdated backto sometwenty
certaincontroversial
y e a r s .M o t h e rS l o c o m b eh a d r e c o m m e n d etdh a t t h e
Sisters
observediscreetsilencerelativeto opposingviews,
for exampleoverthe divisionof the lslandof Montrealinto
had beenfaithfully
Theseinstructions
variousparishes.
acceptedthe
observedso that when Mother Deschamps
of the new hospitalin the nameof the
administration
shecouldtruthfullystate:
Community,
3 5U n d e rM o t h e rs l o c o m b e ' as d m i n i s t r a t i oi n 1 8 6 8 ,t h e G r e y
Nuns had accepteda foundationin Lawrence- the Protectoryof
M a r y l m m a c u l a t eT. h e c l o s u r eo f t h e p a r o c h i asl c h o o ld i d n o t
of the Protectory,
compromise
the existence
3 5C i r c .m e n s .18 8 1- 8 3 ,p . 3 9 7 .
51
We aremotivated
entirelyby the desireto dedicate
ourselves
to suffering
humanity
andthusto complywiththe
desire
of ourchiefPastor.37
F u r t h e r m o r eM
, o t h e r D e s c h a m pfsi g u r e d a s a n
innovatorsinceneverbeforehad it beenthe customfor
the Sisters
to servein an institutionwhichdid not belong
to the community.On the other hand,peoplecould not
imaginethat a hospitalcouldfunctionwithout Sisters.
In
supportingthe initiativeof Dr. E.P.Lachapelle
and his
, other
c o l l e a g u easn d o f F a t h e rN . R o u s s e l opt ,. s . s .M
Deschamps
was able to demonstratehow lay people,
clergyand religious
could unitetheir effortsto assurethe
success
of an institutionfor the reliefof suffering.
The
c o l l a b o r a t i oonf t h e G r e yN u n sa p p r o v e db y M o t h e r
Deschamos
won her the title of Co-foundress
of Notre
DameHosoital.ls
I n d e e d ,t h e c o s m o p o l i t a nc h a r a c t e ro f t h e n e w
institutionstirredup the zealof the Grey Nuns. Had
Mother d'Youvillenot serveda motleypopulationfor
thirty-fouryearsin the CeneralHospitalfoundedby the
C h a r o nB r o t h e r sb u t w h i c h w a s u n d e r g o v e r n m e n t
authority?Furthermore,
FatherRousselot's
own financial
contributionand the keeninteresthe showedtowardsthis
I n s t i t u t i o nb a s e di n h i s p a r i s hm u s t c e r t a i n l yh a v e
influencedthe decisionof the Crey Nuns.In the spanof
had createdmany
the previous150 years,the Sulpicians
worksof Charityin Montrealand entrustedthem to the
daughtersof Motherd'Youville.
For their part,the medicalstaffconsisting
of fourteen
doctors,contributedgenerouslyto the project,They
relinquished
theirfeesfor four or five yearsin orderto
37 tbid., p. 397.
3 8 H i s t . H d p . N . D a m e ,D r . E . P .B e n o i t ,p . 1 5 .
)z
for
of this hospitalwith itsfifty beds39
the existence
assure
pay
patients
able
to
the
cost
the poorplustwentymorefor
of hospitalization.ao
Sinceerectinga new buildingwasout of the question,
the
the founderschoseto useone alreadyin existence,
DoneganaHotel,which had lost its originalsplendorand
whoseownerswishedto sell.The founderspurchasedit
a n d a l s ot h e
f r o m t h e F u r n e sess t a t ef o r $ 2 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0
Devinsfor
neighboringpropertybelongingto Mr. R..1.
$ 1 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0F. a t h e rR o u s s e l os tu p p l i e dt h e n e c e s s a r y
assumedthe cost,of
warrantyand in addition,personally
|
for
whole
establishment.4
food,heating
andlighting the
buildings,
of four separate
Thenew hospital,
consisting
occupiedmost of the land betweenNotre DameStreet
lt wascloseto HospiceSt.
Street.4z
and Champs-de-Mars
'1877,wasbeingadministered
by the
which,since
Charles
Nuns.
Crey
in her
exercised
soundpsychology
MotherDeschamps
Dame
Notre
choiceof the first Sistersto be assignedto
Hospital.SistersPerrin,Olier,Hickey,Hainault,Panetand
history.
wouldbe recordedin the community's
Ste-Angble
Physically,
SisterEulaliePerrinwas petitea3but she
by her great
stoodtall by the qualityof her intelligence,
3 e M . T . H a r e la u c a r d . S i m e o n i ,l 5 a v r i l 1 8 8 0 .
4 0 U n i o n m 6 d i c a l ea
, o0t 1880,pp. 369-374.
4 r U n i o n m 6 d i c a l ea o 0 t 1 8 8 0 p p . 3 6 9 - 3 7 4 .T h i s S u l p i c i a nu s e d
t4'1,000.00 of his personal funds for this project. (Hist. Hop. N.
Dame, Sr. Morin, p. I )
4 2 C i r c . m e n s 1 8 8 1 - 8 3 ,p . 3 9 8 - 3 9 9 .
43 5r. Perrin was often teased about her small size. Sr. Labrdche,
t h e c h r o n i c l e rw o u l d s a y : " S r . P e r r i ni s t h e s i z e o f m y a r m . " O n
the other hand, it is known that 5r. LabrEche'sarm could not have
b e e n v e r y l a r g es i n c es h e u s e dt o s a yo f h e r s e l f ": l a m s o t h i n t h a t
I c o u l d b e e a t e n o n F r i d a yw i t h o u t t h e l a w o f a b s t i n e n c eb e i n g
v i o l a t e d ! "( C o r r .g e n . l 8 7 l )
53
lifeand by the steadfast
esteemfor religious
determination
with which she accomplished
the tasksentrustedto her.
Thesewere both numerousand importantsinceshe had
beeninvolvedin the foundationof the Sisters
of Charityof
in 1857.Having
Quebecin 1849and in that of Sandwich
returnedto Montrealfour yearslater.she assumed
the
responsibility
of the dispensary
afterhavingheadedthe
P h a r m a c yD e p a r t m e n ta t t h e M o t h e r H o u s e .S h e
developeda pancreatic
emulsioncalledPancreatin,
which
wasoatentedboth in Canadaand in the UnitedStates.
As
well. she displayed
outstandingtalentfor the careof the
sick.aa
and remarkable
insightsin the discernment
of the
aptitudes
of hercompanions.
S i s t e rP e r r i ng a v eo f h e r s e l u
f n s p a r i n g l ay n d h e r
exampleboth stimulated
and encouraged
others.Shehad
t h e g i f t o f a r o u s i n ge n t h u s i a s m
a n d d i r e c t i n ge f f o r t s
towardsa singlegoal,inspiredby a singleideal.
S i s t e rO l i e r f o r h e r p a r t , h a d v a s t e x p e r i e n c e
concerning
the keepingof records.Shehadorganizedthe
yearshad
secretariate
at the MotherHouseand for several
written the chronicles
of the community.Shewas gifted
with an exceptional
memory,and historycreditsher with
the accountof factsnot recordedby anyoneelse.To the
new hospitalshe would contributeher talentfor writing
andfor judiciouscounselling
and wouldassistthe Superior
in hermultipletasls.
charity
SisterHickeygaineddistinctionby the universal
she had displayed
at St. VincentHospitalin Toledowhere
shehad beenone of the foundresses
in 1855.Assigned
to
the careof the sict! shewasalso"on call"for out-patients.
44 Mother Slocombehad, so to say,entrustedto her the careof
Mother Deschamps,
her Assistant,
who in 1869 had had to resign
h e r p o s i t i o n .5 r . P e r r i na c c o m p a n i e h
d e r t o T o l e d ow h e r et h e
for the patient.
climateprovedbeneficial
54
worker,but it was
this courageous
Nothingdisheartened
qualityof her charitythat
for the ingenuityand the tireless
wherevershe had served.At Notre
she was remembered
Dame,shewasquiteat home,
professed
sincethe summerof
As for SisterHainault,
joyful
her intensityat
nature,
her
1862,shewas notedfor
ee a r t .
w o r k , a n d e s p e c i a l lf yo r h e r k i n d a n d s e n s i t i v h
Assigned
to the men'sward,it wassaidthat shegaveto all,
the careof an attentive
especially
to the mostunfortunate
however,for she
was
short-lived
mother.Her devotedness
patients
and died on
typhoidfeverfrom her
contracted
February
28, 1881at the ageof forty-four.
had only threeyears
SisterPanet,n6eJulianaCasgrain,
of religiousprofessionwhen she was assignedto the
she was
dispensary
and to the pharmacy.Consequently,
probably
the
direction
under
initiatedto the careof the sick
. h ee x c e l l e da n d w o u l d l a t e r
o f S i s t e rP e r r i nh e r s e l fS
in Morristown
at the hospital- orphanage
becomeSuperior
Youvilleand at
(N.1.),UnitedStates,
then at the Patronage
Varennes,
Quebec.But for her,the careof abandoned
childrenwouldbe a priority.Thanksto her initiativeand to
Covernmentwould
the Provincial
requests,
her persistent
passits first adoptionlaw in 1909.Bornof a high-ranking
a n d i n f l u e n t i af la m i l y ,S i s t e rP a n e tw a s n o t e df o r h e r
reserve,her pleasantand courteousmanner,and for her
the depthof hercharity.
whichrevealed
totalavailability
knownas SisterSteAs for SisterMargueritePapineau,
Angdle,shewasthe youngestchildand onlydaughterin a
shehad beenlong desired,shehad
familyof five.Because
b e e np a m p e r e dA. t a g e e i g h t e e ns, h e w a s a l r e a d ya n
young lady,well educatedand graciousin
accomplished
manner.Herparentsfondlyhopedshewould marry hence
d n d s a d d e n e du p o n l e a r n i n gh e r
t h e y w e r es u r p r i s e a
join
this Christian
the CreyNuns.However,
decisionto
familydid not opposeCod'schoice.SisterMarguerite
55
thereforeenteredthe novitiateon December
7,1877 and
gaveherselfirrevocably
to the Lordon May 10, 1880.Her
assignment
to Notre Dameoverwhelmed
her."lt will be
most difficultto sensethe aromaof my mother'sgood
soup."she explained,
for her familylivedcloseto the
hospital.But SisterSte-AngEle
was preparedfor heroism.
Two yearslater,she would be missionedto the difficult
missionof Chipewyanin the NorthwestTerritories.
She
would spendthirtyyearsthere performingvariousduties
includingthat of cook.Shedeploredthe fact that it was
impossible
for her to varythe menuand sometimes
could
offerthe childrenonly 'greensoup' madefrom boiled
herbs.How she would have liked to servegood pea
souplasSisterSte-Angble
wistfullyremembered
the savory
tasteof "home-made
souo."
T h e f i v e S i s t e r sk n e w w h a t t h e i r r o l e s a n d
responsibilities
would be. At the hospital,they would be
r e s p o n s i b lfeo r t h e i n t e r n a lm a n a g e m e n tw, i t h t h e
authorityto hire as many employeesas wer€ necessary.
The doctorsof course,would be responsible
for the
medicalaspects,while the board of Directorswould
providethe necessary
financialresources
for proper
functioning.
Thetaskwasnot easyfor Messrs.
C.P.Hebert,
E.A.C6n6reux,
E.l.Barbeau
and B. Tansey
l.R.Thibodeau,
but they dedicatedthemselves
ioytully.a6
As for the interns,on leavingthe conferenceroom,
t h e y w o u l d r e a d i l yg o t o t h e w a r d sf o r t h e i r c l i n i c a l
training.Moreover.
theywouldtakeon the dutiesnormally
p e r f o r m e db y n u r s e ss u c h a s a p p l y i n g d r e s s i n g s ,
givingtreatments.4T
administering
medications,
Doctor
H.E.Desrosiers
was the first doctor connectedwith the
4 5 T h e d e t a i l s c o n c e r n i n g t h e s e S i s t e r sa r e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e i r
resoectivefiles. A.5.G.M.
4 5 H i s t . H o p . N o t r e - D a m e ,D r . E . P .B e n o i tp . 1 8 .
a7 Ec. d'int. Hdp. N. Dame, A.F. - Angers, pp. 23-24.
56
assuredimmediate
hospitalin this way,and his presence
cases.48
helpin emergency
plancouldbe put into effect,it
Beforethisorganization
was importantfirst to clearaway the debris,left by
who had
plumbers,paintersand othertradesmen
masons,
year.
The old
a
for
almost
beenworkingin the building
ionable
u
ltra-fash
DoneganaHotel,which had beenthe
meeti;g placefor the eliteof society,could no longerbe
r e c o g n i z e dP
. r i n c el e r o m e N a p o l e o na n d M a u r i c e
son of the famousauthor,GeorgesSand,
Dudevant-Sand,
Afterthe departureof the
had stayedthere in 1861.4e
of the
Englishgarrison,the popularityand the prosperity
"a
become
lt
had
decline.
a
radical
had
suffered
hotel
s
m
all
h
a
n
d
s
o
f
a
t
t
h
e
m
i
r
a
c
l
e
s
v e r i t a b l eh a l l o f
to
over
$4,000.00,
amounted
but the repairs
industrialists"
a fabuloussumfor the time.so
the threshholdof the
Perrinand Hickeycrossed
Sisters
future hospitalon May 24, 1880.Theyset to work with
of the Laval
dubbed"the Sisters
greatcourage.Amusingly
was
Re-enforcement
University"they workedrelentlessly.
were
labor
welcome,but two long monthsof intense
requiredbeforethe hospitalwouldbe readyto function.
BishopE.C.Fabreblessed
On luly 25, His Excellency
Two
hundredpersons.
presence
three
of
in
the
hospital
the
patients.
Many
admitting
began
institution
dayslater,the
woundedpersonswere admitteddue to the hospital's
and to
proximityto the Portof Montreal,to the railways,
sector.
business
the
4 8U n i o nM 6 d .C a n .a o o t1 8 8 0 ,p p . 3 6 9 - 3 7 4 .
4 e H i s t .H 6 p .N . D a m e s, r . M o r i n ,P . 2 .
5 0U n i o nl v l € dC
. a n .1 8 8 0 ,p p . 3 6 9 - 3 7 4 .
5/
of the doctorsand the skillof the
The competence
nursesinspiredtrust and patientsflockedto this hospital
s o o n t o b e r e n o w n e d b e c a u s eo f i t s s o m e w h a t
procedures.
Therewere no curtainsaround
revolutionary
f
r
e
s
h
b
e
d
s
a
n
d
a
i
r
a
n d s u n l i g h tw e r e a l l o w e dt o
the
penetrate
throughthe largebaywindows!
In the evening,Sistersand novicesfrom the Mother
Housecameto relievethe daystaff.Foroneof them,Sister
O'Brien,knownas SisterSt. Augustin,her devotedness
shecontracted
wouldcosther her life.LikeSisterHainault,
patients
and died on lanuary9,
typhusfrom one of her
1881.5r
O n J u n e3 0 o f t h e s a m ey e a r ,1 8 8 1 ,t h e h o s p i t a l
and recordedthe
receivedits Charterof Incorporation
AuxiliarywhichSister
of the Ladies'
birth of the Association
and collaboration.s2
Perrinencouraged
by her enthusiasm
to the upkeepof the
The ladiescommittedthemselves
linenand bedding.s3In addition,SisterPerrinsuggested
in requesting
that
whichconsisted
"TheProjectof Loaves"
240 familiessupplyone loaf per month, thus savingthe
hospitalsix hundreddollarsa year.sa
The contributionof the LadiesAuxiliarywas not only
preciousbut indispensable.
field
By meansof bazaars,
celebrations,
musicaland
days,horseshows,Christmas
l i t e r a r ye v e n t s ,t h e s ev o l u n t e e r sw o u l d w a r d o f f a
budgetarydeficit.The qualityof their invitedartists:
s 1C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 1 - 8 3p, . I 7 .
52When Mrs. Fitzpatrick,
learnedof
secretaryof the Association
Sr. Perrin'sdeathin 1907,shewrote thesewordsof praise:"lt was
s h e w h o t a u g h t u s t o l o v e a n d a s s i s t h e d e s t i t u t ep a t i e n t s"
( D o s sS
. r .P e r r i nA, . 5 . 6 . M . )
s 3 E c .d ' l n f .H 6 p .N . D a m e A
, . F .A n g e r sp, p . 2 2 - 2 3
5 4 B u l l .F e t e sd e C e n t e n a i r eN, o . 5 , 1 9 7 8 , p . s . T h e P r o i e c o
tf
'1883-"1927.
Loaveslastedftom
58
M a d a m A l b a n i ,a r e n o w n e ds i n g e r ,a u t h o r sN 6 1 6 e
W, i l l i a mC h a p m a nB
, e n i a m i nS u l t e ,L . O .
Beauchemin
the 6liteof the
would
attract
a
few,
name
but
David,ss
to
Association.
Montrealsocietyinto the ranksof the
l i d n o t o n l y m a i n t a i ni t s
N o t r e D a m eH o s p i t ad
ln
operationbut developedand expandedits services'
and in the
servicewas established
1885.an ambulance
p
u
r
c
h
a s e dT.h e
p
r
o
p
e
r
t
y
w
a
s
y
e
a
r
M
a
s
s
o
n
t
h
e
same
was
addedto
house
year,
boarding
the B6liveau
following
Champs-dethe originalbuildingand the wing facingthe
in orderto installa laundry,a
MarsStreetwasconsolidated
a laboratoryas
dryer,a mortuary,a room for autopsies,
A few
130
seats.
of
with
a
capacity
wellasan amphitheatre
acquired.)o
propertywouldbe
yearslater,the Berthelot
of all
was interwovenwith difficulties
Thisprogress
questionof the University.
sorts,notablythe ever-sensitive
and the trialsand
TheGreyNunssharedboth the success
long hours.They
many
required
work
which
the
especially
of illness,were
in
case
receivedboardand lodgingand
caredfor by the hospital.In addition,eachSisterreceived
for devotedness
Occasions
an annualialarvof $32.00.57
Dameand the
Notre
at
would
abound
and selflessness
they were
fulfilled;
would
be
Nuns
ambitionof the Crey
in theirexpectatlons.
not deceived
s s M r s .A l b a n si a n go n M a y 8 , 9 a n d 1 0 , 1 8 9 0 .O n t h e l a s t d a y
p.
she offeredher servicesgratuitously.(Circ. mens.1887-1892'
'1895(bull.
415). The writers namedwere invitedto the Fair of
, o . 5 , 1 9 7 E ,p . 6 ) .
F e t e sd u C e n t e n a i rdee N . D a m e N
s 6 H i s t .H 0 p .N . D a m e D
. e n o i tp, p . 5 3 - 5 4 .
, r . E . PB
5 7c o n c o r d adt u 2 5 s e p t .1 8 8 2 .
59
CHAPTERII
1881-1883
Mother Deschampshad openedseventeennew
housesin the courseof herfirsttermasSuperior
Ceneral,
from 1853 to 1863.Therefore,
sinceshe had resumed
in 1877,everyone
was
this functionof high importance
astonished
of 277 professed
that nory with a personnel
Sisters
and 75 candidateslin the novitiate,she did not
complywith the manyrequ€stsaddressed
to her.In fact,
in the courseof the lastthreeyears,the onlyfoundations
in the UnitedStates
had beenthe schoolat Lawrence,
and participation
in the establishment
of the NotreDame
Hospitalin Montreal.
Theslowerpacecouldcertainlynot be attributedto a
zealon the partof thiswoman,but
diminished
apostolic
ratherto herconcernfor the houses
alreadyin operation.
Shewishedto ensurethe possibility
of their servingthe
purposefor which they were established.
Theseworks
were now expanding.As noted earlier,the Hospice
I c i r c . m e n s .1 8 E l - 1 8 E 3 ,p . 8 . I n D e c e m b e r1 8 7 7 , t w o
monthsafterMotherDeschamps'reelection,the Congregation
numbered252 Sisters.
61
in
Youvillein St. Benoitand the HospiceLajemmerais
had beenmovedcloseto the churchin their
Varennes
b y t h e m i g h t yS t .
r e s p e c t i v pe a r i s h e sT. h r e a t e n e d
LawrenceRiverwhosebankswere beingerodedwhere
the militarybarrackshad stood,HospiceSt. Charlesin
Viger
Montrealhad found refugein the Denis-Benjamin
housein September
1879.Thesetwo houses,
aswell as
, rgently
t h e o t h e r se s t a b l i s h eidn d i s t a n tr e g i o n s u
requiredactionon the part of the SuperiorCeneral
for by
whosedeclininghealthwashowevercompensated
unboundedenergy.The chronicles
of the Congregation
containa dailyrecordingof notableeventsand givean
ideaof herdailyprogram.
wasunable
Because
MotherDeschamps
of herillness,
on
to attend the blessingof the chapelin Varennes
grand-nephew,
December
23, 1880.Motherd'Youville's
ArchbishopTach6,had insistedon presidingat this
E.C.Fabre
ceremony.
On lanuary11,1881,itwasBishop
of Montrealwho blessedthe new house.Thistime,
MotherDeschamos
wasableto be present.Sheinsisted
greeting
personally
the elderlyandthe orphansunder
on
Vandandaigue
and
the careof Sisters
Gadbois,
Casgrain,
of
B6rub6.The hosoicein Varennes
took on a character
specialimportancefor the SuperiorGeneral.Sincethe
to
earlyyearsof her religiouslife she had endeavored
with
imbue herselfwith the spiritof Motherd'Youville,
of the Fatherof
her unfailingtrust in the Providence
Mercies.Her goal in acceptingthis foundationin 1859,
had beento helpthe elderlyand the orphaned,but also,
she had wishedto perpetuatein Motherd'Youville's
hometown the memoryof thisgreat'Loverof the Poot'.
I t w o u l d a p p e a r t h a t M o t h e r D e s c h a m p sh a d a
presentiment
that onedaythisMotherof the Poorwould
be honoredby the Church.
The establishment
in Varennesappearedfirm. The
S i s t e r cs o u l d c o u n t o n t h e s u p p o r to f s u r r o u n d i n g
62
volunteered
parishes
whereworkmenhad generously
Especiall,they
for the reconstruction.
their services
couldcount on the untiringdevotionof their pastor,
But alas,deathstruckthis shepherd
Mgr.l. D6sautels.
whilehe wasrestingat the Conventof the CreyNunsin
Satem,Mass.U.S.A.On August5, hisbodywasreturned
funeral
wheretwo dayslater,an impressive
to Varennes
washeld.
service
had not forgotten
In hislastwill MonsignorDesautels
$6,000.00with the
his hospice.He had bequeathed
t h a t F a t h e rB o u r b o n n a i sh ,i s f r i e n da n d
stipulation
prot6g6,2
be grantedrefugethere.
the
of MonsignorDesautels,
Thank to the generosity
the
difficulties
to
survive
was
able
in
Varennes
institution
o f t h e t r a n s f e ra n d t o p u r s u ei t s d u a l v o c a t i o no f
and the orphansof the
both the seniorcitizens
sheltering
region.
took advantageof the summer
Mother Deschamps
in the countryand a few in
houses
visit
the
"to
season
Thesevisitsto the houses
the city" wrotethe chronicler.3
in the countrywereno easytaskin viewof the meansof
prevalent
at thattime.
transportation
in distanthouses
The MotherHouseand the Sisters
and, in the caseof
communicatedby correspondence
by telegram.lt wasthusthat on September
emergency,
learnedthat on the previousday
2, MotherDeschamps
of the orphanage
the outbuildings
fire had destroyed
of the
and of St. Vincent'sHospitalin Toledo.Because
w
e
r
e
e
x
p
e
r
i
e
n
c
i
n
gt,h e
h
o
u
s
e
s
t
h
e
s
e
difficulties
o
n
c
a
t
a
s
t
r
ophic
t
a
k
e
e
a
s
i
l
y
misfortunecould
p r o p o r t i o n s .Ian s u c h c i r c u m s t a n c etsh, e S u p e r i o r
2 S r .C o l l e t t ev. i e d e M e r eD e s c h a m ppsp . 2 5 9 - 2 6 1F
. a t h € 5r .
Th€bergewould be aPpointedpastorat Varennes.
3 Circ.mens.I 88'l-1884,p. 'l 16.
I T h e b i s h o po f c l e v e l a n dh a d c o n s i d e r etdh e o r P h a n a g a
e
diocesaninstitution.Seeaboveconcerningthesedifficulties.
t)5
Generaland her Sisters
had to walk in the darkwhile
firmlybelieving
in the light.
Fromfar away St. Boniface,the newswas more
encouraging.
The 'old' houseof 1846was undergoing
renovations.
The massive
antiquechimneyswere being
replacedby smalleronesmadeof brick.The proposed
boardingschoolwould be an entirelyseparate
buildings
ratherthana newwing addedto the existingcomplex.
Manitoba,however,was not the only placewhere
construction
was in progress.
For severalyearsalready,
hadbemoaned
the Sisters
the lackof spaceat the manor
on St. Bernardlslandat Ch6teauguay.
Of course,thiswas
not the originalwoodenbuildingmeasuring
50 ft. x 20
ft. where the Lemoynefamily,then the Robutelde
Lanouefamilyhad lived.The heirsof the latter,loachim
and Marie-Anne,had sold the propertyto Madame
d'Youville
on lune8, 1765.6
l n ' 1 7 7 4 M o t h e r D e s p i n sM
, other d'Youville's
had built on the island,anothermanorhouse
successor,
measuring
58 ft. x 45 ft.
in orderto
Somesixtyyearslater,all wasdemolished
Mother
erecta new buildingon the samefoundation.
for her part, had spentthe first decadeof
Deschamps,
her religiouslife at this manorwherein 1847,she had
welcomedthe Sisters
who had survivedthe scourgeof
the typhusepidemic.A mansardroofwasbuilt overthis
housein order to orovidefor doublethe numberof
5 A r c h b i s h oT
p a c h 6t o M o t h e rD e s c h a m p S
s ,e p t .2 8 , 1 8 8 1 .
T h e s eh o u s e sw o u l d s o o n b e p r o v i d e dw i t h r u n n i n gw a t e r .
( C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 1 - 1 8 8 4p,. 3 0 6 ) .
6 Joachimde Lanouehad returnedto Franceafterthe war and
h i s s i s t e r , M a r i e - A n n e ,h a d b e e n a b o a r d e r a t M o t h e r
d ' Y o u v i l l e 'G
s e n e r aH
l o s p i t asl i n c eA u g u s t1 7 4 8 . l n 1 7 6 4 ,
n e g o t i a t i o n sf o r t h e p u r c h a s eo f t h e p r o p e r t y h a d b e e n
undertakenby Motherd'Youville.
oz+
r e s i d e n to r c o n v a l e s c e nS
t i s t e r sw h o c o ul d b e
by Mr.
largechapeldesigned
accommodated.
A relatively
wasbuil! aswellasa 24 ft. annexto
Bourgeau,
architect,
serveasa laundryanda storeroom.7
recalledmany memoriesof the
MotherDeschamps
site.5hehad
visited
the construction
when
she
had
oast
to Mother
b
a
c
k
d
a
t
e
d
s e e n t h e b u i l d i n g sw h i c h
prayed
at the
she had
time, and especially,
d'Youville's
foot of the crosserectedon the moundin 1832in order
to wardoff the choleraepidemic.In 1854,a violentwind
had toppledthis belovedsouvenirwhich had to be
lt wasin makingan eighteenfoot excavation
replaced.s
in which to plantthe white cross,that a pile of human
evidencethat the mound had
boneswas discovered,
p
r
o
b
a b l yb y t h e t r i b e o f M o un d
beenman-built,
Builders.e
in
On the slopeof the mound,appletreesblossomed
One of -themhad
the spring,diffusingtheirfragrance.
.ru Nearby
been plantedby Motherd'Youvilleherself
8
,
1
8 6 5 ,h a d
w
h
i
c
h
,
s
i
n
c
e
m
i
l
l
t
h
e
o
l
d
lune
stood
At
that time
holding
bodies.
becomea charnelhousefor
which meanshouseof bread,
it was namedBethlehem,
for it is therethat wheathad beengroundfor the landareattachedto
holdersin formertimes.Fondmemories
7 A . S . C . M .d o s s .C h a t e a u g u a yA. h o u s ef o r e m p l o y e e sw o u l d
'1882.
be erected in
8 This crucifix, work of Antoine Labrosse,had originally been
olacedabovethe altar in Notre Dame Church in 1738. lt was
before this crucifix that Mother d'Youville came that same year
to seek the healing of her knee from which 5he had been
suffering since shortly after undertaking her work. (A.S.G.M.)
e T h e c r o s so n t h e m o u n d h a d t o b e r a i s e d u p a g a i n m a n y
times, after the wind or an electricalstorm had toPPled it.
1 0 T h i s a o o l e t r e e w a s c u t d o w n i n 1 9 14 . W i t h t h e w o o d ,
unaffected by age, a checker-boardwas made as well as many
small chalice-likecups to be used as containersfor salt on the
d i n i n o r o o m t a b l e st i l l a b o u t t h e m i d 1 9 5 0 ' s
65
everything
on thislslandof 5t. Bernard;
eventhe carriage
gatewayat the main entrancewas coveredwith vines
transplanted
from Pointe-i-Ca
llidreswhenthe Sisters
left
thishistorical
sitein thefallof 1871.
On October26, a brightautumnday,the renovated
manorhouseas well as the chaoeland otheradditions
were blessed.
BishopE.C.Fabrewho presidedat the
event,was accompaniedby a few Sulpicians,
other
membersof the clergyand manyCrey Nunsamong
whom was Mother Deschamps.
In the courseof the
ceremony,the assembly
learnedthat the chapelhad
l
beenbuilt thanksto the generosity
of Mr. C.S.Rodier,l
whilehiswife had donatedthe hugepaintingof Blessed
Marguerite-Marie
Alacocque
whichcoveredthe entire
wall behindthe main altar.In addition.Mr. and Mrs.
Rodierhad donatedthe very beautifulcarpetcovering
the stepsto the altar.Thesegenerousbenefactors
had
wishedto immortalizein this way the memoryof their
d a u g h t e rE
, u l a l i ew, h o h a d d i e d o n t h e 1 5 t h o f t h e
precedingApril at age 24, afteronly three and a half
monthsof religiouslife. Her first assignment
had been
that of assistant
treasurer
at Ch6teauguay.l2
Other benefactors
had donatedthe altar,and the
statuesof Our Ladyof Lourdesand of St. loseph.These
were Mrs. A. Tiffin and her brother,RichardDevins
whosenames,as we shallsee,would often recurin the
annalsof the GreyNuns.
fu for the priestswho were nativesof Chateauguay,
namelyFatherPrimeau,pastorat Boucherville,
Fathers
Reidand Faubert,as well as FatherAllard,an Oblateof
Mary lmmaculate,they had offeredto contributetoward
rl This was the nephew of Mr. C.S. Rodier, the former mayor
of Montreal.
1 2 O n h e r d e a t h - b e d ,S r . E u l a l i eh a d a s k e d h e r m o t h e r t o
donate this painting which had graced her bedroom at home.
66
Therewere as yet, no pewsso they
the furnishings.
funds
necessary
to coverthe costof these.
suppliedthe
weredonated
lampand the sacredvessels
Thesanctuary
of Montreal.All the GreyNuns
by the St.losephHospice
w e r e s o d e l i g h t e dt h a t a c h a p e lh a d f i n a l l yb e e n
in the
on the lsland,that eachof the missions
established
i
t
d
u
ty to
g
l
a
d
l
y
a
considered
s u r r o u n d i n ga r e a
contributetowardsit.13
with another
was preoccupied
MotherDeschamps
chapel,- that of the MotherHouseon Cuy Streetwhere
visitorswerealreadycomingin largenumbers.lt was
hadvisitedit'
2,159 Americans
notedthat in September,
practice
to visit Pointe-ahad madeit a
The Americans
when the GreyNunsstill livedthere.Theyhad
CalliEres
at seeingthe long lineof Sisters
beendeeplyimpressed
roomafterthe noon meal
dining
as theyfiledout o{ the
the verses
towardsthe chapelalternating
and processed
people
of Montrealwould
Soonthe
of the Miserere.
for on May 14, 1882, it was
imitatethe Americans,
and
of Ste.Cun6gonde,
recordedthat the parishioners
of
laterthoseof St. Henri,would choosethe chapel the
GreyNunsasa placeof pilgrimage.
Thischapelwas evidentlylargeand welcoming.Of
Romanstyle,it was the prideof VictorBourgeauwho
h a d d r a w nu p t h e p l a n ,b u t i t d i d n o t h a v ea l l t h e
a
floor,in mosaique.
furniture.The sanctuary
necessary
patronal
donationof Mr. Rodier,wascompletedfor the
feaston September14.14lt appearedhowever,that it
would take manyyearsto completethe decoratingof
this temolewhich was meantto be so beautiful.Then
cameinto play,lor it wasin this perspective
Providence
13 Until this time, the Sistershad had to attend Mass at the
P a r i s hC h u r c h , e x c e p t d u r i n g t h e y e a r o f t h e t y P h u s e P i d e m i c
when one of the rooms had servedas a temporary chapel.
l a C i r c . m e n s . l 8 8 l - 1 8 8 4 , p . | 6 1 . T h e f e a s to f t h e T r i u m p h o f
the Crossis one of the patronal feastsof the Grey Nuns.
o/
againcameas a
that Mrs.AnneMarieTiffin'sgenerosity
The sisterof SisterMargueriteDevins,having
blessing.
becomewidowedon October2'1,1881, decidedto offer
her lewelsto adorn the monstrance
donatedto the
chapelin 1830.The benefactor
alsocontributedfine
lacesto deck the altars.lsln Mrs.Tiffin'sview,nothing
was too beautif
uI for this templewhereshe lovedto
comeand pray.TheCreyNuns'chroniclers
wouldrecord
the continuingprodigalityof this humbleladywho had
hoped to remainanonymous.The Sistershad tried to
respecther wish, but becauseMrs. Tiffint charitywas
peoplesooncameto
knownevenoutsidethe monastery,
know the source.The fact remainedthat for the Crey
N u n s , t h e b e n e f a c t r e sws a s c o n s i d e r e dt o b e a n
instrumentwhich DivineProvidence
usedto embellish
the monumentthey had endeavored
to erectto the
gloryof God.
programfor the year 1881
The SuperiorGeneral's
had beenfairly heavyand yet two other worksmust be
mentioned;not necessarily
new proiects,but somethat
were expanding.Thesewere the St. l€r6me-Emilien
Orphanage
andthe Nazareth
Dispensary.
ORPHANAGE
I88I
ST.JEROME.EMILIEN
Thisinitiativeactuallygoesbackto 1874-1875when
it was modestlyinauguratedby SisterVictoireCodard
who had been responsible
for home-visitingof the poor
in the westernsectionof town. The difficultiesSister
Codard experiencedwere not her first. Havingentered
the GreyNun novitiatein 1844,shehadbeenobligedto
return home to her family after a year of trial due to illhealth.16
An intervalof sixyearswouldpassbeforeSister
15 Life of Mrs. Tiffin, 5r. Collette,pp,2"l-23. The monstrance
would be exposedfor the fi.st time on December23, 188'l.
l5 The noteswhich follow are drawnfrom the biographyof Sr.
Codard.
68
Codardwas againadmitted.Shemade her religious
I 2, 1853.
vowson September
to carefor the orphansat the
assigned
Successively
to
teachingat the elementary
and
St. JosephHospice,
schoolof 5t. Henri,shereturnedto herfirstpostin 1868,
for
to the apostolate
and finallyin 1874wasassigned
gifted:
visits
home
particularly
to
be
appeared
she
which
to the poor.
SisterGodardwasan obesepersonand at the time,
health.
to be a signof flourishing
this was considered
Eachday,sheleft the Nazarethinstitutionand workedin
to her.Peoplewere
the districtwhichhadbeenassigned
Sister
circulatingso
heavily-built
see
this
amazedto
ridicule;but
much
sprightlyand shewas the objectof
she oaid no attentionto this for when she enteredthe
home of a poor family,ioy and trust enteredwith her.
Sistercodard confirmedthe saying,"lt's good to carry
weight".Soonthe mockeryceasedand as shewent the
orphansfollowedher.attractedby the "goodies"which
The fate of thesepoor
dispensed.
she so generously
and soon SisterCodard
however,
her
childrenhaunted
to
renteda housefor them,a housewhichsheentrusted
for
her canvassing
a dedicatedperson.l7she increased
fundsand providedfor the upkeepof fifteenof them.
SisterCodardwasnot contentwith providingthemwith
she had
food and shelter.In the first week of January.
gifts for them: itemsof clothingshe had made herself
quicklY.
andwhichdisappeared
Fouryearswouldgo by in thiswayfor the servantof
the poorand then,in luly 1878,struckwith a sudden
illness,she wasforcedto interrupther work for a brief
soiournin the infirmary.Havingresumedher customary
work,shewasstoppedagainon August17, and diedthe
followingday afteradmittingthat shehad onlyonefear:
l7 Unfortunately,the name of this person is unknown.
69
that of not fearingdeath.At her funeralon the 20th,
p e o p l ew e r e m o v e da t s e e i n gt h e t w e n t y o r p h a n s
weepingaroundthe tombof theirfostermother.
Thework had neverceasedsincethe passingof the
f o u n d r e s sb, u t i n t h e y e a r 1 8 8 1 ,t h a n k st o F a t h e r
Rousselot,
the orphanagewas moved"to the stone
houseon the other sideof PlateauStreet,a building
bought from the widowedMrs. Nolanand destined
partlyto SisterGodard's
proiect".
SisterBrassard,
who specialized
in the art of restoring
abandoned
houses,
had madeherfirstexperience
at the
barracks
alongthe waterfrontwhereSt. CharlesHospice
had been re-located.ShewelcomedSisterCodard's
orphansthereat the beginningof November.Shewas
assisted
by Sisters
Aresse
and St. lgnaceand soonthere
were twenty-fourorphansshelteredin the new facility
whichwas largelysupportedfinancially
by the Sulpician
priestsand whereFatherCibandhad beenappointedas
chaplain.
Fifty-eight
orphanswerecaredfor in this refugeuntil
1883when the C6td estatedeclaredit could no longer
s u p p o r tt h e C i t y ' sC a t h o l i cO r p h a n a g ea n d w o u l d
surrender
its rightsto the Seminary.
Eleven
orphanswere
then placedat the CreyNun Conventin St. Benoit,and
the othe6 wereplacedelsewhere
in the city.l8
The foundationestablishedby SisterGodard,had
functionedfor two yearsat the houseon PlateauStreet.
It would come to life again in the historyof the Grey
Nunssixyearslater,aswe shallseein thisaccount.
rE Vie de Mar€Deschamps,
Sr.Collette,pp.264-276.
70
1881
THE NAZARETHDISPENSARY,
of
Foundedtwelveyearsearlierunderthe patronage
w
o
r
k
h
a
d
b
e
en
t
h
i
s
t h e u n t i r i n gF a t h e rR o u s s e l o t ,
D
u
p
u
is'
inauguratedin 1873 under Mother
and washousedin the institutionbearing
administration
thisname.
D o c t o rL . E .D e s j a r d i n sw,h o h a d r e t u r n e df r o m
assumed
Europehighlyqualifiedto treateyeconditions,
by his
was
assisted
He
the dutiesof medicalconsultant.
FromApril | 9, 1873to May 1
brotherCuillaume-Henri.
o f t h e f o l l o w i n gy e a t ,7 9 8 c a s e sh a d b e e nt r e a t e d
there.19
The reoutationof this famousdoctor drew other
d o c t o r sw h o a l s ow i s h e dt o s p e c i a l i z ea, s w e l l a s
a t t r a c t i n ga n i n c r e a s i n gn u m b e ro f p a t i e n t s .T h e
was movedto the first floor of the Nolan
dispensary
both
housewhich was largeenoughto accommodate
Orphanage,
the
St.
and
the dispensary
J6r6me-Emilien
likewise
directedby the CreyNuns.20
betweenthe
as a resultof difficulties
Unfortunately.
in Montrealand the Schoolof Medicine,
LavalUniversity
wereorderednot to acceptany morestudents
the Sisters
for the school.2l
went to pleadhiscause
Deslardins
Dr. Louis-Edouard
f a l l o f 1 8 8 3 .F o rt w o
i
n
t
h
e
r
e
t
u
r
n
e
d
i n R o m ea n d
years,the dispensaryhad servedpersons
consecutive
with eye conditions.lt too would one day be restored
1 eT h eC a n a d i alno u r n aol f s u r g e r yA, p r i l1 9 6 9 .
20 Circ.mens.I 881-'l883, p. 204. Remember
that Sr.Codard's
orphanageoccupiedthe secondstoreyof this house.
2 1H i s t o i r d
e e l a P . Q .R u m i l l yT, . 4 , p . 6 3 .
71
a n d a g ai n b e u n d e rthe internaladministrationof the
Crey Nuns.22
1882-1883
Forthe CreyNuns,the year1882wasmarkedby the
CeneralChapterheldon the firstMondayof October.All
the membersof the Councilwere maintainedin office
e x c e o tM o t h e rD u o u i sw h o s eh e a l t hn e c e s s i t a t ead
prolongedrest.23
Shewas replacedby SisterPrax6de
Filiatrault
who
profession
had made
14, 1864.Assigned
on September
successively
to the functionsof purveyorand that of
bursar,
shewaspromotedto the rankof administrator
on
May 1, 1875.24Fouryearslater,she was appointed
S u p e r i o ar t t h e N a z a r e t hi n s t i t u t i o na, n d i n 1 8 8 1 ,
assumed
the responsibility
of two neighboring
missions
the Dispensary
andthe St.1616me-Emilien
Orphanage.
SisterFiliatrault
hadgivenevidence
of herability.She
was recognized
as an authenticGreyNun, respectful
of
traditionscertainly,but open to innovations.
ln view of
ensuringa better knowledgeof the institutionfor the
blind, she supportedFatherTanguay's
initiativeand
allowedyoung musicians
"to go and makemusicfor the
membersof the Housein Ottawa",as recordedby the
chronicler
in Aoril1882.2s
22 In 1885, Father Rousselotbequeathedthe Nolan property to
t h e C r e y N u n s w h o r e n t e d i t t o a c o m p a n y o f a r t i s t s .T h e y
establisheda cyclorama representing the great mystery of the
'1888.
passion.This houseclosedin
(Circ. mens. 1887-1892, p- 222)
2 3 M o t h e r D u p u i sd i e d o n M a r c h 1 5 , 1 8 8 3 .
2 4T h e C o u n c i l o f t h e C r e y N u n s c o n s i s t e d o f t w e l v e
administratorsof whom five were on the GeneralCouncil.
2 5 C i r c . m e n s . 1 8 8 1 - 1 8 8 3 ,p p . 3 2 4 - 3 2 5 .
72
had observedthe aptitudesof
Mother Deschamps
her assistant.Shortlyafter the Chapter,she had directed
which were grappling
her towardsthe Totedomissions
with the difficultiesdescribedearlier.26
for her part,returnedfrom hervisits
SisterCharlebois
in
Westand in the CreatCanadian
the
to the missions
Northon October29, 1881' Shehad beenabsenta little
overtwo years.27
couldcounton the
As a result,thosedistantmissions
supportof a memberof the GeneralCouncilwho was
The
awareof theirspecialneedsand their particularities.
which
had
Chipewyan
and
conventsof Providence
narrowlyescapedclosurewere incorporatedthroughthe
interventionof SisterCharleboisand on her advice,were
attachedto the missionat St. Albert, Alberta. Sister
MargaretDevinswhosealms receivedfrom the family
estate,had often helpedthese poor missions,was
assignedastheir purveyor.
Asfor SisterRobin,shewasin chargeof the housesin
town and in the country.On lanuary1, 1883,therewere
317 Sistersof which ninety-sixwere in activeserviceat
HospiceSt. loseph,at Chiteauguayand at the Mother
House.The lattersheltered820 persons,though it wasa
became
housebeing completedonly as the resources
possible.
the
Among
it
made
available
or as benefactors
In the
Trffinwasmostremarkable.
latter,Mrs. Marie-Anne
courseof a long trip to Europe,shevisitedthe important
Way
In Beauvais,
shehad admireda magnificent
shrines.
an
exact
idea
of
donating
of the Crossand conceivedthe
26 sr. Filiatraultleft Montrealon Nov€mb€r6, 1882 and would
r€turnon December14, 1883.Duringthis stay,shewas ableto
acquirea knowledgeof English.
27 Sr. Charlebois'first visit to the distant missionshad been
int€rruptedby the deathof Moth€r Slocombein 1E72.Sheleft
the secondtim€ on August25, 1E79and this tim€ reachedthe
housesof the FarNorth.
73
replicato the GreyNuns.Shetold her sister,Margaret
(SisterDevins),
of the proiect,who in turn advisedFather
p.s.s.who had manifested
M.C. Bonnissant,
a special
interest"in thisbeautifulchurchwhichis the heartof the
hugeestablishment
on 6uy Street."28
T h i s S u l p i c i a np r i e s ts u g g e s t e da n a l t e r n a t i v e .
Accordingto him, it was moreimportantto erectaltars.
Mrs. Tiffinagreedto the propositionwithout however
putting asideher first idea.Shethen requestedher
brother,Mr. RichardDevins,to makeavailable
to Father
Bonnissant
the necessary
fundsspecifying
that the most
beautifulmarblewasto be selected
for this monument.
The services
of the architects,
Bourgeauand Leprohon
wereretainedto draw uo the olan.The initialdraftwas
submittedby FatherBonnissant
Father
to his colleague,
Toupinand to a devotedfrien{ AlfredLarocque.2e
Not
only did they approvei! but both decidedto alsomake
a monetarycontribution
for the altarof the SacredHeart.
FatherBonnissant
himselfdonatedS700.00for the altar
dedicatedto the EternalFather,
whileMr. RichardDevins
completedthe total amount.He appliedto this proiect,
the orofit from the saleof five thousandbrochureshe
had authoredentitled:"Reminiscences
of My Visitto the
CreyNun5".30
8y luly 1, 1882 the contracthad beenconcluded
betweenthe CreyNunsand Mr. O'Brien.In December
of
the sameyear this marblesculptordeliveredhis work
28 Fr. lcard,Sup.Gen.of the Sulpicians.
Dec.9, 1886.
2e Mr. Larocquewas the son-in-lawof Mr. Olivier Berthelet,
founderof St. loseph'sHospicein Montrealin 1E54.
30Vie de Mre Deschamps,
5r. Collette,pp. 274- 275. On May
'l
10, 883 Mrs. Tiffin, sisterof Mr. RichardDevins,established
r e s i d e n caet t h e G r e yN u n s .
74
m a d e f r o m w h i t e m a r b l eo b t a i n e df r o m R u t l a n d ,
Vermont.3lHe beganto haul the marbleon April 16
believinghe couldfinishthe taskby lune 5, but in spite
The
he wasunableto meethisdeadline.
of hisdiligence,
delayfavoredthe executionof certainother proiects,
and
of yardsand flower-beds,
notablythe improvement
Guy
and
of the'red cross'atthe cornerof
the renovation
DorchesterStreets.Eventhe chapeltower underwent
was narrowlyaverted.A
repairsduringwhich a disaster
beenleft
had
unfortunately
filled
with
live
coals
container
unattended.The eveningbreezestirredup the embers
and neighborssaw the sparls.Moreover,the doorbell
was not functioning.Thefiremenhad to climb overthe
h i g h g r e y f e n c e i n o r d e r t o r e a c ht h e b e l f r y a n d
extinguish
theflameswhileit wasstillin itsearlystage.
All this commotiondid not escapeSisterManseau,
'l
the humbleworker,now an invalid,who on March 9,
lt had been
the historicpilgrimage.
1874had organized
elderlypersons,
madeup of sixteenpoor,handicapped,
someblindor crippled.ln the courseof this pilgrimage,
each personhad lifted a shovelfulof earth in the
traditionalway. After they had buried in the earth a
the building
medalof St.losephto whom theyentrusted
planted
blessed
by Sister
a
cross
had
of a chapel,they
manager.32
who wasthenthe business
Deschamps
Thisenterprisewasaboutto takea greatstepforward
with the consecrationof the altars;and SisterManseau
would havelovedto seethis gloriousday. Unfortunately,
"on lune 25, she had been movedto the largeroom
facingthe paintingof TheAgony."On luly 1, shepassed
away.lt was on luly 3, that ArchbishopE.C.Fabre,
3l Concerningthe qualityof this marble,Princess
Louise,wife
of GovernorGeneralMarquisde Lorne,saidduring a visit to the
conventin Nov. 1883,that shefound it everybit as beautifulas
t h a t f r o ml t a l y .( c i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 1 - 1 8 8 3p,. 6 5 3 . )
32Circ.mens.1877-1880,pp. 248-249,
75
attendedby BishopsLouisde Coesbriand
of Burlington,
EdgarWadhams
of Ogdensburg,
NewYorkand Duhamel
with the consecration
of Ottawaproceeded
of the altars.
M a n y o f t h o s e p r e s e n t i,n c l u d i n gt h e S u p e r i o r
C e n e r a lh e r s e l f ,u n d o u b t e d l yr e m e m b e r e dS i s t e r
Manseau
who had died prematurely.
To this companion
c o u l d b e a p p l i e dt h e w o r d so f S t . P a u l :O n e s o w s ,
anotherreaps.
1 Cor.3:7
The Crey Nuns were not deterredby this stateof
affairs;they themselves
were reapingwhat othershad
s o w n f o r t h e y e n s u r e dt h e c o n t i n u i t y o f w o r k s
established
morethana centuryago.
Fortunately
for the new enterprises,
dictatedby new
needs,the numerousnew recruitsofferedan assurance
of stability.The novitiatenow numberedeighty-one
novicesand postulants.
MotherDeschamps
did not rely
only on this assurance.
Sheremembered
that at her
death,Motherd'Youville
entrustedto only seventeen
Sistersthe responsibility
of perpetuatingher work.
Neitherdid sheignorethe fact that 1780would be only
the firstamongotheryearsin whichtherewould be no
new recruits.And yet, thanksto the Providence
of Cod
the Father,the little communityhad survived.The
SuperiorGeneralwasabsolutely
certainthat it would be
thusin the future,providingthat likethe firstGreyNuns,
they would persevere
in doing whatever"little good"
theycould.
In MotherDeschamps'opinion,
this "little good"
w o u l d b e c a r r i e do u t i n t w o u r g e n tw o r k s :o n e a t
C h 6 t e a u g u a yt h, e o t h e r a t S t e .A n n e - d e s - C h 6 n e s ,
Manitoba.
/o
1883
THE SCHOOLAT CHATEAUGUAY,
of Notre
of the Congregation
In 1844,the Sisters
Damehad openeda boardingschoolfor young girlsat
BishopBourgethad first proposedthis
Chdteauguay.
to the GreyNuns.MotherMcMullen,then
undertaking
haddeclined
General,
Superior
with the
planswerealready
too far advanced
because
to go
Wearedisposed
Bourgeoys.
of Marguerite
daughters
greater
evenin the mostdistantplacesfor the
anywhere,
gloryof God,but we do not wishto get in the wayof
to comments
ourselves
norto expose
community
another
andunity,
ourpeace
whichcouldtrouble
Until now,the CreyNunshad adhered
sheexplained.33
of
by Motherd'Youville,
to the traditionestablished
to the childrenwhen the Rividre-duteachingcatechism
Loupcouldbe crossed.
who wasspendinga few daysat
MotherDeschamps,
of the chapelat the Mother
the manorafterthe blessing
House,visitedthe homesin the little fort and realized
that thirly-ninechildrenwereof schoolage.Thisamply
justifiedthe creationof an elementaryschool.Without
delay,she appointedSisterMcBeanas the teacher.
Havingno schoolhouse,she settledin the building
whichhad beencompletedon August20 of the previous
yearfor the hiredmen.3a
of adaptingthe
weeksof studyand especially
Several
Vinet,
the pastor
Father
convinced
studentsto discipline
for the
A
site
that the projectwould be worthwhile.
schoolwas selected:the propertyof the Crey Nuns
within the oarishlimits.Soonthe constructionwas
begunin viewof havingit completedby latefall.
3 3A . 5 . G . Md. o s s c. h a t e a u g u a y .
3 4C i r c .m e n s .' 18 8 1- 18 8 3 ,p . 4 15
77
On November20, classes
openedfor forty-fivepupils
who had to resistthe temptationto fish in the nearby
riverin orderto learnreading,writingandarithmetic.
FatherVinetgavethe buildingoverto the GreyNuns
in 1889but untilhisdeathin 1892hewouldcontinue
to
v i s i t t h e c h i l d r e nw h o s ea m a z i n gp r o g r e s sw a s a
consolation
to him.
SisterMc8eanwas succeeded
by Sisters
Ouimet,St.
Antoineand manyothers.The schoolwasto lastthree
quartersof a centuryand would alwaysbe a sourceof
comfortto the pastors
andof prideto th€ parents.
TheCreyNun teachers
at timeshadunexpected
ioys
w o r t h y o f m e n t i o n .F o r e x a m p l e ,S i s t e rC a u d r y ,a
missionary
at Salemwasvisitinga studioin Boston.There
she met a mulatogirl by the nameof MargaretOsborn,
formerlya pupilat Hospice5t. losephin Montreal.From
memory,the young lady had paintedthe portraitsof
Motherd'Youvilleand of FatherNormant,p.s.s.The
artistgladlyofferedherpaintings
to SisterCaudrywho in
at the
turn gavethem to SisterMongeau,then Superior
conventin Salemand formerlya missionary
at Hospice
St.loseph.The latterremembered
the little Margaretof
is
in
my
former days."She black,but
eyes,she is white
and her soul is even moreso," she wrote to Mother
Deschamps.35
Thechronicles
of the schoolat Ch6teauguay
haveno
recordof any other meetingsassensational,
but they do
makenoteof the constantprogress
of the pupilsand on
occasion,makespecialmentionof thosewho were
outstandingand a creditto their 'AlmaMate/. The St.
losephschoolwas closedin lune 1957 but the Sisters
c o n t i n u e dt o b e i n v o l v e di n t e a c h i n g .M a r g u e r i t e
35 Letter dated May 28, 1883.
78
Conventwas openedin 1956 to serveas a
d'Youville
for CreyNunswho taughtin threeof the four
residence
of the area.
schools
THECONVENTAT STE-ANNE-DES-CHENES,
MANITOBA,1883
and
At the end of the summerof 1882,a fearless
heroicwomanreturnedfrom the CreatCanadianNorth'
ThroughfifteenyearsSisterAdelineAudetdit Lapointe
h a d w i t h s t o o dt h e r i g o r s ,p r i v a t i o n sa n d i s o l a t i o n
peculiarto the landof icy silence.Shehad provedto be
in thesefar awayhovelswherefrostcovers
an inspiration
not only the windowsbut alsothe interiorwalls,where
t h e f r i g i d c l i m a t ef r e e z e se v e n t h e i n k a n d m a k e s
impossible.
Sheroseat day breakand
correspondence
w a s t h e f i r s t a t w o r k , s t i r r i n gu p t h e e m b e r sa n d
activatingthe fire in orderto heatthe housebeforethe
got up. Whenthe
and hercompanions
studentboarders
sherequiredless
protested,
stated
that
shemerely
latter
in
of the housein Chipewyan
sleepthan they.Foundress
therean entireyearsufferinguntold
1874,sheremained
where she
returnedto Providence
and
then
hardshios
great
for,
anxiety
and
fasting,
cold
againhad to endure
aswe haveseen,the orderhadbeengivenby authorities
the delayin
However,
in Montrealto closethesehouses.
mail servicehad blockedthe impendingwithdrawal.
had beencarefulto avoid
Sincethen, the missionaries
reportingtheir difficultiesto authoritiesat the Mother
Housefor fear of havingto leavetheseplaceswhere
God'sworkwasbeingcarriedout.
The rigidityof the daily programhoweverfinally
had
SisterCharlebois
forcedSisterLapointeto surrender.
was
for
|
.
lt
observedthis at the time of her visitin 881
this reasonthat she had appointedSisterWardto replace
On luly 2 of the following
her as Superior
at Providence.
Canada,"in
year,SisterLapointereturnedto Eastern
79
orderto interestpotentialbenefactors
in the missionary
worksof the North."35she left behindwidespread
r e g r e t sa n d B i s h o pF a r a u de v e n s t a t e d " t h a t h e r
departurewould be prejudicial
to this institutionwhere
shehaddoneso muchgood.".7Heriourneyendedat St.
Boniface
wherefor the pastyeartherehadbeenquestion
of foundinga conventat Pointe-aux-Ch6nes,
a humble
villageestablished
since1856and whichsince1870had
becomethe parishof Ste-Anne-des-Ch€nes.38
Everyone
knewthat the generosity
of SisterLapointe
c o u l d b e c o u n t e do n ; a n d s o , M o t h e r D e s c h a m p s
suggested
to SisterLamythat this courageous
Sisterbe
chosenasfoundress.39
SisterLapointewas no strangerto St. Boniface.
She
had livedtherefrom September
1856 to lune 1867 on
herway to the Northernmissions.
Shehadevenmadea
briefstop thereagainin 1872 while makingan urgent
iourneyto requesthelp from the MotherHouse.Ten
yearshad gone by sincethen and there had beenso
manychanges!
Oneof the valiantfoundresses
of the Red
River,SisterHedwidgeLafrance,passedaway on March
20, 1882,40Had it occurredone month later,the flood
would havedisruptedthe funeralas it had donethat of
SisterValadein I 861.al
A bridge now spannedthe RedRiver.lt had no
soonerbeen openedfor traffic than the flood carried
3 6N o t e sc o n c e r n i n gS r . L a p o i n t ew e r e e x t r a c t e df r o m h e r
biographypreserved
at A.S.G.M.
3 7L e S o l e iBl r i l l ea M i n u i t ,s r . M i t c h e l lp, p . 10 6 - 1 0 7 .
38Vie de Mgr. Tach6,Dom 8enolt,V.2, p. 124.
3eAt the Chapterof 1882,5r. Lamyhad replacedSr. Hamelas
vicarialsuoerior.5r. Hamelhad becomeher assistant.
4 oC i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 1 - 1 8 8 3p,. 3 ' 1 3 .
a l S r . V a l a d ew a s t h e f o u n d i n g s u p e r i o r .S r . L a g r a v e h
, er
had passedawayon August4, 1859.
assistant,
80
away two of its trusseson April 19. The water roseso
to evacuatethe little
rapidlythat it becamenecessary
patientswere
hospital.Fivechronicallyill Protestant
discovered
takenby canoe,and to their greatsurprise,
t h a t t h e v o l u n t e e r sw h o h a d c a r r i e dt h e m t o t h e
Tach6
HousewerenoneotherthanArchbishop
Provincial
and FatherDufresne.Two dayslater SisterClearyand
SisterSte.Annein turn left the threatenedhospital.The
rushingtorrentoverturneda fragilecanoeguidedby
t h r e e m e n , A s h o r t d i s t a n c ea w a y a n o t h e rc a n o e
capsizedand despitethe protestsof the oarsmen,the
insistedon helpingthe two shipwrecked
nursingSisters
and the Grey
persons.
As they did this,the Archbishop
i
n
a
n
g
u
i
s hT. h e n o n l
o
o
k
e
d
o
n
N u n so n t h e b a n k
journals
highlightedthis rescuein a laudatory
Catholic
they had only done
maintained
mannerwhilethe Sisters
theirduty.42
T h e b r i d g eh a d b e e n r e p l a c e dt,h e a n t i c i p a t e d
faminedid not occur,the boardingschoolhad been
completedand was blessedon August18, 1883 and
giventhe nameof Tach6Academyby the secondbishop
and250 daystudentssoon
Sixtyboarders
of 5t. Boniface.
occupiedit, while the old yellow buildingbecamethe
O r D h a n sH
' o m e a n d w o u l d i n t i m e b e n a m e dt h e
Academya3
to honor the memoryof the
Provencher
apostleandthe firstbishopin the west.
legendary
SisterLapointeattendedthe officialopeningof the
boardingschool.Sheundoubtedlythought how much
to be erectedin
longerit wouldtakefor suchinstitutions
for their
the far northernterritories.The responsibility
restedwith her,a rolewhich she
humblebeginnings
42 5r. Curranto the MotherHouseApril 25, 1EE2.
43 Until then, the orphanagewas in a part of the provincial
house.In 1886, it was transferredto the lohn wing of the St.
BonifaceCollegeand it was handedover to the MaristBrothert
in 1899.
81
acceptedas a matterof fact. On August27, she left St.
Bonifacewith SisterO'Brienand SisterLagardeto
SisterReid,
establisha conventat Ste-Anne-Des-Ch€nes.
MotherDeschamps,
and Sister
the bursar,representing
Lamy,the VicarialSuperior,accompanied
the foundresses
who for the past two yeart'a had been eagerlyawaited
by the pastor,FatherRaymondGiroux,and by the young
population.
Untilnow the teachingdutieshadbeenheld
successively
by Missl.B. Cauthierand Mr. Th6ophile
Par6.as
The buildingwhich had beenerectedby the federal
g o v e r n m e n t f, i r s t o n C 6 t e a uP e l 6 ,t h e n o n a l o t
belongingto Mr. l. Champagneto lodge immigrants
workingat the constructionof the railway,wasno longer
neededsincethe closingof the Dawsonroute.The
Covernmentgave it to the Grey Nunswithout however
first advisingthem accordingly.lt then becamea shelter
for itinerantvisitorsand serveduntil 1881 when it was
demolishedin orderto rebuildnearthe churchon Mr.
land.lt was completedby the fall of 1882 but
Richer's
Mr. Arthur Lacertewho had been hired as a teacher,
occupiedthe largehousewith hisfamily until the arrival
of the Sisters.
A cavalcadewas organizedto meet the missionaries
and the little bell proclaimedtheir arrivalwith all the
vigor the sextoncould muster.The receptiontook place
at the Church.The pastorwelcomedthe three pioneers
who moved into their conventonly on August26, The
situationwas no surprisefor SisterLapointe.In the far
North the Sistershad alwaysarrived before the house
wasreadyfor them.
14 5r. Charleboishad visitedthe missionwhen she had passed
through St. Boniface.The chroniclererredwhen sh€ placedthe
was in Montr€al.
incidentin 1673for at this tim€ 5r. Charlebois
4s Benoit.Vie de Mgr. Tach6,V. 2, p.124,
82
early.A few weekslaterthere
Eightypupilsregistered
wereI 30 which promptedthe vicarialsuperiorto assign
staff.
asadditional
SisterBrouillet
provedto be too heavyfor Sister
Thetaskeventually
Lapointewho wasobligedto retirein 1884.Shewas
replacedby SisterO'Brien,then by SisterLagardeand
f i n a l l y b y S i s t e rD u d e m a i n ew h o a l l w o u l d h a v e
builtto the convent.
extensions
were produced.Thirteenhundred
In 1908,statistics
studentshad attendedthe institutionwhich had now
becomea high school.Two studentshad enteredthe
priesthood,thirly-fourhad chosenreligiouslife. Of the
latter,twentythreehad becomeCrey Nuns.a6One of
t h e s es t u d e n t sS
, i s t e rS t . T h e o p h i l ew h o h a d b e e n
professed
sinceApril 29, 1903,attendedher father's
ordinationon luly 26, 1906.Mr. TheophilePar6had
Assembly
formerlybeena Memberof the Legislative
ln 1894and priorto his
from the countyof LaV6rendrye.
ordination,he had becomecriticallyill and the doctors
had given up hope. He then requesteda cure from
of the Crey Nuns.Shortly
foundress
Motherd'Youville,
afterthis,the pastor,FatherCiroux,wrote to Mother
Hisreturnto
Hamel:"DearMr. Par6is now convalescing.
He attributesit to Mother
healthis reallymiraculous.
him."a7
to whomwe hadentrusted
d'Youville
SisterSt. Theophile
The GreyNunsand especially
had, we are sure,urgentlyimploredtheir foundressin
order to obtain the cure of this benefactorof their work
and of this fatherwho had guidedhis only daughter
life.
towardsthe totalgift of herselfin religious
the houseat Fort
of a firewhichhad levelled
Because
to acceptthe houseof
Tottenand compelledthe Sisters
46 Circ.mens.'1906-1908,
pP-736-739.
4 7C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 2 - 1 8 9 5p,. 3 9 8
83
priestswho returnedto theirold hovel,a8
the Benedictine
it wasundestandable
that MotherDeschamos'
attention
mission
for
which
shouldturn to that
she alwayshad a
predilection.
More than ever,she deploredthe limited
for the CreyNuns'
numberof workerswhilethe requests
services
abounded.An urgentappealcamefrom San
Francisco
in April,followedby a visitfrom FatherL.
F o u e s n ewl h o o l e a d e di n v a i n .V a i na l s ow e r e t h e
requests
from Duluth,CambridgeportSouthbridge
and
SandingRockin the UnitedStates.ae
TheGreyNun missionaries
aswell astheirFranciscan
helperswerefallingbeneaththe burdenof work and
who were laboring
extremepoverly.Likethe missionaries
in the land of the great white silence,they fastedthe
year round,as well as did thoseat Lac-La-Biche
and at
As for the Sistersin St. AlberL they were
lle-i-la-Crosse.
not ableto enioythe tasteof goodwhite breaduntilthe
In the followingautumn,whena generous
fallof 1882.50
personofferedthem a few apples,they deferredthe
en.ioyment
of theseuntil November21, which was a
feastday for the Sisters.
One of the Sisterseyeingthe
fruit remarked:"lt is ten yearssincewe havehad any
applesto eat."sl
Among the three foundresses
of the Albertamission,
S i s t e rA l p h o n s eh a d a l r e a d ys u c c u m b e dt o t h e
hardships.s2
SisterEmery,the firstSuperior
of thisregion,
was nearingthe end of her career.Health reports
concerningher were alarming.fu for SisterLamy, she
had been askedto come from Albertato servein St.
Bonifacewhere the difficultiesof the earlybeginnings
a8 Sr. Lalemmerais
Mar. 20, 1883.
to MotherDeschamps,
4 eC i r c .m e n s .I E 8 l - 1 E E 3p, p . 6 0 7 - 5 0 8 .
s o l b i d ,p . 4 9 7 .
sl 5r. Paquetteto MotherDeschamps,
Nov.23,1883.
s2 she died on October7, 1879.
84
had given way to progress.The farmswere already
sellingat fabulousprices.Suchwas not yet the casefor
t e r r i t o r i ew
s h i c hw o u l d e v e n t u a l l y
the neighboring
and Alberta.lt was undoubtedly
becomeSaskatchewan
for this reasonthat FatherLacombe,like BishopsTach6
peoplefrom Quebecin order
and Grandin,had recruited
families.
to colonizethe Westwith French-Canadian
its blackgold so the
Albertahad not yet discovered
Peoplepreferred
to settlein
recruitswerenot numerous.
the UnitedStates.
aswellasthe Metisand
TheNativeIndianpopulation
t h e w h i t e sw o u l d r e q u i r es c h o o l si n e v e r g r e a t e r
heartilyapplaudedBishop
numbers.MotherDeschamps
initiativein obtainingadditionalhelpfor his
Grandin's
d i o c e s eF
. o u n d e di n 1 8 2 0 a t A m i e n sb y M a d a m e
B o n n a u ldt ' H u e t ,t h e F a i t h f uC
l o m p a n i o nos f . l e s u s
acceptedto come to Canadato work as evangelizers.
Theyestablished
two boardingschools;
one at Prince
A l b e r t ,t h e o t h e r a t S t . L a u r e n t H
. a v i n gl a n d e di n
Montrealon May 23, 1883,they werewelcomedat the
was
MotherHouseof the GreyNuns.MotherDeschamps
duringtheirstayin the metropolis
and it
theirchaperone
wasshe who accomoanied
them to the stationat their
departure.On June4, the SistersreachedSt. Boniface
wherethey werewelcomedas guestsat the Provincial
H o u s et i l l t h e 1 l t h w h e n t h e v l e f t f o r t h e i r f i n a l
destination.s3
A c c o r d i n gt o t h e c u s t o m d e c r e e db y M o t h e r
from
McMullen,the Grey Nunswillinglytransferred
conventsin well-populated
areasand went ratherto
work for the glory of Godin moreremoteplaces.sa
s 3T h e F a i t h f u cl o m p a n i o n so f l e s u sw o u l d p e r f o r m a g r e a t
w o r k i n t h e W e s t .T h e y w o u l d s o o n o p e n s e v e r a l b o a r d i n g
s c h o o l sa m o n gw h i c hw a s o n e i n t h e s m a l l t o w n o f C a l g a r yi n
r885.
54 See:In Retrospect,
p.l l
Two proiectswere presentedto Mother Deschamps
in the fall of 1883.ArchbishopTach6requestedthe
of an industrialschoolfor Nativesat
establishment
a similar
while BishopGrandinrequested
Qu'Appelle
favorfor Fort Calgary,at the mouth of the Highwood
The bishopshoped by meansof
Riveror Dunbow.ss
theseschoolsto exercisea deeperinfluenceon the
young nativesand especially
to preparethem for their
obligations
and privileges
asfull-fledged
citizens.
By now lndianschoolsno longerheldany secreLs
for
the GreyNuns.Theyknewwhat dedication,psychology,
care,patienceand work were required.Theyhad seenat
work apostleswho did not hesitatebeforeany obstacle,
who had openedthe way throughyearsof caring,of
privations.Among the
insecurityand of inconceivable
O b l a t e so f M a r y l m m a c u l a t ew h o s e n a m e sw e r e
immortalizedin this gloriouschapterof the Church's
historyin Canada,there is one which the Grey Nuns
veneratemore particularly.Wthout any hesitation,they
referredto BishopCrandin,asthe holy man who seemed
to havehad a soecialvocation.Somesaidthat in all the
missionswherehe had served,adversityhad precededor
him, while he and hiscompanions
saw in
accompanied
thesefrustratingsituations,the crosswhich renders
aoostolicwork fruitful.
I n S e p t e m b e1
r 8 8 3 , p e o p l ei n S t . A l b e r tw e r e
of the episcopate
the
twenty-fifth
anniversary
celebrating
y ho in 1857had been
o f t h i s i n t r e p i dm i s s i o n a rw
appointedBishopof Satala,co-adiutorof St. Bor-iface,
but had becomeBishooof St. Albertin 1868.)0This
great but humbleman did not appreciate
being in the
limelightbut submittedand acceptedthe genuine
55 Fr. Lacombe,McGregor,pp.269-27o.Thisschoolwould be
calledeither 5t. losephSchool,High RiverSchool,or Dunbow
School.
56 sr. LabrCche
to the Sistersin Toledo,May 23, 1869,
86
praisesof those who had seenhim at the task. Forty
ten CreyNunsrepresenting
and Brothers,
OblatePriests
and
lle-i-la-Crosse
from Lac-La-Biche,
their companions
as well as his
attendedthe celebration
the Mackenzie
dearniece,SisterCrandinfrom NotreDameHospitalin
Assistant
of FatherSoullier,
Montreal.In the presence
visitor,
the
official
Ceneralof the Oblatesand their
recallthe incidentin
Bishopof St.Alberthearda speaker
to the mission
Returning
which he had almostperished.
with an orphanedchild,he had beenobligedto bury
himselfin the snowfor a wholenight to protecthimself
from the bitter cold. He recalledalsothe fire which
occurredon March1, 1867at the missionof lle-i-lathe Bishopstated"he had not
on whichoccasion
Crosse.
e v e n a h a n d k e r c h i ewf i t h w h i c h t o w i p e a w a y h i s
tears."57
in
TheSisters,
by meansof theircraftshadsucceeded
raisinga hundreddollarsto offer the Bishopon the
At the school,the pupils
occasionof his anniversary.
p r e s e n t e da r t i f i c i a fl l o w e r sa l o n g w i t h s o n g sa n d
The girlsworefor the firsttime blackdresses
dialogues.
w i t h w h i t e c o l l a r se d g e d i n b l u e a n d i n p l a c eo f
moccasins,
theyworehighbuttonedshoes.58
unfoldedin the humblehouseof
The celebration
of the conventwas
construction
since
the
earliertimes
had all been
Brothers
not yet finished.The carpenter
employedin the fieldsand at the mill.All were resigne-d
to 6ccupylngthe newconventonly the followingyear.se
The completionhad been extendedby two more years
and finally the move had been to the bishop'sold
residence
asthe new buildinghad becomethe episcopal
s7Vie de Mgr. Tach6,Dom Benoit,p. 548.
58 Sr.Paquetteto MotherDeschamps
November23,1883.
s e S i s t eC
, g.2, 1883.
t o M o t h e rD e s c h a m pAs u
r uenette
87
see.The Sisters
felt compensated
for their wait by the
beautyof the site.Locatedon the crestof the enchanting
hill,they couldview the immediatesurroundings
where
theycouldhaveoutbuildings
gardens.60
and
Also,things
weremovingfasterin St.Albert.Soonit wouldtakeonly
threeweeksto receivea letterfrom Montreal.Until then,
the wait hadbeensixweels.
Thiswas a welcomeimprovementfor the mail was
soonto bring extraordinarynews,- the realizationof a
ferventdesirewhich all GreyNunshad secretlyharbored
in their hearts.Providence,
in its own divineway was
preparingto interveneand to makethis legitimate
ambitioncomeabout.
60 Circ.mens.18E4-lE8Z,pp. 307-309.
88
III
CHAPTER
1884-1885
D o m H e n r iS m e u l d e r st h, e A p o s t o l i cC o m m i s s a r y
LeoXlll to settlethe ever-acute
delegatedby His Holiness
in Montreala.ndother
problemof the LavalUniversity
22, 1883.1
October
on
in
arrived
business,
Quebec
went to Quebecto offer him the
Mother Deschamps
The mitredAbbot of the
homageof the Community.2
Order,havingarrivedin Montrealon December
Cistercian
1 2 , e x p o s e dh i s p l a n t o v i s i t t h e v a r i o u sr e l i g i o u s
he
General,
At the invitationof the Superior
congregations.
hundred
23,
the
December
House
on
Mother
caml to the
of MotherdYouvilletdeath.'
andtwelfthanniversary
This anniversaryhad alwaysbeenobservedsince1771
b u t i n 1 8 8 3 ,t h e p r e s e n c oe f t h e d i s t i n g u i s h egdu e s t
conferreda greatersolemnityon the event.His Excellency
while FatherColin,
by his secretaries
was accompanied
I H i s t .d e l a P .Q u 6 . ,R u m i l l yV. . 4 p p . 1 0 8- 11 0 .
2 Circm
. e n s1. 8 8 1 - 1 8 E 3p..,6 7 7 .
3 Vie de MareDeschamps,
Sr.Collette,p. 285.
89
and a few membersof the
Superiorof the Sulpicians,
greeted
the
chapel
entrance.a
him
at
clergy
After Massand breakfastthe pontificalcommissary
enteredthe communityroom. Therea surpriseawaited
him. He saw,assembled
him, and whichvisiblyimpressed
in this room,evidenceof iust abouteveryhumandistress:
the blind,the crippled
the abandoned
child,the orphaned,
a n d t h e e l d e r l yo n t h e b r i n k o f d e a t h . H e l i s t e n e d
a t t e n t i v e l yt o t h e c a n t a t aa s w e l l a s t o t h e a d d r e s s
deliveredby an orphangirl. lt was, he said,the most
beautifulof any he had heardsincehis arrivalin Canada.
he visited
Havingbeeninvitedto tour the establishment,
pleasure
of being
the sickand "old man lacob" had the
Whenthe guest
in Cerman,his mother-tongue.
addressed
surprise
wasled into the Sisters'
diningroom he expressed
pewter
visited
many
As
he
the
use
of
dishes.
at their
workshops,he understoodthat the diversityof work was
m a d e p o s s i b l eb y t h e d e d i c a t i o no f t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e
He was finallyled to the shrineof Mother
supervisors.
d'Youville,s
and the SuperiorGeneraltook advantageof
this opportunemomentin orderto offerhim a biography
He, the Abbot, who had observed
of the Foundress.
visually,the work inauguratedby this woman and who
in the Westand in
had beeninformedaboutthe missions
the remoteNorthernregions,had alreadyformed an
o p i n i o nc o n c e r n i n gt h e s p i r i tw h i c h h a d g u i d e dt h e
a Detailsof this visitwereextractedfrom Circ.mens1881-1883.
5 Exhumedon Dec.6, 1849,underthe careof Fr. Faillon,p.s.s.,
were kept in the communityroom
the remainsof the Foundress
until l87l when the GreyNunsmovedto their new MotherHouse
on Guy Street.Depositedfirst in a room adjacentto the novitiate,
they were then placedin a room closeto the chapeladiacentto
the room wher€ the deceasedSisterswere laid out. In this room
therewere long white curtainsin the windowsand a few itemsof
furnitureand obiectshavingbelongedto this greatwomanaswell
as the memorialinscription.This room remainedunder lock and
Kev.
90
Charity.The chroniclerwrote that
Motherof Universal
evenbeforereadingthe biograPhY,
to the RomanCourt,the
usto present
he encouraged
givingusthe
of our Foundress,
for the beatification
Cause
presentiment
thatsomedaywewouldhavethejoyof seeing
bytheChurch.6
herhonored
Neverwasanydirectivegivento the CreyNunscarried
who had
MotherDeschamps
out with greatereagerness.
Faillon,
the
Father
of
hearing
great
advantage
had the
moment
theologian,and of readinghis work, from that
the desireof extollingthe virtuesand the
entertained
m e r i t so f t h i s w o m a nw h o m s h es o g r e a t l ya d m i r e d .
on the afternoonof this
the Administrators
Assembling
memorableday the decisionwas takento undertakethe
in view of introducingthe Cause
measures
necessary
to
The newswascommunicated
court.T
th-e
Roman
before
letter
in
an
official
31
December
on
all the missionaries
the
from the SuperiorCeneraland the meansof assuring
was indicated."Let eachSister
of this proceeding
success
and
with the spiritof the Foundress
herself
try to penetrate
of
means
charity8
by
her
universal
eipeciittyto reproduce
wasappointed
our variouswork." FatherM.C.Bonnissant
The Sister-Communities
for the Cause.e
vice-oostulator
a s w e l l a s t h e i r d e s i r et o
e x p r e s s etdh e i r e n t h u s i a s m
involved
and proceedings
cost
the
contributetowards
withoutdelay.
wereundertaken
6 c i r c . m e n s .1 8 E l - 1 8 8 4 ,p . 6 8 9 .
7 B i s h o p B o u r g e t h a d o f t e n e x P r e s s e dt h e d e s i r e f o r M o t h € r
d'Youville to be canonized. But the Sistershesitated to undertake
the necessarysteps before introduction of the cause of Fr. Olier,
t h e f o u n d e r o f t h e S u l p i c i a n s .B i s h o p S m e u l d e r s 'v i s i t a n d t h e
encouragementof BishopFabreended their hesitation.
8 C i r c . m e n s .1 8 8 4 - 1 8 E 7 p
, p. 1-2.
e V i e d e M i r e D e s c h a m p sS. r . C o l l e t t ep . 2 8 9 .
91
lmmediatemeasures
werenecessary
in orderto comply
w i t h t h e r e q u i r e m e n tosf R o m e .M o t h e rd ' Y o u v i l l e ' s
remainswere to be walledin to ensuretheir protection
a n d a l s ot o c o m p l yw i t h r e g u l a t i o n rse l a t i v et o t h e
investigation
re: 'non-cult.'Avaultwas preparedin the
crypt beneaththe chapeland on lanuary16, 1884 the
shrinein which Motherd'Youville's
remainshad restedfor
years
was
The
thirty-five
opened.
Greyuniformcovering
the remainswas replacedby a new one. Her crosswas
replacedby one of the twelveoriginalcrossesgiven by
FatherLouisNormantandthenthe precious
remainsof the
Foundress
were laid out in the funeralchapelwherethey
remaineduntil the definitivetransferal.Herethe elderly,
the crippled,the orphansand the Sistersall visitedthe
Servantof the Poorwhich henceforth,
they would no
longersee.A few hoursbeforethe ceremony,the remains
were placedin a coffinand Mr. Desmarais,
a photographer
took heroicture.
O n t h e f o l l o w i n g d a y ,l a n u a r y1 7 , F a t h e rP i e r r e
Deguire,p.s.s.,the ecclesiastical
Superiorand FatherT,
Harel,the Chancellor,
accompanied
by FathersBonnissant
and Cuihotappliedthe sealson the coffin.To Mother
Deschamps
Robin,Filiatraultand
and SistersCharlebois,
Stubinger
befellthe honorof carryingthe precious
remains
whilebeingaccompanied
by I I 2 Sisters.
from
Forthwith,workersbuilt the brickwall concealing
the Sisters'view the remainsof their Mother.Therewere
tear-filledeyessaidthe chronicler.
Feelings
wereindescribable;
dearSisters,
the mysterious
emotionsexperienced
duringthis simplebut beautifuland
neednot be described
in orderfor one
touchingceremony
Thisprivation,so vividlyfelt is considerably
to understand.
heightened
by the hopethat somedayour Beloved
Mother
Whata beautiful
will re-appear
with the haloof sainthood.
92
daythat will be! Howfar into the futurethat is, is God's
secret
commentedthe narratorrecordingthesenotableeventsin
the historyof the CreyNuns.lo
The chroniclerhad no ideathat the wait would span
would
threequartersof a centurybeforeMotherd'Youville
Duringthistime,the cryptwasa
asBlessed.
be recognized
placeof recollection
wherethe Sisterscame to steep
in the spiritof their vocationand renewtheir
themselves
in their livesthe virtueswhich
to reproduce
determination
trials
faithwhichrecognized
had practiced:
theirFoundress
as being "the instrumentby which God bringsabout in
c h o s e ns o ul s , c o n f o r m i t yw i t h t h e s o l eo bj e c t o f h i s
passing
delight";hope,renouncing
loysin favorof the loy
" which no one could takeawayfrom them" and finally,
Underthe influenceof the Holy
charitytowardseveryone.
in fact savoredthe dogmaof
had
Mother
d'Youville
Spirit,
the bond of
of God and had discovered
the Fatherhood
Thiswaswhat
whichunitedherto everyone.
brotherhood
herfiliallovein work of charity.
motivatedherto express
ln timesof great decision.of departurefor distant
to draw
wouldturn to their Foundress
missions,
the Siste15
reflection
favored
serious
Everything
strengthand courage.
in this cryptwhererestedalsothosewho had followedin
the footstepsof the Motherof the Poorand who had
the
continuedthe work initiatedby her.In earlyFebruary,
Hospice
St.
at
buried
Sisters
remainsof the seventeen
here.
Among
losephfrom 1869to 187511weretransferred
them were thoseof Motherlane Slocombeand Mother
whose
McMullen.two formerSuperiors-General
Elisabeth
r o C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 4 - 1 8 8 7p,p . 5 - 6 .
ll Whilethe constructionon the Mother Housewas in progress,
the Sistershadto be buriedin this crypt.
93
mind.l2The placewas
memoryremainsalivein everyone's
was
by a black
tombs
surrounded
each
of
the
impressive:
woodenframe.An altarwith candlestickdating backto
the time of the CharonBrotherswas placedat the right
thereon February
handcornerand a Masswascelebrated
7, for the reposeof the soulsof the valiantworkers.A
statueof Our Ladyof Sorrowscompletedthe austeredecor
affixedto the wall
while fourteensimplewoodencrosses
allowedthe Sistersto makethe Stationsof the Cross
there,l3
The crosswas once more presentedto the Grey Nuns
on january'10,1884,when fire destroyedthe orphanage
at Toledo.The Sisterswere gratefulthat no liveswere lost
with which this housewas
but becauseof the difficulties
grappling,reconstruction
would be difficult.However,it
w o u l d t a k e m o r e t h a n t h a t t o d i s c o n c e r tM o t h e r
Deschamps.
ShedelegatedSisterReid,the bursar,to
Toledowith the title of Superiorpro-temporeand the
the year 1884would
institutionwas rebuilt.Furthermore,
witnessthe birth of two other institutions.To this effect a
contingentof elevenGreyNunswassentto the Canadian
West.The departuretook placeon the eveningof May 21.
in the communityroom.the groupwent
Afterthe farewells
to Hospice5t. losephwhere from the pulpit, Father
p.s.s.offeredthem congratulations
AlexandreDeschamps,
and bestwishes.Theythenwent to the boardingterminal
whereall oresentwitnesseda scenein which both heroism
and emotionwere apparent.Thosewho were leaving
chattedioyfully,while relativesand friendswept abundant
who had beenableto suppress
General
tears.TheSuperior
her own grief, later read in the columnsof Protestant
r 2 C i r c .m e n s .' l 8 8 4 - 1 8 8 7 .
l 3 U n l e s so t h e r w i s ei n d i c a t e d t, h e s ed e t a i l sa n d t h o s ew h i c h
follow wereextractedfrom Circ.mens.1884-1887.
94
to
who hadaccepted
of her Sisters
the praises
newspapers,
leavewithoutanyhopeof return.
N.W.T.,
1884
scHool lN DUNBOW
sT.losEPH
at
becamethe Superior
ln 1882.FatherAlbertLacombe
had
Covernment
Federal
In 1875,the
the postin Calgary.
a militaryfort on the Bow Riverwith Captain
established
hencethe nameFort Brisebois,
as Commander,
Brisebois
in
established
which replacedthat of Fort LaionquiBre
finally
McLeod
year,
Colonel
1876,
1751.The following
whichmeansclearwater.la
namedthe placeCalgary.
Indians,
did not
Thelittlevillage,realmof the Blackfoot
Thedwellings
itsfuturegreatness.
at that time,foreshadow
werevery primitive:simplehutsof aspenor of poplaror
even of upright polescoveredwith make-shiftroofs'
there: M6tis,
However.many nationswere represented
ltalianand
Americanand evenSpanish,
FrenchCanadian,
Chinese.l5
At the mouth of High River,St' loseph'sIndustrial
Schoolor the DunbowSchoolwaserectedin 1883-1884.
as principalby
In 1887 FatherEmileLegalwassucceeded
FatherEdmondClaude.
and Thiffault
DelphineCudnette,Ste-Cenevi6ve
Sisters
asfoundresses
wereselected
tertiaries
and two Franciscan
School.SisterGu6nettehavingbeenpart
of the Industrial
had a
in Lac-La-Biche
of the originalteamof missionaries
in
Calgary
She
arrived
preciousbackground
of experience.
on August24. SisterThiffault
with SisterSte-GeneviEve
joinedthem a few week later.As couldbe expected,the
housewas not yet completed.To dispeltheir boredom,
ArchbishopTach6offered them a trip to the Rocky
r 4 M o r i c eE
t a n .V . 2 , p . 3 9 6 , g l .c a t h .O u e s C
1 5B r e t o nM
g
r
.
G
r
a
n
d
i
n
,
,
P.527.
95
Theytravelledwith the Bishop
Mountainsat his expense.
and reportedthat all the beautythey had admiredwas
beyonddescription.
On their returnto the field of action.wherethe site
w a s e q u a l l ys u p e r b ,t h e y l e n t a h a n d t o t h e f i n a l
p r e p a r a t i o n s ,o t h a t o n O c t o b e r1 7 t h e s c h o o lw a s
actuallyopened.The pupilswereslowin cominghowever,
towardsthe White
asthe Blackfoot
showedsomereticence
population.
Furthermore.
the Rieluprisingof 1885 wasnot
Lifewasnot easyfor the
a favorable
timeto openclasses.l6
to
however.
Sisters
sinceSisterCu6nettewassoonobliged
'1885,
giveup her dutieswhileat the beginningof winter
Tertiaries,
died of
Dub6,one of the Franciscan
Josephine
"gallopingtuberculosis".
reolaced
thosewho hadfallen.Sister
New missionaries
Tobin,
Sisters
ClearyreplacedSisterCu6netteas Superior.
Drapeau,Mongrainand Schett€arrivedin the courseof
for
the fatefulyearof | 885 asdid MissDruais,a substitute
Tertiary.
Dub6,
Franciscan
the
losephine
wascarriedout thanlsto FatherLacombe
Recruitment
aboutthe countryand
who visitedthe Reserves
scattered
was
who, becausehe masteredthree Indianlanguages,
ableto convincethe parentsof the benefitsof schooling.
T h e u n d e r t a k i n gw a s d i f f i c u l t a n d t h e G r e y N u n
of the
missionaries
were movedto pity by the hardships
Apostleof the Blackfoot.
S o o n t h i r t y - o n en o i s y l i t t l e p u p i l s c l a i m e d t h e
who not only
devotedness
and the activityof the Sisters
had to teachthesechildrenbut alsoto feed and clothe
t h e m . S u c c e scsr o w n e dt h e i r e f f o r t sa n d L i e u t e n a n t
'" I nrs upflsrng will be dealt with in the second Dart of this
chapter.
96
C o v e r n o rD e w d n e yw h o v i s i t e dt h e s c h o o li n 1 8 8 6
of the pupils.
with the performance
satisfaction
expressed
the DunbowSchoolwasvisitedby the
Periodically,
both of the Oblatesand of the CreyNuns
majorSuperiors
their delightwith the progressthe pupils
who expressed
were makingbut deploredtheir low enrollment.ln 1892,
at findingin Dunbow Cree
MotherWardwasastonished
and BlackfootchildrenspeakingEnglishcorrectlyand
playingin a band,"whichcouldcomparewith thoseof our
cities."lT
SisterClearyassumedthe role of a doctor.When
a fractureto
tertiary,sustained
Domitilde,the Franciscan
patient
was
soonable
herarm,Sistersetit so wellthat her
t o r e s u m eh e r o c c u p a t i o n sT. h e a c c i d e n t ,h o w e v e r .
inspiredFatherLacombeto requestthat the Government
a staunch
of a doctor.Dr. Rouleau,
supplythe services
s
wasappointeda shorttime later.l
Catholic,
In 1894 the schoolnarrowlyescapeda prairiefire. In
the courseof the decadeseveralshopshad beenaddeo
w h i c h h a d c h a n g e dt h e l i t t l e" b o r o u g h "i n t o a s m a l l
e n c h a n t i n gv i l l a g eb e y o n dt h e l i m i t so f t h e t o w n o f
Calgary.
The territorialexhibitionwhich took placein Regina
had invitedthe pupilsfrom Dunbowand in competition
w i t h w o r k p r e i e n t e db y W h i t e p u p i l s , l eo n e o f t h e
BlacKootwasawardedthe first prizefor footwear.
wrotethat
ln 1897the chronicler
the
hadthe ioy of baptizing
FatherLegal,the director,
Chiefof the BloodTribealongwith hiswifewho were
l 7 C i r c .m e n s .1, 8 9 2 - 1 8 9 5p,. 4 7 0 .
1 8t b i d .p . 3 5 9 .
l e C i r c .m e n s .I 8 9 5 - 1 E 9 8pp.28-29.
,
97
considered
asthe kingandqueenof thisdomain.At this
at the school.Thefarm,
time,therewereeightSisters
was
maintained
by the boysbeingtrainedasfarmers,
prosperouS,
was
Theyexcelledalsoin sportsand SisterBoulanger
ableto writeto MotherFiliatrault
on lune20, 1898:
fromthe schoolarebecoming
famous.
Ouryoungsters
Tenor
Recently,
theywon at a footballgamein Calgary.
twelveof themweredeclared
chamoions
of the NorthWest
Columbia.
andof British
13, 1913 therewasa reunionof twentyOn December
six formerpupilsunderthe presidency
of BishopMcNally
Thecelebration
wasreaching
of Calgaryand hissecretary.
The whiteits climaxwhen FatherLacombeappeared.20
received
hairedapostlewith roundedshoulders
a homage
worthyof hisroleasfounder.
Nevertheless,
the numberof pupilswould decrease
becauseschoolswere appearingon the variousReserves.
Furthermore,
it appearedthat the influenzaepidemicin
1918duringwhichall the pupilswereconfinedto bed,
gave the institutionthe death stroke.After thirty-eight
yearsof existencethe school,now in needof maiorrepairs,
was closedindefinitelyon December"16,'1922.Six Grey
Nuns left this areawith regret,and were directedtoward
wheretheywereneeded.2l
othermissions
2 0A n n . 1 9 1 3 l-9 1 4 , o . 3 2 3 - 3 2 4 .
2 r T h e s ed e t a i l sa r e e x t r a c t e df r o m t h e f i l e o f t h e D u n b o w
School.
98
N.W.T.,
OR LEBRET,
THE SCHOOLAT QU'APPELLE
1884
Q u ' A p p e l l ea, s t a t i o nl o c a t e da t 1 , 7 3 6m i l e sf r o m
Montreal,displaysits beautybetweenLake-of-the-Woods
lt wasfirstvisitedby Bishop
and the RockyMountains.
Tach6in 1864.Returning
then by Archbishop
Provencher,
as Edmonton,the
known
Prairies,
today
from Fortof the
on the hills
Bishophad losthiswayand arrivedfortuitously
valley.He stoppedto admire
the Qu'Appelle
surrounding
of
the site.
the
beauty
contemplate
and
of Cree
At somedistance,he noticedan encampment
p
o
s
i
t
i o na n d
f
i
n
d
h
i
s
h
i
m
h
e
l
p
e
d
l
a
t
t
e
r
T
h
e
lndians.
flowed
which
river
on
this
that
Tach6realized
Archbishoo
throughthe valley,a Forthadat one time beenbuilt by La
sons,who were his grand uncles.Then and
V6rendrye's
to found a missionin this location.
he
decided
there.
Throughthe two followingwinters,he sentFatherRitchot
base.In 1868he
there.Thelatterraisedthefirstmissionary
a.short
by FatherDecorbywho wasreplaced
wasreplaced
Florian
S^t.
pastor
of
the
Hugonard,
by
Father
later
time
At the
Heart.zz
Sacred
of
the
Parish,later namedthat
established,
momentwhen industrialschoolswere being
to BishopGrandinand Father
FatherHugonardpresented
request
that sucha schoolbe
a
Vicar-General,
Lacombe,
parish
Cree,Sauteuxand
included
which
in his
established
S i o u xt r i b e s .B i s h o pG r a n d i nc o n s u l t e dA r c h b i s h o p
superiorwho went to Ottawaand obtained
Tach6,his
from the FederalGovernmentfor the
financialassistance
of the Qu'AppelleSchoo
operation
constructionand
p
w h i c h w a s t h e n b u i l t o n r o p e r t yd o n a t e d b y t h e
The work almostfailedfollowingfedera
Archbishop.23
but finallyall was resolvedand work on the
elections,
22 Benoit,Vie de Mgr. Tach6,vol. 2, PP.528-529.
2 35 r . M . C u i c h o n1, 8 4 4 - 1 9 4 4p,p . 4 9 - 5 0 .
99
schoolprogressed
throughthe summerof 1884,when
F a t h e rL e b r e t ,a n o t h e rO b l a t ep r i e s t ,a r r i v e da t t h e
mission.2a
Brassard
both
On June4, 1884Sisters
and 5t. Charles,
on their way to their respective
missions
of lle-a-la-Crosse
and of Chipewyan
in the Athabaska
region,stoppedat
school
and
location
"sawthe
of the industrial
Qu'Appelle
w h i c hw a s o n l y t w e n t y - t h r em
e i l e sf r o m t h e l a n d i n g
place,"2s
a locationwhichdid not seemveryfar compared
them from the
to the great distancewhich separated
MotherHouse.
SistersLalumiere,
On October20, the foundresses,
They reached
Bergeronand St. Arnaudleft St. Boniface.
their destination
threedayslaterand weregreetedby
the son
FatherHugonard,
the principalandby Mr. Preston,
longer
astonished
were
no
English
Lord.
The
Sisters
of an
at havingto occupya housethatwouldbe completedonly
workwasplentiful.While
in December.26
ln the meantime,
were preparingfor the arrivalof pupilsin the
the Sisters
were
springof 1885.FatherHugonardand his colleagues
greater
was
than
the
recruitingthrough a districtwhich
when the M6tis uprisingbroke.In
whole of France2T
Montreal,everyone
wasworriedaboutthe safetyof the far
Mother Deschamps
evenwrote to
away missionaries.
BishopCrandinaskinghim to returnto St. Bonifacethe
The Bishop,
residingat Dunbowand Qu'Appelle.28
Sisters
in a letterdatedApril 8, 1885 explainedconcerningthe
Oblatesandthe GrevNuns:
2 4F r . L e b r e ta d d e dt h e f u n c t i o no f p o s t - m a s t et o
r his regular
duties.SenatorGirardwould changethe name of Qu'Appelleto
that of this missionary.
2s sr. st. charlesto MotherDeschamps,
lune 4, 1884.
25 Morice,o.c., V. 3, p. 54.
27 Letterof lan. 25, 1888.
2 8C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 4 - 1 8 8 7p,. 2 2 4 .
100
(...)
I do notfearforourlives,
but I fearfor ourproperties
a lc h o oi n
l C a l g a r(yD u n b o wc)o u l dw e l l
T h eI n d u s t r i S
(...)Theysaythe Protestant
schoolin Battleford
disappear
hasalready
beendestroyed
BishopGrandinaddedbroken-heartedly.
in peaceat Dunbow
weremaintained
As the Blackfoot
due to the influenceof FatherLacombe,so at Lebret,
at LimeMountainand
keptthe Indians
FatherHugonard
Blanket,
the chiefof this region
Lake
neutral.
Star
Crooked
with hismento the Northof Lebret.2e
wasevenambushed
The Oblatebeggedthe SuperiorCeneralto desist.She
whoseinfluencehad
could hardlyresistthis missionary
of the Indiansat whoseservices
won the total confidence
yearsof hislife.
thirty-three
hewoulddedicate
Contraryto what happenedin Dunbow,the recruiting
of childrenprovedto be easyand by the springof 1885,
there were thirty boys. lt was soon time to think of
'high rank'visitedthe
admittinggirls.30Centlemenof
schooland spokeof it in glowingterms.EvenLieutenant
CovernorDewdney,who originallyhad stronglyopposed
the creationof theseschools,3lhad to admit their value
the foundingprinciplethat gaveriseto
and acknowledge
he
had
done
at Dunbow.
themas
, ood was
A t L e b r e ta s i n t h € o t h e r m i s s i o n s g
who was
great
Lalumidre
cost.
Sister
at
accomplished
becomingblind, was recalledto the Mother Housein
1886. SisterMarie replacedher as Superior.SisterSt.
causedgreat
Arnaud,strickenwith gallopingtuberculosis,
h
e
r
immediate
alarm. The doctor recommended
departure.She left for St. Bonifacebut, contraryto the
2 e M o r i c e ,O . C . ,v . 3 , p . 8 0 .
30 In his correspondencewith Ottawa, BishopTach6 had insisted
on the creation of IndustrialSchools,especiallyfor 9irls.
3 r M o r i c e ,o . c . , V . 3 , p p . 4 3 - 4 4 .
101
medicalprognosis,
sherecovered
and returnedto her post
whereshe had beenreplacedby SisterLamothe.Only in
1905 did sheactuallyreturnto the MotherHouse.32
The
Siouxwere astoundedat the continuingavailability
of
thesemissionaries
of the Cosoel.Oneof themaskedFather
Campeau:"Wheredo thesemen and women of prayer
grow?Somewho cometo us areelderly,someareyoung,
but all arekindand charitable."3s
On April 7, "1887,the schooladmittedeighty-nine
pupilsof whom thirly-fourweregirls"who sharedthe attic
wherethey sleptsoundlyon bedsof straw."The influence
of the schoolwasfelt evenin the homessinceduringthe
winterof 1887therewerea greatnumberof conversions.
Othersstill undecided,attendedthe midnightMassand
the festivemealon Christmas
day. SisterGoulet,who
fluently,circulated
spokethe Creeand Sauteuxlanguages
aroundthe tablesbefriending
the guestswho exclaimed:
her."3a
"Ah,the Sisterspeakandwe canunderstand
T h e r ei s a n a d v a n t a g et o b e i n g u n d e r s t o o da n d
FatherHugonardrealized
it on
especially
to understanding.
this partilllar Christmas
daywhen he wasaboutto blessa
union alrEadythreeyearsin existence.
"Will you take'X'
for your spouse?"
he asked."Not iustyet," the youngman
FatherHugonarddelayedthe
repliedfirmly.Surprised,
celebrationthen discovered
the reason:the young man
wishedfirst to be baptizedand to have his children
baptized.
In 1888,thereweresix Sisters
at the school.Finally,
in
year,
girls
moved
into
new
Decemberof that
fifty-six
the
housewhich had beenbuilt for them. Anothermarriage
took pfaceon February26, 1889. lt was Cecile,the first
32Circ.mens.'1904-1906,
pp. 352-353.
33 Letterof lan. 2,1890.
31A.5.G.M.,doss.5r. Goulet.
102
pupilreceived
at the schoolwho haddecidedto marry.All
and
and friendswearingtheirfinestcostumes
the relatives
with facespaintedin everycolorand wearingfeathersin
theirhair,cameto the schoolin largenumberswherethey
till the followingday.
attendedthe weddingand remained
were kept busyattendingto everyone.Sister
The Sisters
soonall will respondto the
"Perhaps
Couletexplained:
invitationto cometo Hisbanquet."
Father's
Beforelong,a traditionwassetat thisschool.Everyone
theirweddingthere.The girlswho
wishedto celebrate
preferred
to remainat the schoolratherthan in
workedout
wascreated.
an alumniassociation
theirhuts.Finally,
in
wasdisplayed
The musicaltalentof the Amerindians
of theirbandperformance.
theirsingingand in the success
A r c h b i s h o oT a c h 6t o w h o m t h e m i s s i o no w e d i t s
foundationreturnedthere in 1890. He attendedVespers
and hissoulwasdeeplymovedwhenhe heardthe choirof
Cree,Sauteuxand Siouxchildrensingingthe verseof the
psalm:Laetatus
sum in hisquaedictasuntmihi.(l rejoiced
darednot blend
say...)TheArchbishop
I
heard
them
when
'Children
for he
Forest',
of
the
hisvoicewith thoseof these
beingtold by a neophyte:"Yousing badly,"
remembered
the beautyof othervoicesand blessed
but he appreciated
once been lost in the regionof the
for
having
the Lord
Riverwherefieldswereripeningfor Christ.
Qu'Appelle
for on October23, 1891,
Theolacewasindeedblessed
the suddencureof SisterSt.Thomaswasrecorded,a favor
lt was blessedalso
attributedto Mother d'Youville.35
it had beenvisitedby the cross."Hailhascaused
because
School,"saythe chronicles
greatdamageat the Industrial
panes
of glasswerebroken.
ot I ASZ."Sevenhundredlarge
FatherHugonard!gardenwascompletelydestroyedin a
quarterof an hour."
15 Violent pulmonary hemorrhageshad endangeredthe life of Sr.
St. Thomas.
103
The pupilscontinuedto increase
in numberand to
progressin knowledge.
part
Theytook
in the Chicago
Exhibitionand in that of Regina.
At the latterplace,they
broughtbackalmostall of the first prizes.Doesthis mean
that the childrenof the red skinshad becomedocileas
lambs?Somemaintainthey had. FatherLangevinwould
sayconcerningthe 180 pupilswhom he addressed
in the
summerof 1893, "They listenedto me attentively.There
were. hereand there,a few little wolvesbut on the whole
they werevery good."36
Among the women now of age, vocationsappeared
in the hopeof
and two young ladieswent to St. Boniface
being admittedto the novitiateof the little Auxiliary
Theywould seefor themselves"where grow the
Sisters.3T
womenof prayer."Towardthe end of November1897,fire
destroyedthe shoefactory.Modern machineshad lust
b e e n i n s t a l l e dt h e r e . F a t h e rH u g o n a r dd e c i d e dt o
rebuild.38
Everyonewassurprisedto seethat thesetrialsfar from
dissuadingthe pupilswho were waiting,stimulatedthe
hesitantand pupilsaboundedat the school.3e
lt mustalso
pointed
be
out that the success
of formerstudentsnow
living on the reservescontributedgreatlytoward making
the institutionpopular.SisterGouletpointedout 40that
"Our formerpupilsgive us greatcomfort.Theymakeus
forgetall the troubleandthe fatigue."
36 Morice,Mgr. A. Langevin.p. 104.
37Circ. mens. 1895-1898. pp. 270-272,The two were Misses
RoseFagnanand MadeleineRacette.
3 8C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 5 - 1 8 9 8p,. 5 3 3 .
3eA law which came into effect in 1898 stipulatedthat a girl
a d m i t t e dm u s t b e f o u r t e e na n d r e m a i na t t h e s c h o o lf o r f o u r
years,
4 0C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p,. 3 2 8 .
104
of Our Ladyof
When,at the end of 1899,the Sisters
a boardingschoolfor
Sioncameto Lebretto establish
w h i t e c h i l d r e nt,h e e i g h t C r e yN u n sw e l c o m e dt h e m
cordially."Our great desireis that their work may be
by Cod," wroteSisterGoulet,but one couldsense
blessed
that shewouldnot havetradedher lot for that of the new
ls.
arriva
the formerpupilsat
The alumniof 1901assembled
lastedfourdays.
theirAlmaMaterand the celebration
thatwasa
in a manner
themselves
conducted
Everyone
y
o
u
n
g
m
o
t
h e r sw e r e
T
h
e
i
n
s
t
i
t
u
t
i
o
n
.
t
h
e
t
o
credit
wereremarkably
the smallchildren
dressed;
becomingly
asgentlemen,
weredressed
cleanandtheyounghusbands
with pride.al
the Superior
declared
The nineCreyNunswho servedthe Lordat the Lebret
the diversityoj
to manifest
schoolhad manyopportunities
when
therewas
nurses
became
their talents.Theteachers
brokeout
an epidemic.Thus,in March1902, measles
amongthe pupils.A dormitorybecamean infirmaryand
SisterBergeronbecamethe nurseto twenty-sevensick
of the non-Catholic
children.fu wellasearningthe praises
in the loveof the children
shewon an increase
doctor,a2
andof theirDarents.
On lanuary5,1904,an
In short,allwaswellin Lebret.
writerstated:
anonymous
when
Suchwerematterstherethat life waspeaceful
the
tragedystruck.In no timefiredestroyed
suddenly,
4 1 L e t t e ro f S r . G o u l e tt o M o t h e rF i l i a t r a u l t , l u'l1y3 ,1 9 0 1' T h e
S i s t e r so f O u r L a d yo f S i o nw e r e r e p l a c e db y t h e S i s t e r so f 5 t '
losephfrom 5t. Hyacinthe.
a 2C i r c m
. e n s 1. 9 0 2 - 1 9 0p3.,8 3 .
105
- theschoolwhich
schoolandsomeof itsadiacent
buildings,
hadbeenenlarged
threetimesin itstwentyyearexistence!
"lf the fire had brokenout duringthe nighLwe would
all haveperished
in the flames,"wroteSisterGoulet.43
In lessthanhalfanhour,thesmoke
wassodense
thatwe
couldnot saveanyfurniture.Fromthe girls'housesome
pillowsandevena fewbeds
succeeded
in throwingblankets,
throughthewindow.
Sisters
McMillanand Weekes
who wereon secondand
third floors respectively,
could escapeonly througha
window,as did the young Oblatepriestrecentlyarrivedin
Lebretand who had the honor of savingthe Blessed
Sacrament.This rescuerhad knockedat SisterWeekes'
door in order to find his way and this enabledher to
escapefrom the flames.In lesstime than it takesto write
about it, the Sisters
werecompletelystrippedof everything
but the clothesthey were wearing.For shelter,they
receivedtemporarylodgingfrom the Sisters
of Our Ladyof
S i o nw h o s eb o a r d i n gs c h o o lw a s v a c a n td u r i n g t h e
Christmas
holidays.
"We had everything."writes SisterGoulet, "and now
w e h a v e n o t h i n g . "T h e n u n d o u b t e d l yr e c a l l i n gt h e
incidentof ,anuary3'l, 1745when Motherd'Youville
and
her firstcompanions
underwentthe sameexperience,
she
added: "God wishesus to practicepovertyand patience."
. , . a n d h e r o i s m ,w e c o u l d a d d . F a t h e rH u g o n a r d ,
admirablefor his resignationdid not howeverconsider
giving up the work. He wassupportedin this by the Sisters
who were readyfor any sacrifice.They lived in the parish
church;the boysin the adjacentbuildings.A few week
later,after havingslepton the hard pewsin the choir-|oft,
t h e S i s t e r sh a d b e d s .W h e n s u m m e ra r r i v e d ,S i s t e r
Bergeronslept in the bell-tower.Everyscrapof material
al The details concerning the fire were taken from the letter
105
was collectedto makegarmentsfor the children.All was
d o n e d u r i n gt h e w e e kf o r o n w e e k e n d sa, l l t r a c e so f
in orderto givewayto
activityhadto disappear
household
worshioservices.
in
receivednew clothingfrom their Sisters
The Sisters
Montrealwho at the invitationof Mother Hamel,the
gavethe bestthey had.aaFoodsupplies
SuperiorGeneral,
in
hadbeenstored a secureplacewhichwasnot sparedby
the flames.What remainedlastedhardlythreeweeks.But
in livingfrom dayto daycarryingtheirfew
theysucceeded
on
wasin progress
whileconstruction
precious
belongings
cobbler
the
old
Soon,
ft.
apart.
60
buildings
ihreeseparate
The paintshopwasusedboth as
shopcouldbe occupied.
took theirmealsin a
TheSisters
a kitchenand a classroom.
narrow hallwaywhere the sounds of the boiler were
heard.As therewasroomfor only six at table,
continually
the Sisters
tookturns.
for the chapel
905 the corner-stone
By September'l
. he winter of I907 was
c o u l d a t l a s t b e b l e s s e dT
andfuel
particularly
Thecoldcamein everywhere
rigorous.
wasin shortsupply.Theyhad to resortto whatevercould
serveas fuel. Towardthe end of this year however,
everythingwas backto normaland SisterGouletcould
write to Mother General:"Today,thanksto the mercyof
God,we occupya goodand largehousewherewe haveall
comfort."Thewriterdid not add that during
the necessary
the fouryearperiodof trialthe ordinaryprogramhadbeen
were regular,the sickwerecaredfor,
Classes
maintained.
were
were kept up and even marriage-s
socialservices
day.4)
the
same
were
four
on
Oncethere
celebrated.
O n O c t o b e r2 2 , 1 9 0 9 t h e s c h o o l ' st w e n t y - f i f t h
in a new buildingfar more
was celebrated
anniversary
4 4C i r c m
. e n s 1. 9 0 2 - 1 9 0 p5 ., 8 5 5 .
a s C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 6 - 1 9 0 8p,. 5 5 7 .
107
impressive
than structuresof earliertimes.The program
consisted
of a Massof thankgivingand a great banquet
whichfeatureda cakerepresenting
the old school.The
c a k ew a s a m a s t e r p i e coef S i s t e C
r h a m p a g n eI .n t h e
evening,the pupilsenactedthe historyof Lebret.The
guestswouldsay:
distinguished
the richness
of the soilandthe abundance
of the croos
havebeenadmired
buta thousand
timesmorepraiseworthy
is the transformation
wrouohtin the mindsand heartsof
thesedearchildrenla6
Lebrethad spannedthe first quartercenturyof its
history.Some2,000 Indianchildrenhad receivedsome
knowledge
of Cod aswell as principles
of faith and morals
andalsoskillswhichwouldenablethemto earntheirliving
in an honorableway. Undoubtedly,
as they reviewedthe
past,a time so short but so rich in blessings,
the Sisters
gavethanksto Cod for havingbeenableto accomplish
so
much good in this enchantedsitewhereit seemedeasier
to seethingsin the lightof eternity.
- 1885 Forthe CreyNuns,the year1885openedwith a good
forecast.The professions
of December30 had increased
p
e
r
s
o
n
n
e
the religious
bl y t e n . T h e c e l e b r a t i o n
was
impressive
and Reverend
FatherPichon,s.j.,deliveredan
eloquentsermon.47
The numberof GreyNunswas now
354whichwasan incentive
for MotherDeschamps
to view
with
the future
confidence.
ShecouldsendmoreSisters
to
t h e N o r t h w e s t .I n a l e t t e r f r o m S i s t e rW a r d d a t e d
17, 1884it waslearnedthat the caravanwhich
September
45 Circ.mens.1909-1911,pp- 362-363.
4 7I n a l l l i k e l i h o o d t, h i s i s t h e s a m eF a t h e rP i c h o nw h o m 5 t .
T h e r e soaf t h e C h i l dl e s u sm e n t i o n isn h e rS t o r yo f a S o u l .
108
yearhadfinallyreachedthe distant
had leftthe preceding
Sheaddedthat cropshad failed
missionof Providence.
especially
at Chipewyanbut that fishinghad beengood.
and the threegirlsfrom
and Boursier
Sisters
Columbine
B r i t t a n yM
, a t h u r i n eM
, a r i e - A n naen d l o s e p h i n ew e r e
of these
adaptingwell to the lifeof povertyand hardships
remoteareas.
the initialprocedurerelativeto the cause
In February,
of Motherd'Youvillewas sent to Romeas well as the
23. At
petitionsignedby all the GreyNunson December
the end of Marchfifty-eightotherpetitionsreachedRome
Bishopsand religiousauthorities
signedby Archbishops,
from placeswherethe CreyNunswerestationed.
wasagain
At the MotherHouse,Mrs.Tiffint generosity
Two
magnificent
March.
at the beginningof
exercised
paintings
abovethe altarof
in the sanctuary,
wereinstalled
a famous
the HolyCross.Theywereby UrbainBourgeois,
of
the Holy
Finding
the
represented
in
Paris,
and
artist
The
Grey
its
authenticity.
Crossand the miraclerevealing
prayer
Nuns,who had inheritedfrom their foundersthe
of Mother
a revitalization
"O Crux Ave," experienced
favoritedevotion.Theywere as yet unaware
d'Youville's
that a heavycrosswouldbefallthemwithina month.
Sincelanuary24, 1885,the telegraphhad linkedthe
and in the latterhalf of
Pacificcoastto the Atlanticas
March, like a thunderbolt,newsarrivedof the M6tis
uprisingunderLouisRielwho had returnedfrom Montana
in the preceding
lune.
Tach6,of
LouisRielhad beena prot6g6of Archbishop
and of the Grey Nuns
Dame Massonde Terrebonneag
whoseelementarv
schoolhe had attendedin St. Boniface
aE Morice, Hist. abr696e,p. I 16.
4e Deceasedin November 1883.
109
had senthim to Montrealto study
beforethe Archbishop
for the priesthood.The collegeprogramhad alteredhis
healthso in 1861,s0MotherDeschamps,
afterconsulting
his doctor,obtainedpermission
for him to continuehis
studiesas a day-student
while stayingat the old Mother
House.The studentdisappointed
his protectors.In 1870
he took up the chargeof the M6tis Movementin St.
Boniface.Followingthe uprising,he fled to Montana
where he becamean Americancitizen.Duringhis exile,
CabrielDumontjoined him in order to convincehim to
lead the Metis in Saskatchewan
and Albertawho were
g r a p p l i n gw i t h t h e s a m ep r o b l e m sa s h a d t h o s eo f
Manitobafifteenyearsearlier.The unfortunateRielallowed
himselfto be persuaded
and he engagedin an adventure
which would Droveto be hisdownfall.sl
Mother Deschampsand the Sistersrefusedto believe
that their former prot€96would harm his benefactors
among whose rankswas his own SisterSara,a valiant
missionaryat lle-e-la-Crosse
and who died there on
December27,1883. But on hearingthat Riel,despairing
and demented,had acceptedthe coalitionof the various
Indiantribes,they becamelustlyalarmed.lt wasthen that
shewrote to BishopGrandinto bring backto St. Boniface
the CreyNunsestablished
at Dunbowand Qu'Appelle.
On
April 8, the Bishoprepliedthat "there is no needto fearfor
our lives,but for our property."Alas,BishopCrandindid
not know that FathersMarchandand Fafardhad already
fallen,as well assevenother white men who were victims
of Big Bear,Riel'sally at FrogLake.
Vainwerethe petitionsof ArchbishopTach6and Bishop
Crandin,of the AnglicanBishopMacleanand of Colonel
50 MotherDeschamps
wasthen at the end of her secondterm as
Superior.
5l The detailsconcerningRielweretakenfrom his fil€ pr€served
at A.S.C.M.
110
to obtainiusticefor the Metis.s2An open revolt
Richardson
the sendingof
was inevitableand would necessitate
troops.A regimentleft Montrealon April 2, the very day
Marchand,Fafardand theircompanions
on which Fathers
Despite
their rapid travel by railway,many
were shot.
couldbe quelled.
thingshappenedbeforethe insurrection
The troops were fortunatethat the influenceof the
Oblates,notablyBishopGrandinand FathersLacombe,
Moulinand
Collignon,V6greville,
Hugonard,Paquette,
the Blood,
Piegan,
in keepingthe
Leduc,had succeeded
out of the war.
andthe Assiniboines
the Sarcis,
were sometimes
The reportscarriedby newspapers
contradictoryso that it was mid-Maybeforethe Sistersin
Montrealcould know what was happeningin 5t. Albert.
Then,duringa visitto the MotherHous€,FatherAntoine
informedthemthat peopleof the regionhadbeengripped
by fearand that the CreyNun Conventon the enchanting
hill had becomea refugefor women and childrenfrom
and Namao.Whenat the end of
Edmonton,Lamoureux
May newsof the deathof FathersMarchandand Fafard
anxiety reachedits
reachedthem, Mother Deschamps'
whom shebelieved
peak.Shedecidedto go to her Sisters
her because
to
dissuade
were threatened.The Sisterstried
of herageand poorhealthbut to no avail.lt washerduty
and evento sharetheir
to go and supporther missionaries
fateif suchwasCodt will.
the end of the
announced
On May 31, newspapers
principal
leaders'5i
of
the
the
capture
insurrectionand
mission
at Lacthe
that the Fortand
Theyalsoannounced
Thatwasall it
and destroyed.
had beenplundered
la-Biche
took to inducethe SuperiorGeneralto proceedwith her
plan.Furthermore,
shewouldbringalongto the Westtwo
s2 Breton,o.c., p. 295.
s 3R i e g
l a v eh i m s e luf p t o M i d d l e t o no n M a y 1 5 .
111
Tertiaries
from
new missionaries
and three Franciscan
Bourget,
Brittanyto ensurerelief.Thedeathof Archbishop
inclinedher
the saintlyold Bishopat Sault-au-Recollet,
to this worthy Bishopto
howeverto pay her respects
whom the GreyNunsowedso muchgratitude.sa
left in the eveningof June15 after
MotherDeschamps
good-byes
to the personnelat the Mother
emotional
House.Everyone
silentlywonderedif shewouldreturn.
Theitineraryincludeda stopat FortTottenfrom where
would departon luly 6. Two dayslater,they
the travellers
a r r i v e di n S t . B o n i f a c e ". E v e r y b o d y ' M
s other"was
w e l c o m e dw i t h g r e a t j o y . H a v i n gl e a r n e dt h a t M r s .
of
Delaneyand Mrs.Gowanlock,who had beenprisoners
Big Bearand of whom it had beenreportedthat they had
were in fact in Winnipeg,
beenabusedand massacred,
promptly
Deschamps
went
to offer her respectj
Mother
joy
andassure
themof her that theyweresafeandwell.
MotherDeschamoh
s ad no ideahow much the
insurrection
had disruotedlife at the conventsof Lac-LaBicheand lle-i-la-Crosse.
The revolthadevenalarmedthe
heroicwomen of the North.5sIn great fear, Fathers,
Brothers,Sistersand pupilshad fled from lle-a-la-Crosse,
which wassaidto be threatenedby the Cree.Theyfled to
the lsleof the Englishfifty milesfrom the missionwhere
Indianstill the end
by the Chipewyan
they weresheltered
live
accordingto Indian
of April and where they had to
s 4 A r c h b i s h o pB o u r g e t d i e d o n , u n e 8 a n d w a s b u r i e d o n t h e
twelfth after a solemn funeral which assembledboth friends and
a d v e r s a r i e sW
. e k n o w t h a t R i e l , i n o n e o f h i s r e l i g i o u sf o l l i e s ,
m e n t i o n e d h i s i n t e n t i o n o f r e m o v i n g H i s H o l i n e s sP i u s l X a n d
replacing him with Bishop Bourget.This could be explained by the
fact that Riel rightfully consideredBishop Bourget as a benefactor
of the Rielfamily.
si The account of these travels reached the Mother House onlv
a t t h e b e g i n n i n go f , u l y .
112
Theyreturnedonlyon May 3, feastof the Finding
customs.
of the Cross,afterthe priestshad erectedon the lsland,a
largewoodencrosson whichwasinscribed:
Brothers
and Officers
Sisters,
On this lsland,Priests,
Creein
the approaching
by theirpersecutors,
threatened
faithful
Chipewyans.
amongtheir
revolt,
cameto seekrefuge
It is in memoryof thisstayamongthemthat thiscrossis
to thankCod.s6
erected
Biche,
Panicseizedthe peopleof the regionof Lac-Laat FrogLakeonly threedays
afterthe massacre
especially
made
the Superior,
Youville,
mission.
Sister
from
the
distant
her
direction.
under
known her alarmto the six Sisters
feareda coalitionbetweenthe Creeof WhiteFish
Everyone
Lakeand thoseof Big Bear.BishopFaraudtried in vain to
countingon his personalinfluenceto
the Sisters
reassure
subduethe rebels.SisterYouvillewas not convincedand
insistedon leaving.Theflight took placeduringthe night
ot April28-29.Therealso,they took refugeon an island
and the
The Sisters
and reliedon fish for nourishment.
a
t
e
n
t which
h
u
t
s
a
n
d
p u p i l ss o u g h ts h e l t e ri n I n d i a n
weather.
protectedthem moreor lessagainstthe inclement
Theylivedin thisfashionuntilthe earlyeveningof May 12
whenaboarda leakycrafttheylandedon what theycalled,
"our precious
shore."
near the Arctic
As for the Sistersat Fort Providence,
had
been
sparedand
that they at least,
Circle,it appeared
of the turmoil:
yet, they experienced
the repercussions
boxes
delaysin mail serviceand damagedmerchandise:
who
delivered
them
and
those
with
blood
arrivedstained
far
fighting
not
is
"There
explainedto the missionaries:
from hereand Sisterslikeyou are being killed."A few
monthslater,they receiveda statueof Our Ladyof Lourdes,
s 6A . s . G . Md. o s s S
. r .H e a r n .
113
whichhadbeenshippedto themfrom France.
Thebox,on
hadbeenopened
arrivalat CreenLakenearlle-)-la-Crosse,
with an axe by the paganwarriors.At the sight of "this
woman layingin a coffin" the terrifiedvandalsfled. A
CatholicNativereturnedthe statueof the lmmaculate
Conception
and it wasgivena placeof honorin the chapel
at the conventof Providence.sT
MotherDeschamps
reached5t. Alberton July27. lt
wasthe first time that a SuoeriorCeneralhad visitedthis
remotemissionand it was there that she learnedof the
exoerience
of the missionaries
of Lac-La-Biche
and lle-d-laCrosse.
lt wasnot possible
for herto visittheseWvoplaces
of Lac-La-Biche,
but she requested
that the Sisters
the
nearestto St. Albert.come to meet her there.Sisters
Y o u v i l l e ,S i c a r da n d C a r r o l la r r i v e dt w o d a y s l a t e r .
Accordingto SisterYouville,there were no words to
e x p r e s sh e r b o u n d l e s sj o y : " t h e g r e a t e s jto y o f h e r
missionary
life."
A n o t h e r p r a i s e w o r t h yG r e y N u n , S i s t e rE m e r y ,
foundress
of the firstmissionin Alberta,andwho hadbeen
working there for th€ pasttwenty-sixyears,could now
In fac!
returnto her Makeraftersucha greatconsolation.
shediedon August5 with MotherGeneralat herside.On
was laid to rest beside
August7, the valiantmissionary
SisterAlphonsein whosecompanyshe had laboredfrom
the time of the founding.
Duringher stayin SunnyAlberta,MotherDeschamps
went to Dunbowand Qu'Appelle
in orderto re-assign
the
Sisters
there,accordingto the changesmentionedearlier.
In Calgary,
she met the FaithfulCompanions
of lesuswho
had beenestablished
at St. Laurent,but who had to flee
toward PrinceAlbert at the time of the revolt.Arrestedby
s 7 P . D u c h a u s s oF
i se, m m ehs e r o i q u e sp,p , 1 7 7 - 1 7 8 .
1't4
the rebels,they weretakento Rielin Batochewherethey
weretreatedwith respect.
Asfor Riel.historyhasrecordedhissadfatedespitethe
in the Bishops
and
fact that he had powerfulintercessors
t h e O b l a t eF a t h e r sE. i g h to f h i s a l l i e sw e r ee x e c u t e d
Tach6,upon learningof
Archbishop
togetherin Battleford.
of hisprot6g6,entrustedMr. Dugaswith the
the execution
of deliveringthe sad newsto hisfamily.On
responsibility
r 6 , S i s t e rL a m , t h e
t h i s s a m ee v e n i n go f N o v e m b e 1
Boniface,
went
on
behalf
of the CreyNuns
Superiorin St.
to expresssympathyto Louis'motherand to hiswife.
12, 1885,FatherGabrielCloutier,an
On December
Tach6went to Reginato claim
emissary
of Archbishop
LouisRiel'sbody and bring it backto St. Boniface.The
f u n e r a lc o n v o yt r a v e l l e db y n i g h t . R i e l ' sc o f f i n w a s
d e l i v e r e dt o t h e f a m i l y r e s i d i n ga t S t . V i t a l .O n t h e
Riel'scoffin,carriedon the
followingday,in St. Boniface,
shouldersof M6tis in their traditionalcoats,enteredthe
cathedralwhereArchbishopTach6awaitedthe body for
t h e f u n e r a sl e r v i c eT. h e G r e yN u n sg r i e v e do v e r t h e
unfortunatefate of their prot6g6.Accordingto their
from ludgingtheirformerpupiland
custom,theyrefrained
writersimply
prayedfor hiseternalrepose.
An anonymous
inscribed
the followingnotein the chronicles:
in calling
Riel,Codwasindeedmerciful
PoordearSister
herto himselfbeforenow andthusto havesparedherthe
over
sorrowand intensegriefshewouldhaveexperienced
thesadfateof herbrother!
It had often beentold that SisterRiel,known as Sister
MargueriteMarie,had been one of our most valiant
missionaries.
115
ST.ROCHAND ST.CAMILLEHOSPITALS,
1885
MotherDeschamps,
who had goneto the helpof her
Sistersthreatenedby the Rieluprising,continuedin the
W e s t ,h e r m i s s i o no f b r i n g i n gc o m f o r t .S h ev i s i t e d
successively
St. Albert,the schoolat Dunbowand that at
w h e r es h e
Q u ' A p p e l l et h e n r e t u r n e dt o S t . B o n i f a c e
remainedfor a longerperiodin orderto carryout the
C a n o n i c avl i s i t a t i o np r e s c r i b ebdy t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n s .
During her absence,an unexpectedevent took placein
Montrealwhichnecessitated
the helpof the GreyNuns.
T h e S u p e r i o rC e n e r a l h
, o w e v e r s, e e m e dt o h a v e
foreseenthe eventuality.
for at the time of her departure
from Montreal,shehad addressed
a finalrecommendation
to the Sistersof the Mother House:"Give of yourselves
generously.
lf any epidemicbreaksout, go to help the
victimsliketrue Sisters
of Charity."sa
A few casesof smallp o x w e r e r e c o r d e da t H d t e l - D i e ud u r i n g A p r i l . T h e
Departmentof Healththen decidedto open the civic
hospitalon the Zth of that month.By lune 10, twentyeight victims had been registered.The dangerof an
epidemicwas obvious.Mother Deschamps
had wisely
r e c o m m e n d e dt h a t h e r S i s t e r sf o l l o w t h e t r a d i t i o n
established
as earlyas 1755,wherebythe Sistershad
flockedto the helpof the plague-stricken.se
s8 Sr.Collette,Vie de Mire Deschamps.
p. 32.
5 eA r e l i g i o u ss i n c e" 1 7 3 7M
, o t h e rd ' Y o u v i l l ed o n n e dt h e g r e y
habit on Aug. 25, 1755. On that very day she went to assistthe
I n d i a n sa t S a u l tS t . L o u i sw h o w e r e a f f l i c t e dw i t h s m a l l - o o xl.n
1847, sevenGrey Nuns died of typhus contractedfrom the lrish
i m m i g r a n t s .E v e rs i n c e1 8 5 5 w h e n t h e S t . V i n c e n tH o s p i t a li n
T o l e d oc a m e i n t o e x i s t e n c ei,t w a s u n d e r s t o o dt h a t d u r i n g t h e
n u m e r o u se p i d e m i c sw h i c h b r o k e o u t i n t h i s t o w n s i t t i n g o n
m a r s h yl a n d , t h e G r e y N u n s w o u l d b e i n c h a r g eo f t h e " P e s t
Ho us e " ,
116
General,thereforedid
the Assistant
SisterCharlebois,
n o t h e s i t a t et o c a l l f o r t h v o l u n t e e r sT. h e S i s t e r so f
totally in the
for their part, gavethemselves
Providence
to
the disease'
succumbed
Eastsectionof town. Several
the West
plague60
reached
About August25, when the
side,four GreyNunsbeganto makeroundsof the homes
of the afflicted.As a measureof prudence,thesenurses
apartment,knownas the soapa separate
wereassigned
entering
defiedthe pestilence,
house.The visitingSisters
The
pitiableconditions.
homesto alleviate
the quarantined
the livingand it evenhappenedthat in
deadlayalongside
a largefamilytherewas only one left who was barely
consiiousenoughto be awarethat thoseabouthim were
dead. From September26 to October2, Montrealand
s u b u r b sr e c o r d e d4 0 1 d e a t h s .V a c c i n a t i o nb e c a m e
Thismeasurebroughtaboutsome-dissension
mandatory.
who opposedanychange.6l
from the population
Closeto H6tel-Dieuwas a refugewhere the quality of
care was inadequate.The town officialsaskedthe Grey
SistersHickey,
Nuns to take over the administration.
to
were
assigned
Martin
and
St.
Papineau, lean-de-la-Croix
on
the
set-up
visited
the task.SisterHickey,the Superior,
'l2.
September Shefoundseventytwo patientsin a pitiable
state,beggingher to carefor them. On the following
Monday,feastof the Triumphof the Cross,the four Grey
. h e i ra r r i v a
N u n s e n t e r e dt h i s h o u s eo f s u f f e r i n g T
certainmembersof the staffwho promptly left
displeased
to obtain
the temporaryhospitalmakingit necessary
had plenty
SisterCharlebois
immediately.
reinforcements
to choosefrom, so eagerwere the Sistersto exercisethat
the careof the poor' Thus,the
function oar excellence:
50 Unlessindicatedto the contrary,the detailsconcerningthis
epidemic,as well as the foundingof 5t. Roch,5t. camille and 5t.
Vincentweretakenfrom Circ.mens.I 884-1887.
6 l R u m i l yo, . c . ,v . 5 , p p . 8 3 - 8 4 .
"t17
n a m e so f S i s t e r F
s orgetC
, a s g r a i nL, a b r d q u e
and the
novicesReeves,
Mailloux,Cummings,Vallidres,
Laflamme,
Poitevin,Paiement.Ste-Josephine,
Weekes,Ste-Monique,
and Bourquedeserved
to be recordedin historyaswell as
Neveu.St. Stanislas,
thoseof Sisters
and Duchesneault,
visitingnurses.
T h u s a r o s eS t . R o c hH o s p i t a l r, e s u l t i n gf r o m a n
immediateneedwhich from its earlydayswas a prey to
oppositionand to a slanderous
campaign.Mr. l. Flynn,
Secretary
for the Departmentof Health,invitedSister
Charlebois
to refutethe accusations.
On October28, she
reolied:
It suffices
for me to knowthat our Sisters
areabouttheir
duty and to be awarethat the carethey aregivingthe
patientsis bothefficientandcharitable.
I preferthat we be
iustifiedbyourworksratherthanbyourwritings.
The epidemicwroughtsuch havocthat authorities
decidedto open a new lazarettoat the CrystalPalaceon
the Exhibition
Thispalaceidlacentto the
siteof Mile-End.
Mount Royalor St. CamilleHospitalhad beenblessed
on
October10, by BishopFabrewhile St. SauveurHospital,
reservedfor non-Catholics
and servicedby their own
Sisters
of SaintMargarethad beenblessedby Archbishop
B o n d .T h e b u i l d i n g se, n t i r e l ys e p a r a t e
b u t j o i n e db y
hallwayscould accommodate
more than 300 patients.lt
was to this facilitythat St. RochHospitaltransferredits
patientson December
4, 1885andwherepatientsafflicted
with small-pox
wouldbe caredfor.lt isa verifiable
factthat
praiseworthy
forty-eightCrey Nunsenrolledin this
team
'I
18
Sevenhundredand
alongwith the young BetsyO'Reilly.52
whom 232 would
of
there
treated
seveity patientswere
'1885,
the regionof
December
I885 to
die. FromFebruary
Montrealrecorded3,146deaths.63
hadbeeninformedof thesediverse
MotherDeschamps
a c t i v i t i e sa n d o f t h e n u m e r o u sc h a n g e sw h i l e s h e
to help the
the sameeagerness
in 5t. Boniface
witnessed
was
setup in
section
isolation
an
victimsof plague.In fact,
Hospital,
"the old
of the St' Boniface
one of the bu-ildings
repairedand set up for the careof contagious
ice-house",
herendorsement.
initiativeof coursereceived
This
cases.e
19,
stoppedat Fort
on
October
Sheleft the RedRiver
on the 27th,
Toledo
Tottenon the 23rd, and reached
whereshe had the delicatetaskof comfortingthe Sisters
directives.
by diocesan
who werebeingoppressed
O n N o v e m b e 4r , t h e d a y f o l l o w i n gh e r a r r i v a il r '
Montreal,the SuperiorCeneralwent to the St. Rochand
the nurses.
to supportand encourage
St.CamilleHospitals
to their
equal
Onceagain,the GreyNunshadprovento be
taskasJistersof Charity.Theydefiedthe dangersof the
c o n t a g i o na n d r e m a i n e d i i p o s e dt o g i v e t h e i r . l i f ei f
haddonein 1847and more
necessary
astheircompanions
recentlyin 1881.
62 Betsyo'Reillywasa youngorphanwho, unwillingto leavethe
C r e y N u n s ,h a d p u r p o s e l yd a m a g e dh e r e y e sw i t h a s t r o n g
she more or
subitance.Remainingat the conventas door-keeper,
l e s sh a d b e e na d o p i e db y M r s . T i f f i n ,w h o h a d h e r c o n s u l t h e
of the time. Betsy'seyesightwould never
most noted speciaiists
imorovebui she would proveworthy of the trust of her
and it would be shewho would assisther at death.
benefactress
53The administrationof 5t. camille Hospitalwas transferredto
N o t r e - D a m eH o s p i t a li n 1 8 9 5 a n d w a s o p e n t o P a t i e n t sw i t h
c o n t a g i o udsi s e a s e(sC. i r c .m e n s '1 8 9 5 - 1 E 9 8P,p . 11 5 - 117 . )
6 4H d o .5 t . R o c he t s t . B o n .A . s . G . M .d, o s s 2. '
't19
The SuperiorCeneralhad reasonto be proud of her
Sisterswhereverthey were. Shesaw that the spirit of the
was indeedalivein the Congregation,
Foundress
a spirit
in the Fatherhood
of God,that immense
"of participation
sourceof mercyand charity".Fromthe Fatherhoodof Cod
to the brotherhood
of man,thus maysummarize
in a few
journey
wordsthe spiritual
of the Motherof the Poor.
In the courseof the proceedings
for the introduction
of
Motherd'Youville's
Causebeforethe Court in Rome,the
Crey Nuns were indeedpleasedto read the testimonyof
oneof the witnesses:
Thelightof a faithdeveloped
to a degreeloftyenoughto
enablean ordinarywomanto discover
a devotionalmost
unknownin hersurroundings
andevenin the Catholic
world,suchattractioncouldhavebeenproducedonly by
the Soirit of God.65
MotherDeschamps
and all her Sisters
knewthat their
Foundress,
underthe movementof the SpiriLhad chosen
as a modelthe belovedSonwho had said:"No one can
come to the FatherexceptthroughMe" (n 14:6)and it
wasa great ioy for them to seeabovethe sidealtar to the
left, UrbainBourgeois'beautifulpaintingrepresenting
lesus
urgingsoulsto trust in the Fatherand to lofe Him. This
paintingwas installed
at the end of September
and wasa
copy of anotherin the Mother Houseof the Sistersof the
The benefactor,
Mrs. Tiffin,also
SacredHeartin Paris.66
Christ
orderedfrom the sameartist anothermasterpiece:
teachingthe Lordt Prayerto his disciples.
On December
15 of this memorableyear,1885,67it was blessedand
installedabovethe altardedicatedto the EternalFather.
65Circ. mens.'1884-1887,
p. 351. The devotionmentlonedhere
is that of the EternalFather.
5 6 l b i d . ,p . 2 9 3 .
5 7C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 4 - 8 7p, . 3 5 0 .
120
of their
Eventoday,thesepaintingsremindthe Sisters
the
Father,
ideal:total trust in the mercyof Cod the
imitationof Christwho so lovedmankindthat he accepted
they are inspiredby the middle
Finally,
deathon a cross.68
St.losephat hiswork bench.assisted
paintingrepresenting
is evidentby the
bv the Childwhoseskilledworkmanship
iross abovehishead.6e
had
Motherd'Youville
For the benefitof the Sisters,
preferredto conveyin picturesratherthan in wordswhat
bod expectedof them herebelow:the imitationof Christ
by workson behalfof the poorin the largehumanfamily.
yourgood
mensothatseeing
Yourlightmustshinebefore
is
in heaven
who
to the Father
work, theywillgivethanks
(Mt.5:l 6).
had beenfaithfulto her instructions.
Quietly,the Sisters
In the Northwest.they had takenin thosewho fled the
for
they caredfor the sickin hospitals,
rebels;everywhere,
for orphansand other childrenin
the elderlyin hospices,
itinerants
foundlingsfilledtheir nurseries,
their schools;
despite
Furthermore,
at HospiceSt.Charles.
weresheltered
eventsof thosenot to be forgottenyears,
the unexpected
they accepteda new type of work in Montreal.Mother
58 lt will be rememberedthat two paintings of the Holy Crosshad
been received in May of the same year. Two other paintings
reoresentinqthe martyrdom of St. Andrew and the stigmata of 5t
1886' At
Francisof issisi bv thi same artist would be received in '1853
and
that time, the two Paintingsdonated by Father Faillon in
rear
of
placed
at
the
would
be
Durangel
ieopold
1856 by ihe artist
the chapel.
6e Some time before her death, Mother d'Youville herself,writing
to her attorney, had asked him to have made in Francea palnting
a c c o r d i n gt o t h i s d e s c r i p t i o nT. h i s p a i n t i n gw o u l d b e . m a d eo n l y i n
1830 under the administration of Mother Lemaire who suggested
a d d i n g " t h e B l e s s e dv i r g i n w i t h h e r s p i n d l e ' " M o t h e r L e m a i r e
wisheJ thus to perp€tuate the devotion of the Foundressto the
Holy Family.
121
Deschamps,
an outstandingwoman of prayer,was filled
with joy assheengagedin action.
ASYLUMOF ST.HENRIDESTANNERIES,
1885
The Villageof Tanneries
in the suburbsof
developed
Montreal.In 1874 it becamethe municipalcorporation
of
5 t . H e n r ia n d N a r c i s sTe r u d e lw a s e l e c t e dm a y o rt h e
followingyear.The Town of St- Henriwas proud of its
beautifulchurchwhichas of luly 2, 1867was its parish
centre;there the upper middle-class
of lawyers,doctors,
notariesand merchantsattendedservices
alonq with the
commonfolk.To
Tanners
engagedin preparingleather(hencethe name
Tanneries)
had long beenestablished
there.The machine
and the slaughterhouse
shopsof the CrandTrunkRailway
for the westsideexplainedthe increase
of the population
population
working
where
to 9,000.71
lt wasa
the women
alsofound employmentoutsidethe home.Among the
providedat St.Henri,the Canadian
leisureactivities
Clubof
Racketeers
wasdeflnitelythe favorite.T2
The charminglittle town wasendowedwith a convent,
theresince1870.
that of the Sisters
of St.Anne,established
maintained
Brothers
and a College
by the
of the Christian
Schools
builtby the parishtwo yearslater.
However,FatherR6miD6carie,pastorthere since
1882,73deploredthe absenceof a day-carecentre,a
7 0 R u m i l l y ,o . c . ,T . 3 , p . 5 8 .
7 r U n l e s so t h e r w i s e i n d i c a t e d ,t h e d e t a i l s c o n c e r n i n g S t . H e n r i
were taken from the chronicles of the asvlum and from the Circ.
mens. of the years mentioned.
7 2 R u m i l l y ,o . c . t . 3 , p . 1 4 9 .
v1 Frcm 1877-1879, he had replaced Fr. l. Cratton, the second
pastor. Fr. D6carie had occupied several positions, one of which
w a s a t V a n c o u v e rl s l a n d a n d a n o t h e r a t O a k l a n d ,C a l i f o r n i a .H i s
health, fragile at first. became more stable. He was named pastor
a t B e d f o r d .N . Y . i n 1 8 7 9 a n d r e t u r n e dt o S t - H e n r i n 1 8 8 2 .
122
n u r s e r ys c h o o lo r a k i n d e r g a r t e nH. e c o n v i n c e dt h e
boardof the parishby 1884,to found a
administrative
age,andto
of pre-school
shelterfor childrenof both sexes,
what to
He
knew
Nuns.Ta
entrustits directionto the Grey
of the Sisters
and the success
exoectof the dedication
w h o m h e h a d o b s e r v e di n a c t i o na t s i m i l a rw o r k si n
and St.
St. Patrick's
of Nazareth,
Montreal.the institutions
i
n that
n
i
e
c
e
s
h
e
h
a
d
t
h
r
e
e
m
o
r
e
o
v
e
r
.
a
n
d
loseph's,
community.Ts
projecton October
BishopFabreapprovedthe pastor's
of a
29, 1884and the followingspring,the construction
| 00 ft. x 40 ft. with an
brickbuildingmeasuring
two-storey
addedkitchen,wasbegun.The housewasbuilt on parish
andfacingCollegeStreet.
propertyadjacentto the sacristy
went to the
In the courseof the winter,FatherD6carie
Mother
intercede
with
MotherHouseon Guy Streetto
Deschamps.
"Why do you want GreyNuns?"she asked.
"Toopena shelterfor our smallchildren.""Aretheremany
smallchildrenin your parish?""Mother,are theremany?
lust lift any boardof the sidewalkand somewill appear!"
smiledand latersheurged
repliedthe pastor.TheSuperior
of herCouncilto acceptthisnewworkwhich
the members
the founderhadcalledan asylumor shelter.
and
body wasfinanciallyrestrained
The administrative
The
pastor
and
discerning.
was
optimistic
in deb! but the
debt would ultimatelybe paid off and graduallyalsothe
wouldbeginby takingin
TheSisters
workwould progress.
p r e - s c h o oclh i l d r e n t, h e n o r p h a n sa n d a f e w e l d e r l y
persons,
and a Sisterwouldvisitthe poor in their homes.
Thisdiversityof work would be coveredunderthe name
o f a s y l u ma n d F a t h e rD 6 c a r i ew h o h a d f o r e s i g hbt u t
74 E.Auclair,st-HenridesTanneries,
p. 72.
7sThe Crey Nuns had acceptedto managea schoolat St-Henri
f r o m1 8 6 11- 8 7 0 .
't23
agreedto beginslowly,returnedhomewith the promise
t h a t S i s t e r sw o u l d s o o n g o a n d a s s i s th i m w i t h h i s
c h a r i t a b l ew o r k s .T h e y w o u l d b e e m p l o y e db y t h e
body and would receivea smallannual
administrative
salary.
In earlysummer,Sisterst-Louis,
the Superior,
and one
o f h e r c o m p a n i o n sp, r o b a b l yS i s t e rA u b r y ,w e n t t o
supervise
the finalstagesof construction
at the requestof
the founder.They stayedat the rectoryand with the
womenthey madethe mainarticlesof linenand
charitable
for the asylumhad no other
workedto organizea bazaar,
resources
from hispersonal
thanthe helpof FatherD6carie
patrimonyandfrom publicdonations.
The relianceof the founderon the generosityof his
oarishioners
was well founded.Devotedwomenwhose
- Mesdames
in the archives,
Lenoir,
namesare preserved
L6tourneau,
De Sdveand Descary
werecontributors
aswell
as were certaingentlemenwhom the chroniclesdo not
identify,contributedtowardconstruction.
Somededicated
their evenings,
othersentiredaysin orderto speedup its
comoletion.A certainMr. P.Lefebvreassumedthe dutv of
nighiwatchmanuntilthe buildingwascompleted.
F r o m t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g ,t h e S i s t e r s' i n h e r i t e d '
for Ang6lique,
a fraillittleold woman
G6lique,a nickname
w i t h a n a s a lv o i c e a n d w h o m t h e P a s t o rc a l l e dt h e
and future
foundress,
while FatherLatulippe,his assistant
it was
calledher hisdaughterbecause
bishopof Hailebury,
hewho haddirectedherto the asylum.
O n t h e l a s t S u n d a yo f A u g u s t , F a t h e rD 6 c a r i e
announcedthe openingof the asylumfor September1.
Despitethe prevalentsmallpoxepidemic,the population
respondedreadilyto this projectsince400 childrenhad
registered;
400 veryyoungchildrenwho knewnothingof
disciplineor silenceand who ran at top speedup and
124
Aubryand StSt-Louis,
down the stepsand porch.Sisters
Ceorgeshad their handsfull tamingtheselittleones,but
psychologists,
they would channelthis
likeexperienced
occurredhardly
surplusenergy.Thefeastof FatherD6carie
o n e m o n t h f r o m t h e e n t r a n c ed a t e a n d t h e S i s t e r s
organizeda programfeaturingall theselittleonesas well
as the elevenorphangirlswho livedon the upperfloor
whileattendingdayschool.
with a
Thebazaarendedtowardthe end of September
a
theirfondesthopes: $1,500.00
that exceeded
success
profit. The pastorhad sparedno effort to encourage
s ithout
v i s i t o r sH
. e p a r t i c i p a t e idn v a r i o u sa c t i v i t i e w
the
closed
doors
certain
least
that
behind
in the
suspecting
l i t t l e o n e sw e r e b e i n gt r a i n e dt o s i n g a n d t o " r e c i t e
for him.
gracious
littlerecitations"
Theywere talentedand performedperfectlyon the
eveningof October1, the feastof St. R6mi.The founder
and the parents
success
was jubilantat the precocious
youngsters
their
proud
by
of the talentdisplayed
were
whose progresshad been so evident.lt was already
necessary
to increasethe numberof sisterson staff so
were appointed.the latter
Tessier
and Casgrain
Sisters
poor
in theirhomes.
the
to visiting
beingassigned
Despitethe financialdifficulties,the Sisterssurvived,
the schoolprogramimproved,the asylumeven had its
At
officersand generals.
own regimentof seventysoldiers,
s o l e m n r e l i g i o u sf u n c t i o n s , " t h e s e f e a r l e s sa n d
mountedguardand presented
littlesoldiers
irreproachable
was
The attendance
Sacrament."
armsbeforethe Blessed
performance
evenmorethan by
movedby this spectacular
that of the renownedchoirof St.Henri.
The populationof the regionincreasedto the point
of SteTheparishes
wherethe parishhadto be subdivided.
'125
Cun6gonde
and St. Elisabeth
wereset up.76
du Portugal
UnderMayorEugEneCuay.seventimesre-elected
to that
post,the town prospered.
A shoefactorywasopenedanda
nightschoolaswell.77Forseveral
years,Montrealhad cast
longingeyestoward St.Henriin viewof annexation.
Father
D6carie
whoseopinioncarriedweight,wasfavorable
to the
projectT
. h e m a y o ra n d t h e a l d e r m e nr e c o g n i z etdh e
advantages
and on October30, 1905,the Capitalcity
assumedthe debt and St. Henricouldelecttwo members
to the Councilof the Cityof Montreal.Ts
I n 1 9 0 9 p l a n sw e r ei n i t i a t e dt o r e b u i l dt h e a s y l u m
because
of the growingpopulation,but they would be
realizedonly in 1929,when a group of committedlay
peopletook in handthe destinyof the work createdin
1885 by CanonR6miD6carieof illustrious
memoryand
servedby the GreyNuns.Te
_ 1886_
As a consequence
of the terminationof the small-pox
epidemigand especially
of the restoration
of calm in the
W e s t e r np r o v i n c e s ,i t w o u l d a p p e a r t h a t M o t h e r
Deschamps
might diminishher own activities.
The recent
foundations
weregoing well.Theelementary
schoolin St.
Boniface
whichhad beenmovedto the formercollegehad
becomethe Provencher
Academy.
Asfor the hospitalin St.
Boniface,which dated back more than a decade,it was
progressing
by leapsand bounds.Foundedin 1871 with
76 Ste-Elisabeth
wasestablished
at the exactplacewherethe Grey
N u n sh a d l i v e df r o m 1 8 6 1t o 1 E 7 0 .
77 Rumily,o.c. T. 3, pp. 154-155.
7 8l b i d . ,p . 3 6 5 .
7 eF r . D d c a r i e ' sd e a t h o c c u r r e di n A u g u s t 1 9 2 0 . I n h i s h a n d written will he bequeathed$10,000.00of his estateto benefitthe
o r p h a n sT. h e a s y l u mb e c a m et h e H o s p i c ei n 1 9 2 1 ,a H o m ei n
'1953,
a n df i n a l l ya H e a l t hC e n t r ei n 1 9 7 6 .
126
four beds,ten othershad beenaddedthroughthe years,
but it wasevidentthat it couldno longermeetthe needs
A fund-raising
campaignwas launched
of the population.
wasconfidentit would
in the springof 1886andeveryone
be successful.so
A g r o u p o f z e a l o u sw o m e n i n S t . B o n i f a c ec a m e
togetherfor the purposeof helpingthe poor.MissTach6,a
Weekly,
wasnamedthe president.
sisterof the Archbishop,
they met at the vicarialhousewherethey did sewingfor
the needy.
of Charitycontinuedtheir
Fortheir part,the Sisters
with Mrs. Riel,the motherof poor Louis.
work discreetly
SisterLamy,the vicarialsuperiorvisitedher regularlyand
of thiswoman
wasedifiedby the courageand resignation
who foundcomfortin herfaith.Asfor the widow of Louis
underthe burden
Riel,the formerprot6g6,shesuccumbed
May
24,
1886.81
passed
on
away
of thistrialand
As for the difficultiesin Toledo,they had reacheda
had to comefrom
stateof crisisand MotherDeschamps
Montrealon April 15 to offer the Bishopof Clevelanda
solution:to give up the ownershipof the asylumon the
conditionthat he cancelthe debt.Thiswasnot the end of
thiswork.Sheextendedherstayin
herworriesconcerning
monthsand it wastherethat shelearned
Toledofor several
by telegramon May 31, of the deathof FatherCampion.
p.s.s.,the founderof this institutionnow beingso sorely
tried.82.
8 0 C i r c . m e n s . 1 8 8 4 - 1 E E 7 ,p . 4 0 9 . U n l e s so t h e r w i s ei n d i c a t e d ,
the details which follow are from the same source.
8l Mrs. Riel left two orphans who were taken in by an uncle.
8 2 F r . C a m p i o n w a s t h e n t h e V i c a r - G e n e r a ol f t h e d i o c e s e o f
Cleveland.He left this position in lE56 and entered the Sulpicians
of Montr€al the same year.
127
Evenwhile far awayfrom the Mother House,Mother
Deschamps
wascalleduponto makedecisions
concerning
Consequently,
the developmentof the other missions.
a
was maintainedbetweenMontreal
closecorresoondence
and Toledo.lt was at the latterstationthat newsof her
largefamilyand herhomelandreachedher.
Wth anguish,she learnedon April27, of the stateof
who had received
healthof SisterCharlebois,her assistant,
the Sacrament
of the sick.Shehad plannedto return to
Montrealbut shewasnotifiedby telegramthat the patient
wasnow out of danger.
A newsbulletininformedherthat in Quebec,Montreal
and Ottawa the promotionof ArchbishopE.A.Taschereau
whileBishops
wasbeingcelebrated
to the rankof Cardinal
in
Fabreand Duhamelwereelevated
to that of Archbishop
BishopGibbonsalso
theirrespective
dioceses.
In Baltimore,
was madea Cardinal.Mother Deschamps
and the Grey
Nunsdid not anticipate
at that time,that the newCardinal
in endingthe conflictin Toledo.83
wouldbe instrumental
The Sisterswere no longersurprisedat seeingMother
For manylong
Deschamps
deal squarelywith difficulties.
yearsthey had admired her sereneattitude nourishedby
innerstrength.Sheindeeddeploredthe thornyquestionof
5t. Vincentt Asylum,a topic of publicnotoriety,despite
t h e d i s c r e t i o no f t h e S i s t e r sA
, s if to comfort her
concerningthis sad stateof affairs,a requestreachedher
from BishopMartyof North Dakotato establiihmissionsin
three areasof his diocese.Thoughit was impossibleto
she
complywith this requestfor lackof availableSisters,
was happy to know that the servicesof her religious
anddesired.
communitywereappreciated
8 3 B i s h o pW . E l d e r ,A r c h b i s h o po f C i n c i nn a t i ,r e c e i v e dt h e
he senthis
mandateof conciliator.Aftertwo yearsof negotiations,
resignation
to Rome.(Arch.of Toledo)
128
had no ideathat in Montreal,the
MotherDeschamos
werepreparing
to giveheran eloquenttestimonyof
Sisters
f i l i a l a d m i r a t i o nS
. e p t e m b e9r w o u l d m a r kt h e 5 0 t h
familyand the
of her entryinto their religious
anniversary
pomp. When
planned
with
event
the
to
celebrate
Sisters
strateg,
the Sisters
means
of
the programwas ready,by
House
underthe
arrangedfor her to returnto the Mother
problemrequiredher
pretextthat someadministrative
8,
presence.
Theyset the dateof her arrivalfor September
planned
6th.
Another
on
the
to
return
but Motherhad
had
t e l e g r a mi n f o r m e dh e r t h a t t h e t r a i n a n t i c i p a t e d
service.Shethereforearrivedin Montrealat
discontinued
Z.
ten o'clockin the eveningof September
stationat
Anotherhitch! Shearrivedat the Dalhousie
had
been
who
of
as
the
Sisters
the sametime
Quebec
Sisters.
the
invitedto the feast.But this did not disconcert
T h e y i n v i t e dh e r t o s p e n dt h e n i g h t a t N o t r e D a m e
Hospital.
An nineo'clockthe followingmorning,SisterCharlebois
went to fetch the SuperiorCeneralwho was officially
along
welcomedbackby the wholecommunityassembled
The
tight
the HolyCrosscorridorof the MotherHouse.
to the community
ranksof thosepresentclosedaccess
room thus concealingany sign of the demonstrationto
come.
at one o'clock,the greetingbegan.Mother
Precisely
D e s c h a m p sw i t h g r e a t s u r p r i s e ,t h e n u n d e r s t o o d
of Charityof
yesterday's
meeting,for she saw the Sisters
and Ottawaminglingwith thoseof
Quebec,St. Hyacinthe
wisheson thissolemnoccasion.
their
best
Montrealto offer
for
surprises,
Thiswasnot the end of MotherGeneral's
and
Alexander,
her
brothers
room
in the community
loseph
129
awaitedheFaas well as Mrs.Tiffin
the belovedSulpician,
The careerof the SuperiorGeneralwas
and Mr. Devins.Es
appropriate
for
in a cantataand in an address
summarized
great
washeremotionthat shecould
the circumstance.
Sa
not express
herdeepgratitudein her usualeasymanner.A
small boy of pre-schoolage, reciteda little compliment
her composure;
then
during which time she recovered
noticingtwo Sisters
from Toledowho had travelledon the
sametrain as she had but without her knowledge,
she
exclaimed:"My Sistersare too clever,they will not live
long." The commentrelaxedthe emotionallycharged
atmosphere
and then camethe offeringof gifu. Mr. Devins
offered a Calvarywith life-sizestatuesdestinedfor the
offered
diningroom.Mrs.Tiffin,with her usualprodigality,
and
magnificent
churchvestments.
TheSisterCommunities
generous
benefactors
were
Superior
other
also
towardthe
Ceneral.Amongthe four paintingsof Motherd'Youville
o f f e r e do n t h i s m e m o r a b l ed a y , M o t h e r D e s c h a m p s
undoubtedlypreferred,
thoughshedid not sayso,the one
which had been made by MaggieOsborn,formerlyher
little prot6g6.
Thecelebration
endedonlyon the followingday.At the
M a s s ,a v o c a l c o m p o s i t i o nw i t h a b i b l i c a lt e x t w a s
beautifully
executed.lt had beencomposedby Alexandre,
her brother,who was not presentdue to the fact that the
celebration
of the previous
day haddrainedhisstrength.
8 4 F r . A . D e s c h a m p sl e f t H o s p i c e S t . i o s e p h i n 1 8 8 5 d u e t o i l l
health. From then on, he was chaplain at the Hospiceof Nazareth.
The Sulpiciansare credited with having revived the devotion to St.
loseph and thus to have paved the way for the later erection of the
magnificent 5t. Joseph'sShrineon Mount Royal.
8 5 M r . D e v i n s ' s p o u s eh a d d i e d o n J u l y5 . B e c a u s es h e h a d b e e n a
benefactor, a solemn servicewas held for her at the Mother House
on the l4th.
130
At the close of this beautifulday, Mother Deschamps
asfollows:
summarizedher impressions
FATHER
let us thankthe ETERNAL
With Motherd'Youville,
for the growthof our Institute.May the fervorof our early
Sisters
be everaliveamongusandmayCharitynourishallthe
othervirtues.
as
appears
of the Lordfor a HALFCENTURY
In the service
not
see
world
may
all
the
While
of
happiness.
oneday a day
it. Letusgivethanksto Cod.
it thatwat we indeedcherish
In dedicatingmyselfto Cod, my lovehasgrownso that I
canloveyou allthe more.
The
lcame into its possession.
lexamineda treasure...
poorand the orphanshavebecomeall my wealth.Who shall
takeit from me?
The feastcould not lastforever,and Mother Deschamps
after attending to some urgent problemsand visiting the
immensehouseyet unfinished,returnedto Toledowith
SisterGadbois as Secretary.She was therefore not present
at the General headquartersof the Institute when on
October 7, FatherLacombeescortedCrowfoot, chief of the
Blackfoottribe and his brother, Threebulls,when thei
visitedthe Mother House.Thesevisitorsof note contributed
by their presenceto the successof the bazaarin favor of
the building projectat the cathedral.86
The aoostle of the Blackfoot had insisted on their
visiting the Grey Nuns. They were welcomed with all the
respectdue to their rank. Chief Crowfoot addressedthe
audiencewith FatherLacombeas his translator.The Chief
was sufferingfrom asthma.He usedhis fan of crow feathers
in order to facilitatehis breathing.He was describedas
being tall, of noble appearancewith delicatefeatures,
8 6T h i s w a s t h e s t . l a m e s C a t h e d r a l o f M o n t r e a l , n o w c a l l e d ,
"Mary Queen of the World."
131
sparklingblackeyesand a statelybearing.Thetwo Indians
felt uncomfortablein the city; they did not enioy it;
therefore,alongwith their mentor,they set out the next
dayto returnto the prairies.
heldfor the
Byvirtueof the interestMotherDeschamps
presumptuous
Indianmissions,
it is not
to believethat she
s a v o r e dt h e d e t a i l so f t h i s v i s i t a s r e p o r t e di n t h e
communitychronicles.
Theyearendedon a noteof sadness
for the CreyNuns.
FatherM.C. Bonnissant,
the dedicatedpriestwho had
s p e n t h i s f i n a l y e a r s g u i d i n g t h e c o m p l e t i o na n d
embellishment
of the chapel,died suddenlyon November
writingto Fatherlcard,Superior
15. MotherDeschamps
wouldsay:
Ceneralof the Sulpicians,
lf the Seminary
of Montrealhaslostin himoneof its most
members,
we GreyNunsmournan eminent
distinguished
(...)Hisbroadexperience
hadwon our trust.We
benefactor
anythingwithouthavingfirst consulted
did not undertake
to
chapel
willforever
speak
him(...)Ourlargeandbeautiful
usof hisbenevolence.
In order to perpetuatethe memoryof this benefactor,
his name was inscribedin a gold heart fastenedto the
statueof the BlessedVirgin donatedby Mrs. Tiffin and
placedabovethe altarof the EternalFather- a gift of the
unfolded
Sulpician.
Thefeastof the Presentation
deceased
with greatpomp on November21. Furthermorgthe Grey
whichwould
Nunswouldobtainthe heartof the Sulpician
in the crypt of the Mother Houseneara
be preserved
tombstoneerectedin hismemory.
132
IV
CHAPTER
1887-1889
for 1887.
AnotherGreyNun Chapterwasscheduled
who wasnearingthe endof hersecond
MotherDeschamps
was no doubt eagerto transferthe
mandatel
five-year
to otherhands.
torchof responsibility
e ,l e v e nn e w w o r k sh a d
D u r i n gh e r a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
at the end of 1877,ffie
sprungto fife.2From250 Sisters
numblr had increasedto 378 over a ten-yearperiod.
saw the dawn of this year in Toledo
Mother Deschamps
One could
her presence.
necessitated
which had again
1 Sheheld officefrom 1853 to 1863 and was re-electedin lE77
a n di n 1 8 8 2 .
2 Amonqthesemissions,
the St. J€rOmethe schoolin Lawrence,
had to.close
Emilienor[hanage,as well asthe Nazarethdispensary
only
for reasoniexoliinedabove.As for St. RochHosPital,it lasted
'1887,.at
throughthe ei:idemicof 1885. ln Septemberof the year,
t h e r 6 q u e s to f A r c h b i s h o pT a c h € ,t h e G r e y N u n s a s s u m e dt h e
d i r e c t i o no f P r o v e n c h eArc a d e m yw h e r et h e y w o u l d t e a c hs m a l l
b o y s u n t i l 1 8 9 9 . T h i s a p o s t o l a t ew a s i n a u g u r a t e db y - 5 r s 'S t e '
Placideand Coutureand gave |.iseto the Priestlyvocationof Fr.
Alex.Lambert.
I JJ
s u r m i s et h a t t h i s w o m a n o f a c t i o nw a s r e l u c t a n t o
a problemas criticalas that of
bequeathto her successor,
theorphanage.
The preparation
of the CeneralChapterhowever,was
imperative
and so the SuperiorGeneralreturnedto the
p a c h 6o f S t ,
M o t h e r H o u s eo n M a r c h7 . 3A r c h b i s h o T
B o n i f a c eh a s t e n e dt o g r e e t h e r . H e w a s a t t h e t i m e ,
occupyingthe apartmentof Mrs. Tiffinwho had left for
Romeon the 22nd of the previousmonth.aWthout delay
went to Notre DameHospitalwhere
Mother Deschamps
wasseriously
ill. Theencounter
herdearbrotherAlexandre
had almostbeenabortedfor the oatient'sconditionhad
declinedsinceearlyMarch.
strongand serenein spiteof her
MotherDeschamps,
madea shortvisitto the housesin the city
heavyschedule,
on the day followingher arrival.Eagerto claimwhat she
of the poor'shemadethe roundsof the
called'the blessing
variouswards.
Therewere521 of all ages:the elderly,orphanboysand
greetedthis tender
girls,abandoned
childrenaffectionately
mother.Althoughshe was followingthe Toledoaffair
c l o s e l y ,o t h e r m a t t e r sa l s o c l a i m e d h e r a t t € n t i o n .
Providence
actingthrougha benevolentperson,provided
financesto completethe mainwing of the MotherHouse
from the chapelto 5t. MathieuStreet.sThe chronicler
was grateful,for sinceher
noted that Mother Deschamps
were
that the 778 residents
arrival,shehadbeenconcerned
very closelyconfined.Sheset the proiectin motionwithout
delay,knowingwell that she would thus alleviatethe
3 C i r c .m e n s . 1, 8 8 4 - 8 7p, . 5 5 9 .
a lbid., p. 569. Mrs.Tiffinwould attendthe layingof the cornerstoneat the canadianCollegein Rome.
5 This centralwing begun in 1879, comprisedonly the ground
leveland the first floor
134
Mr, Victor Bourgeau,architect,
burdenof her successor.
assumedthe directionof this work.
Anothermatterhad requiredthe returnof the Superior
from Toledo.BishopMinetti,from Romehadgiven
General
i n s t r u c t i o n cs o n c e r n i n gt h e i n t r o d u c t i o no f M o t h e r
d ' Y o u v i l l e 'C
s a u s eb e f o r et h e R o m a nC o u r t . A v i c e postulatorwould first haveto be appointedto replace
then, the writingsof the prospective
FatherBonnissant;
The Romanprelate
have
to be examined.
would
candidate
the caseis wel
very
beautiful,
added:"The Causeis really
are well informed."6Father
oresentedand the witnesses
p.s.s.,was namedvice-postu
lator.On April
PierreRousseau,
21, BishopFabreissueda decreeto be readfrom the pulpit
a t D a r i s hm a s s e sa n d a t t h e C h a p t e ro f r e l i g i o u s
for the purposeof collectingthe writingsof
communities
the Servantof God.Thefirst studysessionof thesewritings
washeldon May12,'1887.7
At the end of May,the SuperiorGeneralexperienced
of the Sioux
anothergreatioy. SisterlosephineNebraska,
of
the vicaria
chapel
vowsin the
tribe,madeher religious
Indianto
Shewasthe firstpure-blood
houseof St.Boniface.
dedicateherselfto Godasa GreyNun. MotherDeschamps
to whom befellthe duty of officiallyacceptinglosephineas
a memberof the CongregationrecognizedGod'swork in
this nativegirl who had a ratherdifficultpast.uThe seed
5 Letterto Chancellor
T. Harel,lan. 2'l, 1887.
7 Circ.mens.'l884-87,pp.613-614.The resultof this studywas
s e n tt o R o m eo n l u n e1 2 .
8 The sadfate of the Siouxis known.Theywere Pressedby the
the Sauteux,their mortal enemy
Americanarmy and repulsedby
'1870.
Mother McMullenvisiting5t.
during the tragicyears1860acceptedto be the godmotherof AdEle,
Bonifice in 1859-'1860,
ArchbishopTach€became
the eldestsisterof losephineNebraska.
her godfather.The two little sisterswere raisedat the orPhanage
of thi GreyNuns.AdElemarried,but losephineopted for religious
life. Nancy,their mother,livedat the convent.After her daughter's
135
wassproutingin thesedistantmissions
whichhad required
muchself-sacrifice
and greatheroism.The day had come,
provingthat hope had not beenin vain.Besides,
these
m i s s i o nn
s o w a p p e a r e dl e s sd i s t a n ts i n c et h e r a i l w a y
spannedthe countryfrom coastto coastand therewas
evena steamshipplyingalong the Mackenzie
River.e
The
Sistersfrom there had hopedthat thus facilitated,trav€.
would allow the SuperiorGeneralto visitthe Northern
posrs.
Lifewasnot all merelyroutinebusiness
however,
for the
S u p e r i oor f t h e G r e yN u n f a m i l y .O n J u n e3 , s h e w a s
summonedto the bedsideof her Suloician
brotherwho
died the followingday at eleveno'clockin the eveningat
the ageof forty-five.Hewashappyto be assisted
in hisfina,
hoursby hiseldersisterwho hadformerlysponsored
him as
an orpnan.
Threemonthslater,on August7, SisterCharlebois,
the
AssistantCeneral,also passedaway,mournedby the
communitywhich she had so faithfullyservedand by
MotherDeschamps
who in 1879,haddelegatedherto the
Northernmissionsto comfortthe missionaries
therewho
were sufferingfrom continuousdeprivations
and from
r i g o r o u sc o l d . N e w so f t h e l a t t e rd e a t h r e a c h e dt h e
Northernwilderness
onlyseveralmonthslater.The "heroic
women"praisedthisworthyGreyNun who had overcome
all the dangersand inconveniences
of a long iourneyin
orderto comfortthem and confirmthem in the certitude
8...profession,
she proclaimedherselfto be a great lady, having
dnd was
J e s u s - C h r ia
s ts a s o n - i n - l a w5. r . N e b r a s k ap e r s e v e r e a
termeda model religious.Shedied on April 3, 1894 at a9e thirtyf i v e , l e a v i n gt o h e r m o t h e rt h e c r o s sr e c e i v e da t h e r r e l i g i o u s
(TheFirstSiouxNun, Sr.Hilger).
profession.
e The transcontinental
left Montrealon ,une 28, 1886for its first
r u n . A s f o r t h e s t e a m s h i pi ,t a p p e a r e do n t h e g r e a t r i v e ro f t h e
136
that despitethe distance,they belongedto a familythat
them.
lovedand appreciated
had not yet drainedthe cup of
MotherDeschamps
sorrow.The bewilderingtoll of deathsrecordedat the
the
publicitysurrounding
Crbchegaveriseto unfavorable
Crey Nuns.Peopleseemedto overlookthe fact that these
poor littlevictimswerealreadymoribundwhenadmittedor
when found at somechurchdoor.l0DoctorsRottotand
testifiedin favor
Laberge,regularvisitorsat the institution,
of thi good care given by the Sisters.llThe Superior
wishingto improvethe lot of thesechildren,went
Ceneral,
to New Yorkto visit the foundlinghome directedby the
techniquecouldnot
of MotherSeton.TheAmerican
Sisters
solvethe problem.Many long yearswould elapsebefore
for a mothe/s
substitutes
woulddevelopacceptable
science
care.
28, 1887the smallfour-bedhospitalat
On September
Fort TottenbeganadmittingSiouxNatives.lt was a few
milesawayfrom the schooland underthe chargeof two
Sisters.l2
left officeat
Accordingto custom,MotherDeschamps
place
in the rank
her
resumed
She
end
of
September.
the
example
previously,
to
be
an
as
and life and wasdisposed
of a religiouswho, afterhavingbeenin command,would
herspiritof obedience.
demonstrate
- 1888 O n t h e m o r n i n go f M o n d a yo c t o b e r 3 , 1 8 8 7 t h e
in the communityroom for a session
assembled
capitulars
presidedby FatherL.A.Mar6chal,BishopFabre'sVicar
l0;acob, the sexton, found one of them frozen to death. A note
revealedthat he was six days old and that he had been baptized.
r r C i r c . m e n s .1 8 8 7 - 9 2 ,p . 1 6 .
1 2 t b i d . ,p . 1 1 .
137
G e n e r a la, n d b y F a t h e r sD e g u i r ea n d R o u s s e a u
b ,o t h
Theyelectedas membersof the new Council:
Sulpicians.
Mother PraxbdeFiliatraultSuperiorGeneral,SistersLuce
M i c h a u d ,E u l a l i eP e r r i n ,L o u i s eF o u r n i e r - P a i n c h a u d .
A s s i s t a n tasn d A l b i n eD u m o u c h e l - P e l t i eFro, r m a t i o n
DirectorThoughSisterDeschamps
endeavored
to remainin the
MotherFiliatrault
to herthe position
background,
entrusted
o f t r e a s u r e r . lT3h e n e w S u p e r i o rk n e w f u l l w e l l t h a t
handled.
temporalmatterswouldbe carefully
year and
Mother Filiatrault
was in her forty-seventh
14, 1864,14
havingmadeher vowson September
shewas
now in the twentythirdof her religiouslife.Shehad been
placedearlyin positionsof authority,and in 1882 had
becomeAssistant
General.lt was then that she left for
Toledowhere,while improvingher knowledgeof English,
shecouldexamineat closerangethe meansof solvingthe
problemof the orphanage.
On herreturnfrom Ohioaftera
y e a r ' sa b s e n c e ,s h e h a d b e e n i n i t i a t e d b y M o t h e r
D e s c h a m pisn t h e a r t o f m a n a g i n ga n e v e r - g r o w i n g
it wasevident
Institute.By herfirst message
to the Sisters,
intentwasto maintainthe
that the new Suoerior
General's
originalspirit in the community."The first thrust of the
foundersbore the sealof God'sspirif we cannotalter it
withoutdanger,"shewrote.ls
Mother Filiatraultwas
Besides,
like the Foundress,
genuine
in works.By
that
is
convinced
charity expressed
l3 Life of Mother Deschamps- 5r. Collette, 362.
r a W h e n s h e w a s p r e p a r i n g f o r p r o f e s s i o n ,S r . F i l i a t r a u l t w a s
called to Mother Slocombe'soffice. The SuoeriorGeneral informed
her of a letter from a former suitor who had become a judge
declaring that "he was still waiting for her!" The novice then
decreed: "Mother, my choice has been made since the day of my
entry."
ls Not. biog. Mare Filiatrault,A.S.G.M.
138
her
this trait, she closelyresembledMother Deschamps.
Mother
latter,
of
the
ill
health
of the
predecessor.
Because
herto Toledowherethe climateagreed
iiliatraultdelegated
wouldalsocontributetoward
with her.TheformerSuperior
problem'
The constructionof
persistent
local
solvingthe
interruptedby the
be
the St-.Mathieuwing would not
absencesinceMr. Bourgeauwould visit the
treasurer's
buildingsite daily,eagerto seethe completionof the
24, while.he
Thenon February
buildinghe had designed.
was stricken
architect
the
House,
was leavingthe Mother
he
with a heartattack.Thedoctordeclaredthat couldnot
b e t r a n s p o r t e dt o t h e h o s p i t a l ' H e w a s t h e r e f o r e
at the MotherHouse.Despitethe caregiven
hospitalized
him, he died on March1. The Lordhad granted"the wish
that
of this good man for he had told severalof the Sisters
he woJd liketo die attendedby the GreyNuns."]6
architectto seethe
It wasnot givento the distinguished
on May 31.of
completionof the buildingdue to be blessed
attended
Nuns
of
Grey
number
(1
large
A
that year 888).
March5
on
Church
funeralat NotreDame
Mr. dourgeau's
benefactor.
in tributeto the generous
joinedthe ranksof the CreyNuns
Sevenyoung Sisters
was then in a
In April, MotherFiliatrault
in earlyJanuary.
to establish,a
positionto accedeto BishopWilliams'reques-t
reply
gave
affirmative
an
also
housein Boston.In May,she
Labelle,
Father
to "The Kingof the North", the legendary
the foundingof a hospiceat St.l6r0me,
who had requested
in the UnitedStates
aswell asto the pastorat Minneapolis
a school.
who hadrequested
O n M a y 2 3 , o n b o a r d t h e t r a n s c o n t i n e n t atl h, e
and Sister
alongwith Sr.Devinsas her secr€tary,
Superior,
travelledtoward 5t'
a future missionary,
Bissonnette,
r6 circ. mens.1887-1892,pp. 55-67.
139
Boniface
whereBishopTach6wishedto commemorate
with
dignityan importantanniversary.
Thatyear,1888,the onlysurvivorof the four CreyNun
pioneersin the Westwascelebrating
the goldeniubileeof
profession
her religious
whichshe had madeon June1,
1838.Sixyearslater,SisterSt. loseph(GertrudeCoutl€e)
had left for the RedRiver.Shewas 25 yearsof age at the
time. Wth extraordinaryfortitude,she had left foreverher
homelandand herfamilywhichincludedone of hersisters,
SisterRoseCoutl6e,laterto becomeSuoerior
Ceneral18471853.17SisterSt.losephhad undoubtidlyexperienced
the
painof parting;however,no one couldrealizehow shefelt
at the thought of neverreturningto her nativeQuebec.
Sereneand humorous,
shehad beencheerfulall alongthe
way. Shehad evenshownan invincibleoptimism.lt was
reportedthat she had beenthe only one ableto sleepon
b o a r d t h e c a n o ed e s p i t ea s t o r m o r d u r i n g d i f f i c u l t
crossings.
NeitherMotherFiliatrault
nor hercomoanions
had ever
met SisterSt. Joseph.They knew her only by what had
been relatedof her in circularlettersaddressedto the
varioushouses,but the testimonyhad sufficedto elicit
e s t e e ma n d a d m i r a t i o nf o r t h e h e r o i n e ,T h e y o u n g
missionaryhad manifestedperfectavailabilityand selfsacrifice.Employedsuccessively
as FormationDirector,as a
teacher,as sacristan,and as ward mother,she had served
courageously
and now,althoughshewasapproaching
the
half-centuryof her oblation,shewasstillgiving of herselfas
the humblestof novices.One can imaginewith what
emotion the SuperiorCeneralembracedthe worthy
missionary.SisterDevins,the secretary,failed to describe
17 Mother(Rose)Coutldedied on April 9, 1877 while performing
a charitableduty. As Assistant,
shewas !n chargeof preparingthe
b a r r a c k sa l o n g t h e r i v e r e d g e f o r t h e e s t a b l i s h m e notf t h e S t .
from exhaustion
CharlesHospice.Shesuccumbed
at age62.
140
t h e e n c o u n t e r u, n d o u b t e d l yb e c a u s et h e e m o t i o n a t
intensitywas beyondwords; but as purveyorfor the
at lengthwhat shesaw in
shewould describe
missions,
"this beautifulcountry."Shementionedthe solidbridge
now joiningWinnipegand St. Bonifaceand the newly
yearby Archbishop
the previous
dedicated
rebuiltcathedral
in
Shedescribed detail"the lovely
Fabreof Montreal.l8
as well as
conventsurroundedby beautifulflower-beds",
givento the visitors.
the officialreception
of
Sisters,
students
werethere,outside:
Allthe personnel
t h e b o a r d i n gs c h o o l , lteh e o r p h a n sa n d f i n a l l yt h e
and
permanent
guestswho wereseatedat the entrance
theirorigin.
betrayed
whosebrowncomplexions
away,one couldseethe hospitalunder
A shortdistance
for thefall.2o
ls openingwasexpected
construction.
The SuperiorGeneralwas escortedfirst to the chapel
wherethe Magnificatwassung,and then to a reunionin
t h e C o m m u n i t yR o o m . l t w a s t h e c u s t o m i n s u c h
for the Superiorto sharenewsof recent
circumstances
at the MotherHouse.SisterSt.losephoccupied
happenings
a placeof honor and it was undoubtedlyfor her benefit
the feastorganizedin Montreal
described
th;t the Superior
of
April l5 to markthe fiftiethanniversary
the previous
he
had
House;
Mother
at
the
service
Lestangt
Stanislas
workednot onlyln Montreal,but alsoat St.Boniface.2l
T h e l o c a ln e w s p a p ehr e a d l i n e dt h e a r r i v a lo f t h e
order
SuperiorGeneralof the GreyNuns,the first religious
l E M o r i c e ,o . c . , v . 3 , p . 1 2 5 .
le In 1887, these two hundred students received a d i p l o m a
awarded by the Royal Commis5ion of London for their
achievement.
20 The cornerstonehad been laid on May 15, 1887.
2 1 C i r c . m e n s .1 8 8 7 - 1 8 9 2 ,p p . 8 l - E 2 .
141
establishedin the West and especially,
describedthe
celebration
concerning
the venerable
SisterSt.loseph,one
of the foundresses
of the mothermissionwhichgavebirth
t o a l l o t h e r se s t a b l i s h esdi n c et h e n i n t h e C a n a d i a n
Northwest.22
On the morningof May29, it wasthe Archbishop
of St.
Bonifacewho gavethe historicalhomilyat the Cathedral
overflowingwith invitedguestsamongwhom wereBishop
Crandinof St. Albert,the Oblates,the lesuits,diocesan
clerg, the Sisters
of the HolyNamesof lesusand Mary,the
A m e r i c a nC o n s u l ,m a g i s t r a t e ss,e n a t o r s m
, inisters,
delegates,23
formerstudents,membersof the Coutl6e
f a m i l y a n d o b v i o u s l yc, o m p a n i o n so f t h e j u b i l a r i a n .
Archbishop
Tach6took advantage
of the occasionto recall
the memoryof Pierrede la V6rendrye,
his ancestor,
who
h a d d i s c o v e r e dt h e W e s t ;o f t h e V e n e r a b l eM o t h e r
d'Youville,his relative,who had foundedthe Community
proud,"sincethe initialgroup
"of which he wasjustifiably
had givenbirth to the threeSisterCommunities
and since
both the trunk and the branches
werethe glory of the
406
CanadianChurch.The Archbishopquoted statistics:
professed
Sisters,
57 novicesand l6 postulants;
700 elderly
personsin hospices,
and some4,000 childrenin schools
underthe directionof the CreyNuns.
peopletravelfrom
Today,saidthe eloquentspeaker,
Montrealto St. Boniface
in sixty-twohours,in parlorand
sleeping
cars.lmagine
the timewhenthe sametrip by
birch-bark
canoestook sixtydays.21
Andyet. theseSisters
enduredall the hardshios
withoutthe leastcomolaint,
22 M. Bernier,lournalLe Manitoba.
23 Mr. J. Royal,brotherof 5r. Royal,the deputyfrom Provencher
w a s a p p o i n t e dL i e u t e n a nC
t o v e r n o ro f M a n i t o b a ,t w o m o n t h s
later.
24The Archbishopcould speakknowinglyof this, havinghimself
left Montrealin 1845aboardthe samemeans.
't42
the
wasauthorized
Schools
of Industrial
Whenthefounding
toldusthatwe coulddo nothing
of Canada
PrimeMinister
betterthanto obtainthehelpof theCreyNuns.Archbishop
theworksin theWest.Younever
bylisting
Tach6
concluded
that
to thejubilarian,
himself
imagined,
hesaidaddressing
yourorderin
of
youwouldeverseesixteen
establishments
.l14 Sisters
are
wherenow
Manitoba
andthe Northwest
arein
andtwo postulants
workingandwheresevennovices
orphans,
withpupils,
overflow
whileyourhouses
formation,
of my
the expression
andelderly.Receive
the handicapped
for allthegoodyouhave
gratitude
of thisdiocese
asBishop
oone.
With a voice chokingwith emotion,SisterSt. loseph
renewedthe vowsshehadmadeinitiallyon lune1, I 838 in
the very place
the humblechapelof the CharonBrothers,
had also
whereseveralmonthslater,SisterDeschamps
madeher final vows.The formerSuperiorCeneralhad
and amongthe many
wantedto sharein this celebration
guests,SisterSt.
naturalflowersofferedby distinguished
strawflowers
a bouquetof everlasting
losephdiscovered
s f t h e M o t h e r H o u s e .M o t h e r
f r o m t h e c r a f t - s h o po
of
who hadbeencompanions
Deschamps
anda few Sisters,
gift.2s
planned
On
the
had
novitiate,
SisterSt.iosephin the
the eveningof thisgreatday,whencalmhadbeenrestored
after the excitementof the celebration,Sister5t. loseph
had
admittedthat leavingMontrealon April 24,'1844,26
to
wanted
had
never
she
that
requiredso much courage
return.
leftfor
and hersecretary
In earlylune,MotherFiliatrault
of this missionwas
FortTotten.SisterClapin,the foundress
nearingthe end of her careerand the SuperiorCeneral
offeredher to returnto Montreal,a privilegewhich she
gratefully
accepted.
25Thesewere Srs.Beaudry,Brault,Cuyon and Pinsonnault.
The
of the housein St. Hyacinthe.
lattertwo wereco-founders
26 Not. biog. 5r. st. loseph.
143
The conventsof Qu'Appelleand of Calgaryreceived
MotherFiliatraulttvisitand finally,the housein St.Albert
formerresidence
welcomedher...in the Bishop's
to which
year,1887.
they had movedon October20 of the previous
It wasnot a luxurious
house,but it wasmorespacious
than
y c c u p i e dT
. he building
t h e o n e t h e y h a d p r e v i o u s lo
undertaken
s e v e r ayl e a r sp r e v i o u s l hy a d b e c o m et h e
Bishop'snew residenceand was now being occupiedas
roomswerecomoleted.Suchwas alsothe casefor the
Sisterswho had beencompelledto leavetheir former
residence
so that materials
could be takenfrom it for the
Thissimultaneous
movinghad created
new construction.
confusion"saidSisterPaouette"for we had
"considerable
to transfereverythingourselves
by hand."27
Theorphanage
would be built on the siteof the house
The Sisters
which had beendemolished.
boastedabout
t h e i r n e w p l a c e ,t h e i r u n f i n i s h e dc h a p e lw h i c h t h e y
i n t e n d e dt o m a k ei n t o " a v e r i t a b l el i t t l e j e w e l . "T h e
SuperiorGeneralhowever,wasedifiedat the povertyof the
place.Though they are in rathercrampedquarters,she
thought, at leastthe Sistershere are not sufferingfrom
hunger,whereasnewsfrom Chipewyanrevealedthat there
was a faminein that area.Huntingand fishingwere poor
and peoplehad to get flour from the suppliesin the
warehouses
Therewere
of the HudsonBayCompany.2s
regrettedthat she
deathsin the forests.MotherFiliatrault
wasstill
Thesteamship
service
couldnot go to this mission.
year.
too hazardous
to makethe returntrip in the same
Severaldecadeswould elaosebeforethe Northern
missionscould receivea visitfrom their Superior.29
2 7 S r .P a q u e t tteo t h e M . H o u s eJ, a n .1 , 1 8 8 8 .
2 8C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 7 - 1 8 9 2p,. 1 0 0
2e Mother Pich6would go to the Northernmissionsfor the first
t i m ei n 1 9 1 2 .
144
the
Archbishop
Tach6had broughtinto prominence,
saying
that
apostoficspiritof the GreyNunson May 29,
Mother
they walkedin the footstepsof their Foundress.
Filiatrault
observedthat this was indeedthe case.She
would haveanotherproofof this when on returningto
Marie13, shelearnedthat Sisters
Montreal,on September
to care
had gonefrom St. Boniface
Xavierand Lassisseraye
Thesefamilies
familiesin the villageof Selkirk.
for forsaken
had beenstrickenwith diptheriaand five of the children
As though to
had alreadyfallenvictimsof the disease.30
that their apostoliceffortswere
indicateto the Sisters,
pleasingto him, the Lordpermittedthat on October9, a
t e l e g r a mt o t h e M o t h e r H o u s ea n n o u n c e dt h a t t h e
difficulties
concerningthe Toledomissionhad finallybeen
who had
resolved
thanlsto CardinalCibbonsof Baltimore
beendelegatedby Rometo settlethe matter'The Sisters
and the
of the orphanage
w o u l d k e e pt h e o w n e r s h i p
for its
for
funds
interdictionconcerningthe canvassing
waslifted.3r
ooeration
WORKTNCGIRLS'ORST.HELENASHOME,
BOSTON,U.s.A.- 1888 fully
Despiteher many activities,Mother Filiatrault
given
her
to
intendedto followup on the apostolicthrust
For
MotherDeschamps.
by her predecessor,
Congregation
sometime,BishopWilliamsof Bostonhad beenrequesting
a homefor the protectionof younggirlsemployedin shops
and factoriesof the city.32At first, an officewasopenedfor
the purposeof finding employmentfor the newcomers.
3 0S r .H a m etl o t h e M H o u s eO
, c t .2 , 1 8 8 8 .
3 l A r c h .T o l e d o .s o m e g e n e r o u sp e r s o n sh a d m a d e u p f o r t h e
the Mahersand manyothers.
the Finlays,
lackof resources...
32The detailsconcerningthis foundationand that of 5t. Joseph's
of thesetwo housesand the
Homewere takenfrom the chronicles
years.
mens.
of
these
Circ,
145
Thisinitiativewould not lasthowever,for soonthe house
wasfilledto capacitywith young workers.The difficulties
experiencedin Toledowere not to be repeatedin Boston,
Fromthe very beginning,a Women'sAuxiliarywasformed
to assurefinancialsecurity.SistersQuinn, Kavanaugh,
Savariaand Ledoux,the foundresses,
w€re to havea
relativelycomfortablelife in this houseplacedunderthe
patronageof St. Helena.Theyhad takenup residence
on
May26, 1888.
The Sistersworkedsteadilyin this new venturesituated
on DoverStreet,but it soonbecametoo smalland by l89l
an extensionbecamenecessary.
That sameyear,Bishop
Williams'Silver
was
celebrated.
The institution
lubilee
wishedto sharein thisoccasion.
The Sisters
offeredhim an
armchairand theiryoungcharges
offeredhim a bouquetof
twenty-fiveliliesarrangedin a silverurn. Everyonewished
to celebrate
in a worthyfashion,the Bishopwho showeda
genuineinterestin the FrenchCanadians
and who wasthe
recognizedprotectorof CalixaLavall6e,
the authorof
CanadatNationalAnthem.33
Constructionof the new housemeasuring132 tt. by 75
ft. beganon luly 1, 1891,on UnionParkStreet.lt wouldbe
evaluatedat $103,395.00and would remainthe properly
of the diocese.A Corporationwasformedconsistingof the
Bishop,his Auxiliary the VicarGeneral,and the pastor of
neighboringparishes.
The Sisters
for their part, would
organizebazaarsand concertsto help liquidatethe debt.
Thesevariouseffortswere highlightedon October16, 1892
b y a g r a n d i o s ec e l e b r a t i o no f t h e f o u r h u n d r e d t h
anniversary
of the discoveryof America.The celebration
wasconvenedby the Societyof WorkingGirls'Friends,and
33 Lavall€eleft New York on Dec. 15, l8E7 to attendthe World
Congressof Music professors.He was representingmusiciantof
t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .B i s h o pW i l l i a m sw i l l i n g l yg r a n t e dh i s c h o i r mastera leaveof absence.
146
A
a profit of $2,000.00was recordedon this occasion.
Columbuson land
monumentwaserectedto Christopher
anddonatedby BishopWilliams.
adlacentto the Cathedral
was readyfor
On May 27, 1893 the new residence
was
deferredto
opening
official
occupationalthoughthe
hac
week earlier,MotherFiliatrault
November30. Several
and Hickey'The
Bourgeois
delegatedto Boston,Sisters
visitorof the poorin theirhomes,had been
latter,a tireless
to marble
prescribed
a rest.Now being lessaccustomed
poor,
SisterHickey
stepsthan to thosein the homesof the
f e l l a n d w a s s o s e r i o u s l yi n j u r e dt h a t h e r l i f e w a s
but wasunableto
Shewouldrecoverhowever,
threatened.
ordination
jubilee
Williams'
Bishop
of
celebration
attendthe
who
Montreal
ArchbishopFabreof
to the Driesthood.
Homewhichsheltereo
attended,washostedat St.Helena's
140 boarders.
for this work now in
wereestablished
ln 1888statistics
had beenadmitted
years:
workers
I
1,278
for
ten
existence
550 hadbeen
others;
whilework hadbeenfoundfor 2,181
treatedandten needyfamilieshadbeenassisted.
',|899
sr. losEPH'sHoME,BOSTON,
a
Homenarrowlyescaped
In luly 1899,St. Helena's
was
manifested
which
general
sympathy
The
seriousfire.
of the
convincedBishopWilliamsof the worthwhileness
on Brookline
anotherresidence
work. He then purchased
Sincemost
Streetto houseblackworkersand immigrants.
in
housework
to
do
young
girls
were
destined
of these
w€re
organized
in culinaryart
neighboringhomes,courses
teachingwas not neglectedand in
for them. Religious
D e c e m b e ro f t h a t y e a r S i s t e rL y n c h P r e s e n t e dt e n
for firstcommunion.
candidates
147
A v i s i t o rf r o m F r a n c e M
, r . F . M o n i e r ,p r a i s e dt h e
to MotherFiliatrault
and
initiativein a letteraddressed
I 7:
datedSeptember
worksthelike
Thepatronage
is oneof theveryoriginal
in Paris,
wherea
of whichI wouldliketo seeestablished
in thecapital
offerssimilar
danger
for youngladies
sojourn
the
whocomethereto work.In theotherhouseI admired
the
inexhaustible
activityof charitytowardthe unfortunate,
mostforsaken.
In 1938,economicand socialconditionsrequiredthe
closureof thesehouseswhich no longermet the needsof
the CreyNuns
the times.Overthe courseof a half-century,
place
hadofferedthe workinggirlsof Bostona comfortable
to staywhere they could enjoy a family-likeatmosphere
Eachcould,
from the loneliness
of isolation.
and be shielded
developher talents
in additionimproveher knowledge,
and prepareher future.lt waswith regretthat the Sisters
left St. Helena'sHome.Severalof th€m were assignedto
t h e S t e .B r i g i t t eH o u s ei n M o n t r e a lw h i c h h a d b e e n
pursuingthe sameobjective
since1860.
MI N NEAPOLIS,
NOTRE-DAME-DE.LOURDES,
MINNESOTA,U.S.A.
of Notre-Dame-deIn August1888,the foundresses
Theywere SisterTass6,
LourdesSchoolleft for Minneapolis.
D€rom€,Bissonnette
and St. Thomas.
Superiorand Sisters
Generaland Sister
Theywereaccompanied
by the Superior
FatherDaignault,the local pastor,
Devins,her secretary.
had requestedthe Crey Nunsto directthe schoolwhich
was attended,for the most part, by studentsof French
waspleasantly
surprised
Canadian
origin.Thenew Superior
s h i c h w e r e w e l l l i g h t e d ,w e l l
a t s e e i n gc l a s s r o o mw
maples,and
ventilatedand surroundedby sycamores,
growing
yard.
The
freelyin a large
thre€-storey
acaciatrees
148
furnished.The receptionwas
buildingwas adequately
was
cordiat.FatherDaignault,a nativeof Trois-Rividres,
French
with
two
along
station
at
the
awaitingthe Sisters
womenwho wereoverjoyedat the arrivalof the
Canadian
eventhe lrish,appeareddelighted
GreyNuns."Everyone,
The
noted SisterTass6.
to haveFrenchCanadianSisters,"
circumstances
of thefavorable
kindlypastortookadvantage
visitwhichwouldbe carriedout
to announcethe parochial
beforethe openingof classes.
by the newlyarrivedSisters
dnd the
O n S e p t e m b e1r 9 , 2 2 0 p u p i l sr e g i s t e r e a
by lanuary10, therewere280. In
numberwould increase;
for visitingthe sick
addition,a Sisterwould be responsible
all
had six Sisters,
mission
the
in their homesso that soon,
of whom hadplentyto do.
the Sistersearnedthe esteemof
There,as elsewhere,
and the high approvalof Bishoplreland
the parishioners
who on October12, 1890,laudedthem from the pulpit.
for adults.There
Beforelong, there were religionclasses
"who
to
twenty-two
thirteen
were 128 students,agedfrom
couldneitherreadnorwrite."
l e p e n d e do n t h e V i c a r i a l
T h e M i n n e a p o l iSs c h o o d
Houseof St. Bonifaceto providethe requiredreligious
personnel.
ln 1892,eightGreyNunswereon staffso that
spacehad becomeinsufficientand anotherlodging was
lt wasonly then that the residentsadmittedthat
necessary.
they had sufferedfrom the cold for the pastfour years'In
tho night ot luly 26 to 27 ot that year,a hurricanestruck
the town. Train railswere broken,bridgeswere carried
awayand the water rosein an alarmingfashionin the
convent basementbut fortunately,the Sisterswere not
obligedto move.Thenon lanuary25, 1894the school
narrowlyeludeda fire. The chroniclerunderlinedthe fact
in a room where
that the flamesdied out spontaneously
therewasa framedpictureof Motherd'Youville.
't49
ln 1897,thievesvisitedthe schooland the convent.
Theironly loot was a dollarwhich had beenleft in the
teacher'sdesk.The Sistershad only a scare,and with
leniency,attributedthis attemptto the miserywhich was
prevalent
thatyear.
TheSisters'
devotedness
wouldbearfruit.At the end of
I898, FatherAndr6,the successor
to FatherDaignault,
told
MotherFiliatrault
that two youngladiesplannedto request
Provostand B6lair
their admission
to the novitiate.Sisters
wouldbe worthyof the paththeyhadchosen.
ln 1906,the Sisters
wererecalled
with regretfrom this
placewhere they had laboredfor eighteenyears.The
due to the growingneeds
decisionhad becomenecessary
of other Crey Nun works.Bishoplrelandsummarized
the
sentiments
of all in hisletterof luly 24:
I t i s w i t h d e e p r e g r e tt h a t I l e a r n e do f y o u r
yourSisters
fromthe parishof
determination
to withdraw
Notre-Dame
in Minneapolis.
Yourresolve
appeared
to me
sofirm,that I did notthinkI shouldbegyouto reconsider.
in
Thedeparture
of yourSisters
deeplysaddens
everyone
may
ThepastorandI alsoregretit. OtherSisters
the parish.
replace
but it will be difficultto replace
themasteachers
I owethanksto
themin the affectionof the parishioners.
youandyourSisters
for allthegoodthatyouhavedonein
Minneapolis.
ASILEST-JEROME,
QUEBEC
B e s i d e sh i s i m p r e s s i v es t a t u r e , h i s p r e s t i g i o u s
reputation,
and the influencehe enjoyedin Montrealitself,
FatherLabelleof St.l6r6meheldin his handanother'ace'
him to requestthe GreyNunsfor a
which encouraged
foundationwhich he hoped to establishin his Northern
region.He wasa co-parishioner
of MotherFiliatraul!born
150
somesix yearsafter him who would
at Ste-Rose-de-Laval
thisKing
becomea legendin hisown lifetime.Furthermore,
plead
had
already
as
he
his
cause
how
to
North
knew
of the
1875,34
the
Since
orovenin variousother circumstances.
pastor
then
The
railwaylinkedSt. i6r6meand Montreal.
had only to stressthe needsof the parishin orderto win
Ceneraland herCouncil.
of the Superior
the acquiescence
Beforeleavingthe MotherHousefor the West,Mother
where she was cordially
Filiatraultwent to St. J610me
and hismother,and whereshe
welcomedby FatherLabelle
alreadytakenin viewof
of measures
the progress
observed
the futureestablishment.
the Assistant
A month later,FatherPierrePelletier,
persons
of the
distinguished
by several
Pastor,
accompanied
the
by
directed
Asylum
Nazareth
smalltown, visitedthe
to
envision
CrevNunsand thenwent to the MotherHouse
that wouldcometo St.l6r6me.
in advance,
the blessing
and Sister
On Monday,October29, MotherFiliatrault
the three
Peltier.the FormationDirector,accompanied
Poirier
to St.
and
B6langer
Montgolfier,
Sisters
foundresses,
missionaries
new
of
the
l6rdme.This time, the welcome
FatherPelletierin chargesincethe
was more impressive.
Pastorhad assumedthe duties of deputy ministerof
at the railwaystation'With
awaitedthe Sisters
Agriculture,
and Mr.
the treasurer,
Labelle,
him wereMr. Lapointe,Mr.
w
a
Scott.The latter,though non-Catholic, s very
and devotedto the buddingproject.They
sympathetic
f
o
u
r s p l e n d i dc a r r i a g e st o t r a v e l t o t h e i r
boarded
a pretty little housewhich would be their
destination,
was
temporaryhome until the so-calledestablishment
completed.
3a The details concerning the King of the North are taken from
the book entitled "Le Cur6 Labelle,"by Father E.i. Auclair.
151
at
Sometvventywomen performedthe dutiesof hostess
furnished.
Theirattentionwas
the housealreadycompletely
with the
drawn to the fact that all was in accordance
whichcharacterized
the GreyNuns.
customsof simplicity
Thisisa happybeginning,
thechronicler
observed,
but
relies
onlyon the
onemustnotforgetthatthisfoundation
charityof the parishioners
andontheworkof theSisters.
A c c o r d i n gt o t h e P a s t o r ' so p t i m i s m ,i t c o u l d b e
foreseen,
that sinceSt. l6rdmewascalledto a prosperous
future,therewasno reasonto fearanydifficulty,
In the meantime,the Sisters
setto work withoutdelay.
Theyvisitedthe sickandsoontheytook in two orphangirls
for whom they
aged sevenand eight yearsrespectively
madedresses
from old cassocks.
The bazaaron March5 broughtin the fabuloussum of
lt was hopedthat the profitfrom the drama
$1,74O.O0.
a cow.
night and musicconcertwould sufficeto purchase
U n e x p e c t e dh e l p c a m e t o t h e S i s t e r st h r o u g h t h e
interventionof FatherLabellewho obtainedan annua
grant of $500.00for the maintenance
of this project.This
providential,
had been
was
since
the
candidates
assistance
girls.
Theiragesranged
increased
by four more orphan
from six yearsto twenty monthsand it was the Superior
who wasresponsible
for theircare.
1, 1889a few roomswereopenedin the
On December
new houseand the movetook placepromptlyas eveD/one
Whenon his
wascrampedfor spacein the first residence.
returnfrom Europe,the Pastorwho had becomeApostolic
Protonotarysincelune, visitedthe Asylum,he appeared
verypleased.
152
to be strongandto
It is alreadya treewhichpromises
flowersof
the mostbeautiful
shelterunderits branches,
gardeners.3s
of whichyouaretheexcellent
charity
wouldnot seethe treedevelop'
Alas,MonsignorLabelle
4, all who knewhim, in Canadaand beyond,
On January
were stunnedupon learningof the unexpecteddeath of
a few hoursafter
Pastorwho succumbed
the distinguished
he had died
was
said
that
an emergencyoperation.lt
onlyone regret:that of
quicklyas he had lived,expressing
not beingableto bid farewellto his elderlymother.Sister
of her
wasgiventhe taskof informingMrs.Labelle
B6langer
s
e
r
e
n
i
t
ya n d
"
S
h
e
a
d
m
i
r
a
b
l
e
showed
s o n ' sd e a t h .
6 o w e v e r .t h i s
r e s i g n a t i o n , "s a y t h e c h r o n i c l e s . 3 H
motherwould not outliveher grief,for six
courageous
later,shefollowedhersonto the tomb.37
monthis
The funeralof this outstandingservantof God ano
country38took placeon lanuary8 at St. l6r6me.Mother
the treasurerand Sister
Mother Deschamps,
Filiatrault,
Labelle,cousinof the deceasedattended,as well as the
Sistersfrom the Asylumwho then serveda luncheonto
membersof the clergyand to governmentrepresentativesThewomenandyoungladiessuppliedthe food and helped
No one daredto mentionit, but everyone
with the service.
wonderedaboutthe futureof the Asylumwhichhadlostits
Thetrialwas
its purveyor.
founderand on manyoccasions,
peopleof Stpoin!
the
for soon
not howeverat its deepest
J6r6mewould lamentoveranothertragedy'Someten days
funeral,the collegein St. l616me,
after PastorLabelle's
of
under the direction the Brothersof Holy Cross,was
destroyedby fire. Thiscollegehad alsobeenfoundedby
3s Fr.A. Labelleto MotherFiliatrault,
Sept.24, 1890.
3 6C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 7 - 9 2p, . 5 1 3 .
3 7A u c l a i ro, . c . ,p . 1 0 3 3 EH
, n .4 ,
. o n .H . M e r c i etro M r s .L a b e l l el a
1 8 9 1.
3 EH o n .H . M e r c i etro M r s .L a b e l l eJ,a n .4 , 1 8 9 '.l
t)5
the tirelesP
s a s t o irn t h e y e a r s1 8 7 3 a n d | 8 7 4 . 3 eT h e
parishioners
deploredthe lossof the collegeall the more
wasno longerthereto
the dynamicPastorLabelle
because
r e k i n d l et h e h o p e o f r e b u i l d i n gF. u r t h e r m o r eF,a t h e r
Pelletier
was summonedto anotherfield of action.While
the rectory was being refurnishedfor the next pastor.
FatherPelletier
for a few days
stayedat the hospital-asylum
beforehis deoarture.lt was there likewisethat the new
pastoralsowould stay. FatherL.l. Lafortunearrivedon
March6, and lost no tim€ in askingthe Sist€rs
to take
chargeof the schooltemporarily
established
at the village
for boysfrom eight to twelveyearsof age.HenceMother
Filiatraultdesignatedfor this new work, two Sisters,one of
w h o m w a s S i s t e rC h a r b o n n e a uw, h o w o u l d b e c o m e
renownedin this temporaryschool,heatedby stoveswhich
g a v e o f f m o r e s m o k et h a n h e a t .T h e s t u d e n t sw e r e
numerousand noisy,but the teachersoongainedcontrol
The availability
of
by instillinginto them a senseof duty.4o
the Sisterswas deeplyappreciatedand everyonewas so
pleasedwith their teachingthat deferralof the rebuilding
was being considered.
The role of substituteassumedby
the Sisterslastedthreeyearsand endedwith the school
yearof 1894.
Therehad beenas manyas twelveSistersin St. l6r6me
At the beginningof
duringthis periodof volunteerservice.
1897,nine remainedthereunderthe directionof Sister
nursewho hadalsobeenthe Superior
Bdlanger,
the tireless
since1891. Now, this good Sisterof Charitydied at St.
f6r6meon February16, 1897 at age forty-four.She had
becomeill, "after havingcanvassed
the countrysideand
spent many long night vigilswith the sick." The doctor
3 eC i r c . m e n s . 1 8 8 7 - 9 2 ,p . 5 1 5 . l t w a s a l s o F r . L a b e l l ew h o ,
accordingto Auclair(p.35) had installedthe Sistersof St. Ann at
t h e c o n v e n ti n S t . J 6 1 6 m ew h e r e M r s . L a b e l l er e t i r e da f t e r t h e
deathof her son.
a 0 N o t . b i o g .5 r , C h a r b o n n e aC
u i, r c ,m e n s .1 9 0 9 - ,p . l 0 l ,
154
d e c l a r e dt h a t t h e r e w a s n o h o p e o f r e c o v e r yf r o m
pneumonia,
to whichthe patientreplied,"Manyyearsago
isurrenderedmy life to God. lam happyto die." The
populationof St. l6r6me recognizedthe merits of this
servantof the poor.Shewasgivena beautifulfuneraland
d i s t i n g u i s h epde r s o n so f t h e p l a c ea c _ c o m p a n i he ed r
to the MotherHousein Montreal.el
remains
herand shortlyafterher arrival,
SisterDeguirereplaced
part
in the unfoldingof an episodewhich the
she took
in detail.An elderlycouplebelonging
chroniclerdescribed
to the Frenchnobility,had been living in St' l6rdme in
extrem€poverly.The man was ninety-sixand his wife was
eighty-four.They livedtogetherin a hovelalong with
twenty-twodogs,twelvecatsand ten chickens.In addition,
the old man had two gunsand three revolvers'Briefly,the
placewas not in the leastbit attractive.Havingbeen
informedthat the old man was gravelyill, SisterCormier
took the riskof visitinghim. Shebroughtalonga basketof
'goodies'for thesepoor people.To her great surprise,the
gift was acceptedand she was invitedto come in which
her companionhad
to do because
SisterCormierhesitated
an uncannyfearof dogs.Theypromisedto returnhowever,
and did so. A shorttime later,the squalidhousewas no
l o n g e r r e c o g n i z a b l feo r S i s t e rC o r m i e ra n d s e v e r a
neighboringwomen had cleanedit thoroughly.Also,the
sick man acceptedto part with his dogs. More important,
at the first proposal,he consentedto seea priestand died a
few days later.His widow was invitedto retireat the
Hospiceand arrivedthere on the day of the funeral.On
the white bed which awaitedher, she exclaimed:
seeing
-heard
couldthis possiblybe it!"a2
of paradise;
"l've
such as this greatlyimpressedthe visiting
Occurrences
nursesas well as the nin€ty novicesand twenty postulants
4r Circ.mens.1895-98,pp. 357-361.
a 2 t b i d . ,p p . 3 6 7 - 3 7 1 .
155
who were preparingto becomeSisters
of Charityeitherin
Montrealor in 5t. Boniface,
asthe incidentwasreoortedin
the chronicles
of the community.
Lifein St. J6r6medid not ordinarilyhavesuchnotable
c a s e s .C e r t a i ne v e n t ss u c h a s t h e b l e s s i n go f t h e
cornerstone
of the parishchurchby Archbishop
Bruch6si,
22 of thissameyear,1897occurredto vary
on September
the routine.
Fouryearslater,the parishioners
wereadvisedthat the
In 1903,when a
Sisters'conventwas in needof repair.43
forestfire threatened
the villageof St.l6r6me,it wasfeared
that the conventwouldbe destroyed
by theflames.
we werein
On April28, wroteSisterSt. Mathias,
immediate
dangerbecause
of the firewhichwasravaging
the propertyadjacent
to our sugarrefinery.
SinceMonday,
from
here.there
is oppressive.
A few miles
the atmosphere
is complete
desolation.
Sixweekslater,on June8, she
added,sinceSaturday
6, thefireiscompletely
extinguished
andthereisno moresmoke.
The Sisters
carriedon with their missionof comforting
and assistingthe needyand they promoteddevotionto
M o t h e r d ' Y o u v i l l e ,t h e g r € a t p r o t e c t o r i n s u c h
occurrences.44
Thefire had aggravatedmaterialconditionsand poverly
had becomedistressful
at the asylumof St. ler6me.The
little village had difficulty recoveringfrom the disaster.
'l907,
Everyone
felt that it would takeyears.In October
F a t h e rP e l l e t i e rt,h e f o r m e ra s s i s t a n tn, o w p a s t o ra t
Berthierville,
sent $3,200.00to the Crey Nunsfrom the
estateof FatherLabelle.a5
The mannafell on time and
a 3C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p,. 5 3 9
aa Circ.mens,1902-03,pp. 593-594.
a 5A n n . 1 9 0 6 - 0 8p, . 3 9 3 .
'156
in survivingthe
restoredhope.The Sisterssucceeded
aftermathof the forestfire until on November24, 1911,
the asylum.Only the
anotherfire completelydestroyed
gratefulthat the
was
liveswere sparedand everyone
accidenthad occurredin the earlymorningand as the
had only the very
childrenwerealreadyup, the Sisters
wasunableto
about.Thecelebrant
youngto be concerned
T
h
e s o l er e f u g e
c
e
l
e
b
r
a
t
i
o
n
.
c o m p l e t et h e E u c h a r i s t i c
for the elderlywomenwas the rectory'ssecond
availabte
to a summercottage
ftoor until they could be transferred
whichtheywouldhaveto vacatein the spring.
On November28, the decisionwas takento abandon
this work sincethe local peoplewere quite unableto
in
a conditionstipulated
supportthe costof reconstruction,
the originalcontract.lt was with deep regretthat the
elevenGreyNunsleft St. J6rdmewherethey had worked
during forty-threeyears.They broughtwith them to the
go
who had nowhere.to
MotherHouse,the elderlypersons
5t. Mathieu.a6
and roomwasmadefor ihem at Hospice
- 1889 were plentifulat the
vocations
Fortunatel,religious
solicitingthe
abounded
for
requests
Crey Nuns'novitiate,
or schoolsin the
hospices
asylums,
creationof orphanages,
and evenin England.aT
UnitedStatesasweii as in-Canada,
The reliefforcewasbeing preparedin the novitiatesboth in
entrieswere
the Westand in Montreal.In | 889,sixty-eight
recordedof whom five were in St. Bonifacewhile three
4 5 A n n . 1 9 11 - 1 2 . p p . 7 6 - 7 7 .
a 7 c i r c . m e n s . 1 8 8 7 - 9 2 ,p . 3 o 3 .
157
candidates
from Toledoarrivedin Montrealon May 29.48
At Toledo,the vexationwascontinuingrelativeto the fact
that the interdiction
pertaining
wasbeing
to alms-giving
maintainedalthoughthis was aboutthe only meansof
subsistence
for the orphanage.
The St. VincentSociety
which groupeddoctorsand other professionals
emerged
s p o n t a n e o u s l yD. i v e r s eo r g a n i z a t i o n p
s r o v i d e dt h e
necessary
subsidies
to furnishthe operatingroom. lt was
anticipated
t h a t t h e h o s p i t aw
l o u l d s o o n a s s u m et h e
f i n a n c i a rl e s p o n s i b i l i tf yo r t h e o r p h a n a g eT. h e t r i a l s
undergoneby thesehousesdrew publicsympathyano
young ladiesof the localitywerenow comingto swellthe
ranksof the GreyNuns.
At the Mother House,the constructionof the centra
wing havingbeencompleted,
therewasnow the possibility
of a better allocationof soace.The novitiateand the
postulateoccupiedmost of the upperfloor of the north
wing which paralleled
Cuy Street.Nearthesedepartments
was the workroomfor the poor.As for the orphanage
sectionit hadthe advantage
of morespacesincethe elderly
were movedto the centralwing. Threeorphanswere
attendingthe St. Frangois
XavierHome,a tradeschool
underthe directionof the Brothers
of St. Cabriel.Two
amongthe other prot6g6s
weredestinedto farmwork and
so weredirectedto the CreyNun farm at Ch6teauguay.
As
for VitalBoulricewho wasfourteen,he went to pursuehis
classical
studiesunderthe Brothers
of the ChristianSchools
with the intentionof joiningthat community.ae
48The healthof Sr. Peltier,Dir. of Formationwas unableto bear
this additionalburdenand shewould be replacedin Augustby Sr.
du Sacr6-Coeur.
4 eC i r c .m e n s ." ' 8 8 7 - 9 2p, p . 2 1 7 , 2 4 4a n d2 9 5 .
158
The SuperiorGeneralthoughtit wiseto resumethe
which had beensuspended
proiectof womenboarders,so
gZs.
the St. Mathieuend of the
moved
to
Tiffin
i
Mrs.
in
whosehealthwas
centralwing and herbrother,Mr. Devins,
becameher
insistence,
failing,yieldingto FatherRousselot's
neighborasof May 1, 1888.s1
that the programfor 1889would be
It wasforeseen
heavy.A new missionwas openedin lanuary.
particularly
r e n e r aal t t e n d e dt h e
i h e n , o n l u l y 3 0 , t h e S u p e r i oC
in
St.
blessingof the houseerected
lean,Quebec,a four108 ft. by 40 ft. Thiswasthe
storeybuildingmeasuring
new homefor the elderlywhere,MadameTugault,the
foundress,retiredwhile the old residenceafter being
wouldserveasa hospital.sz
renewed,
l h a p t e rc o n v o k e db y M o t h e r
T h e s p e c i aC
l e n e r aC
F i l i a t r a uol tn M a r c h3 1 , o p e n e do n A u g u s t19 f o r t h e
of LittleAuxiliary
purposeof creatingthe Association
w o m e nw o r k i n gi n v a r i o u s
S i s t e r s . sT3h e s ea d m i r a b l e
particularly
thosein the mostremoteareas,would
missions,
period
of formationin the novitiate,be
aftera
henceforth,
admittedto annualvowsfor threeyears,then to perpetual
vows if they so wished.Otherwise,the vows would be
A mitigatedruleunitedthemto the Grey
renewedannually.
Nuns and allowedthem to carryon their specificworks.
Thevwereto wearthe blackhabitand be calledthe Sisters
o f 5 t . M a r t h a .T h r e ey e a r sl a t e r ,t h i s n a m ew o u l d b e
until 1905,when
changedto that of LittleAuxiliarySisters
Sisters.The
Auxiliary
was recognizedas
the Association
uniformadoptedwassimilarto that of the regularSisters
who chose
exceDtfor a few minordetails.Thesevolunteers
s 0 N o t . b i o g .M d r eF i l i a t r a u lpt ,. 5 0 .
5 l V i ed e M m eT i f f i n ,a n o n y mp. p . 5 8 - 5 9 '
s 2C i r c .m e n s .1 8 a 7 - 9 2p. . 2 8 O
s l S e ea b o v e R
t t e1 l .
: e t r o s p enc o
159
the statusof Auxiliarythrough humility or for health
reasons,or even becausethey had no attractionfor
positionsof command,had proventheir worth, especially
in the distantolaceswhichcalledfor continuous
heroism.lt
waswith joy that the Superior
herCounciland the
General,
Communitywelcomedtheseincomparablehelpersas
members
of the samereligious
family.
All wasnot joy during1889.On July18, word cameof
Harel,the Chancellor,
the deathof FatherT6lesphore
who
over the pastfour years,had beenworking activelyat the
In him, the Communityhad
Causeof Motherd'Youville.s4
guide
lost a supportand a
whosecompetencewould be
sorelymissed.
A month later,anotherfriend of the Congregation
passedaway.lt was FatherVictorRousselot,
a Sulpicianand
generousbenefactorof the GreyNunswho
a particularly
had unquestionably
contributedto the expansionof the
community.On hisarrivalin Canadain | 854, he had been
appointedchaplainat the formerMother Housenearthe
river.That very year, he had founded St. Joseph'sAsylum
whichwasannexedto the hospicebearingthe samename.
Six yearslater,in 1850, the NazarethInstitutionfor blind
childrenappeared,
aswell asa kindergarten
for childrenof
pre-schoolage. In 1866, he was pastorat Notre Dame
without, however,neglectingthe work he had created.
N o t r e D a m e H o s D i t awl h i c h o p e n e di n 1 8 8 0 w o u l d
recognizehim as a co-founder.Threeyearslater,he was
appointedto St.lacquesparishand in thissameyear,1883,
he resolved
to found an agricultural
schoolfor orphansat
Wentworthin ArgenteuilCounty,thus supportingFather
Labelle's
effortstowardscolonization.
The Orphanageof
Notre Damede Monfortwas underthe administration
of
missionaries
de
excellent
belongingto the Compagnie
54 Fr. M. Emardto the communityassembled,
July31.
160
, end6e,
M a r i ef o u n d e da t S t . L a u r e n t - 5 u r - S E virne V
France.55
FatherRousselot
returnedfrom Francein August1887
months.Hishealthhowever,
rest
of
about
eighteen
aftera
had continuedto deteriorate.His work with the blind
hisfavoriteactivity,and in October1888,he gave
remained
typewriters.
two BrailleRemington
theirInstitution
retiredat the
On May 9 of that year,FatherRousselot
M o t h e r H o u s eo f t h e C r e y N u n s c l o s et o t h e m e n ' s
he attendedthe
department.Despitehis greatweakness,
on lune21. Thisprovedto
distribution
of prizesat Nazareth
b e h i s s w a n s o n g f o r f i v e d a y s l a t e r ,h i s c o n d i t i o n
and he wastakento the NotreDameSeminary
deteriorated
August31, amid
wherehe died at 5:35 a.m. on Saturday
the regretsof the Sistersand of all the unfortunateto
whom he haddedicatedthirty-fiveyearsof hislife.s5
prot6g6spaintedhislikeness_ano
Oneof the Sulpician's
)/
the tableauwasgivento the CreyNunsin December'
T h e m e m o r y o f F a t h e rR o u s s e l owt o u l d a l s o b e
i m m o r t a l i z € da t t h e c o n v e n t b y t h e w o r k s h e h a d
amongwhichwas the St. LouisOrphanage,
instigated,
(knownas OrphelinatCatholique)wherethe Sisterstook
in early1889.
overthe administration
5s circ. mens.1881-83,pp. 626-629.
56 Biographyof Fr. Rousselot
by Fr. L.S.lcard,sup.gen.
s 7C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 8 - 1 8 9 2p, . 3 3 6 . O n e c a n d e f i n i t e l yr e c o g n i z e
this artistas being MargaretOsbornof whom we spokeearlier.
161
ORPHELINAT
ST-LOUIS
ORORPHELINAT
CATHOLIQUE
MONTREAL,
1889
T o w a r d1 8 7 5 , S i s t e rB o n n e a uh a d i n a u g u r a t e d
a
m o d e s tp r o i e c to n b e h a l fo f t h e o r p h a n sw h o m s h e
encountered
while on her charitablerounds.In 1881, this
work hadbeenmovedcloseto the Nazareth
asylum,thanks
to the generosity
of FatherRousselot
who, for thispurpose,
hadboughtthe stonehouseof the widowedMrs.Nolan.s8
Eversince1864,FatherRousselot
had manifested
such
a n i n t e r e sitn t h e C a t h o l i cO r p h a n a g teh a t o n e c o u l d
e x p e c tt h a t i t w o u l d e v e n t u a l l yb e c o m ea r e a l i t y .I n
existence
since1832,the orphanagehad beenunderthe
directionof a committeeof charitable
womenassembled
in
1827 with the objectiveof "relievingthe extrememisery
sufferedby a great numberof destitutein Montreal."
Madamthe baroness
of Longueuil,
Mesdames
de Lotbinibre
and de Beaujeuwere respectively
the first presidentand
vice-president
of the organization.se
T h e c h o l e r ae p i d e m i co f 1 8 3 2 w a s t o g i v e a n e w
orientationto the work. Decimatedby the fataldisease
of
the severalelderlywomen who had beentakenin, now
o n l y f o u r s u r v i v e dw h i l e t h e n u m b e ro f o r p h a n sw a s
i n c r e a s i n ga t a n a l a r m i n gr a t e .T h e w o m e n o n t h e
committee,encouragedby FatherP. Phelan,p.s.s.,then
decidedto care for the orphansinstead.Theyentrusted
their wardsto the Refugeat FaubougSt. Laurentwhere
MadamGamelinwas inaugurating
her work destinedto
becomethe Congregationof the Sistersof Providence.
They openedthe doorsof the asylumlocatedon Notre
5 8 S e ea b o v e ,y e a r 1 8 8 1 .
5 eT h e d e t a l l s c o n c e r n i n g t h e C a t h o l i c O r p h a n a g ew e r e t a k e n
f r o m f o o t n o t e so f a r c h i v a lm a t e r i a l1 8 2 1 - 1 8 3 3 ,p p . 2 O 5 , 3 0 1 - 3 1 2 .
162
DameStreet.lt had beenthe houseof PEreLouis,built on
and gratuitouslyplacedat
the former 5ite of the R6collets,
This
by the Sulpicians.
of
the
Society
the convenience
given
to
the
Louis
explainsthe nameof OrphelinatSt.
and the reasonwhy the childrenwerecalledthe
Institution,
'Recollet
orohans'.
It wasin | 832 that Mrs.Ang6liqueBlondin,the widow
of GabrielCott6 enteredon the scene.Shebecamethe
asthe firstdirector.
mainoroviderand choseMrs.Chalifoux
in 1838. Her
ended
Mrs. Cott6'scareer
Unfortunately,
d a u g h t e r t, h e w i d o w o f l u l e sQ u e s n e la, s s u m e dt h e
of LadyPatronesses
and the Association
responsibility
Mrs. Maurice
efforts'
years
rewarding
of
experienced
grand-daughter
of Mrs. Cott6, ioined Mrs.
Laframboise,
hermother,andfor sixteenyearsheldthe position
Quesnel,
for the Committee.
of secretary
'l
Mrs. Chalifoux,the first director,was replacedin 849
by MissEulaliePetit,who for twentyyearsaccomplished
wonders.Everyoneadmiredthe courageof this woman
who had a firm hand but whoseheartwas as affectionate
asthat of a mother,andwho gaveall herstrengthand the
resources
of herintellectin orderto improvethe well-being
of hercharges.
The deterioratingconditionof the home however,
a move. In 1863, the residentssettledin a
necessitated
h o u s e l o c a t e d o n t h e c o r n e r o f C h e n e v i l l ea n d
Streets,behindthe new churchof NotreLagauchetiere
Shortlyafter this, FatherRousselot,
Dame-des-Anges.
undoubtedlyconsultedby the women of the Committee,
undertookto establishthe work on a more solid basis.
Eagerto ensureits existence,he consideredentrustingthe
administrationto a religiouscommunity.To this effect,he
suggestedboth to the Committeeof Womenand to the
Crey Nuns an exchangeof property:that on Cheneville
S t r e e tf o r a n o t h e rc l o s et o t h e N a z a r e t hI n s t i t u t i o n
"t63
"borderedin front by St. CatherineStreet."The contract
17, 1865by MotherJaneSlocombe
wassignedon January
and her Council,whilethe womencommittedthemselves
t o b u i l d i n g a n o r p h a n a g ew h i c h w o u l d l a t e r b e
by the Crey Nunsunderthe directionof the
administered
LadyPatronesses.
at whichtime Miss
MissPetitendedhercareerin "1869,
the
orphanage.She
ElmireMorin was nameddirectorof
m o v e dt h e r e w i t h h e r e l d e r l yf a t h e r a n d h e r s i s t e r ,
D e l p h i n e .I n | 8 8 1 , S i s t e rG o d a r d ' so r p h a n a g ew a s
to the Nolanhouseand in 1883,"the Cott6
transferred
gaveup
heirs,unableto continuetheir roleof purveyors,
Forsix moreyears,
Seminary."
their rightsto the Sulpician
thanksto the dedicationof the two MissesMorin,the
proiectremainedunderlay administration,
but when Miss
project
was
reallyin crisis.
1889,
the
Elmiredied in lanuary
T h e t w o s i s t e r sh a d s e r v e d a d m i r a b l y w e l l w i t h
praiseworthy
zeal,but their strengthhad failed.Delphine
of St.losephand later
then retiredfirstwith the LittleSisters
Nuns
wheresheliveduntil
at the MotherHouseof the Grey
August18,1906.
By virtueof their promisedatingbackto 1865,Father
themwith the Grey
had no difficultyin replacing
Rousselot
and SisterLamarche
Caron-Turgeon,
Nuns.SisterEmerance
took over the orphanageon lanuary9, 1889.The new
directorstated,"At noon Mrs. Pr6vostintroducedme. Here
The childrenlookedat me with wonder."At
is your Sister.
the noon meal, Sisternoticedwith astonishmentthe
absenceof knivesand forks,and the orphansate only
pur6edfoodswith the useof a spoon.Waterwasthe only
b e v e r a g eT. h e c h i l d r e nc l a d i n s h i r t sa n d b a r e f o o t ,
d e l e g a t e do n e o f t h e y o u n g e ro n e s t o r e q u e s tt h e
that
permission
to go and playoutside.TheSisterexplained
by the response,
soon it would be possible.Encouraged
t h e y s e n t a n o t h e rd e l e g a t i o nt h i s t i m e t o s o l i c i tt h e
164
p e r m i s s i otno p l a yw i t h t h e c a p g u n s- o r ' r e v o l v e r s ' '
the chaplain.SisterTurgeon
received
from FatherPelletier,
explained,"Let us wait until MissMorin is gone;then,we
for joy and
wiil see."Theycould not containthemselves
that they
Turgeon
stressed
go
off.
Sister
one cap in fact did
did howeverenioya noisygun exerciseafter MissMorin
hadgone.
awaitedSisterTurgeon.Shediscovered
Othersurprises
but no
that "the twenty-fourbeds had straw mattresses
c
l
u
t
t
e
r
e
d
.I n t h e
w
a
s
t
o
t
a
l
l
y
T
h
e
a
t
t
i
c
bed-springs."
bin.
Only
empty
coal
the
therewereratsaround
basement,
fivedollarscouldbe foundin the house.
repairs,
The Superiorlistedthe most urgently-needed
for the
the fuel on hand,the tools,the clothingnecessary
childrenwho went to the schoolof the Brothersof St.
at
especially
Cabrieland who neededto be warmlydressed
job
of
the
undertook
this time of year.SisterLamarche
from
makingclothesfrom the articlesdonated.The Sisters
the schoolat Nazarethcontributedthe work of their
studentsso that the blind knittedfor the sighted.Mr. F.X.
loaneda largestoveand agreedto advancethe
Froidevaux
SisterTurgeonpromisedto
for the repairs.
fundsnecessary
reimburse
all,countingon St.ioseph,the greatproviderin
w h o m s h e p l a c e da l l h e r t r u s t . T h e c a p a c i t yo f t h e
the attic into a
by developing
Institutionwas increased
dormitoryand the Sisterwas ableto pay the accountsas
theybecamedue.
The orphanagewhich had housed463 childrenfrom
ln'19'l7,
780 between1889-1900.
registered
1832-1888,
The
to
Notre-Dame-de-Graces.
would
move
the lnstitution
the
while
work
there,
GreyNunswould continuetheir
the talentedstudentswho wishedto
sponsored
Sulpicians
oursuetheireducation.
165
AsrLE
srE-cuNEcoruor,
MoNTREAL
1889
'12,
On April
hardlythreemonthsafterthe arrivalof the
CreyNunsat the Orphelinat
Catholique,
MotherFiliatrault,
alongwith SisterPerrin,her Assistant,
visitedthe Brewster
castlein the parishof 5t. Cun6gonde.
Thiscastlehadservedasa Protestant
academyoverthe
pastfew years.lt would soon becomethe temporary
dwellingof the severalSistersdestinedfor the new work
which had beenaccepted,namelythe day-care
centrefor
children,
as well as visitingthe poorand the sickin their
homes.FatherA. S6quin,founderof the parishhad wisheo
to securethe services
of the CreyNunsas had doneFather
R.D6carie,
the pastorat St.Henri.
On May 13, SistersLapointeand St. Louisbeganthe
parishvisitin the companyof LesDamesde Charit6who,
for their part/ were responsible
for collectingfundsto
pursuethe project.60
Sister5t. Louishada goodtutor in the
personof SisterLapointewho alreadyhad a reputationfor
her charity.The two did the recruitingfor the day-care
centreso that on September
16, when Sist€rMal6part,the
S u p e r i o r a n d S i s t e r sD e g u i r e , S t e . P r a x i d e a n d
LaboissonniEre
arrived,147 pre-school
childrenwerethere
to welcomethem. The castlecould houseonly thirty
persons,
so that they had to performmiraclesin orderto
allocatethe childrento the variousrooms,becausea
regularclassroom
hadalsobeenopenedat thistime.
W h e n ,a f t e r t h r e ey e a r su n d e rt h i s p r o g r a m ,t h e
statisticswere produced,it wasfound that thirty{our boys
and threehundredgidshad attendedthe school,whilesix
thousandtots had attendedthe dav-carecentre.Moreoveronethousandhomevisitshadbeenrecorded.
60The detailsconcerningAsileSte.Cun6gondewere takenfrom
the gen. arch.and from Circ.mens.of the yearsm€ntioned.
166
castle
at the Brewster
It wasevidentthat the Sisters'stay
in
Then
would soonend, for the fundswere inadequate'
May 1893, FatherS6guin,the foundingpastor.passed
the
Althoughhe bequeathed
awayfollowinga long illness.
greaterportion of his estatein favor of this proiect,it was
insufficient
to continuethe plandespitelittleHarry'slegacy
actionbearsreporting.Thischildhad been
whoselaudable
who had helpedhim
visitedat homeby SisterSt. Edouard
later,littleHarry's
months
moments".
Several
"in hisdying
to seethe
requesting
young sisterappearedat the castle
Thenthe littlegirl
nursewho by now had beentransferred.
"My little brothertold us to give
deliveredher message.
lt wasa pursecontainingfortySt.
Edouard."
this to Sister
nine cents,the child'swholefortune.Thisdelightfuldeed
movedthe Sistersto hope that the housewhosedestiny
had beenin questionfor fiveyearswouldfinallybe built.In
fact,FatherEcremenfthe newpastor,stronglyencouraged
the GreyNunsto proceed.
Towardthe end of March1895,the landat the corner
of Albertand AtwaterStreetswas clearedand in Apri
constructionof a six-storeybuildingbeganunder the
directionof ArchitectsPerreault,Venneand Mesnard.lt
230 ft. by 50 ft. and wasto be calledthe Sacred
measured
H e a r to f M a r y A s y l u m ,b u t i t w a s t h e n a m e o f S t e .
whichwouldfinallyprevail.
Cun6gonde
took placeon luly 7 in
The blessing
of the cornerstone
and
of parishioners
of a largeattendance
the presence
stirred
pastor
Maisonneuve,
of
Lepailleur,
the
Father
clergy.
the triplemissionof this proiect:
by explaining
the audience
it wouldbe:
A homeandschoolfor youngchildren;
A homefor the protectionof Youth;
A homefor the comfortof the elderly.
to/
The enthusiasm
reachedsucha pitch,that the sum of
amountto which
$159.00was collected,an unhoped-for
includingthe poor aswell asthe rich,the elderly
everyone,
andthe childrenhadcontributed.
MotherDeschamps,
in officesinceI 892, participated
in
the celebration
andseveralmonthslater,"knowingwhat to
expectwith regardto SisterLapointe'scharism,"she
requested
her to establish
in the parishthe projectof '5t.
Anthony'sloaves'.61
The Superiorhad beencorrect;the prolectflourished
and providedgenuinerelieffor the future Institutionas it
hadin the pastfor the NotreDameHospital.
26, 1896,the Sistersleft the
Finally,on September
temporaryhomewherethey had livedfor sevenyearsand
they took over the new buildingwhich had two wings
One of thesewas
measuring
18 ft. and 45 ft. respectively.
Themain
for the elderlyand the otherfor studentboarders.
portionof the buildingwasfor the orphansand the elderly
of both sexes.
Bruch6si,
Archbishop
at the time of his visitin | 901,
was delightedto seethe good work beingdone in this
institutionof charity.Threeyearslater,he wouldgrievewith
the entirepopulationwhen the parishchurchwas burned
to
to the ground.The shelterprovidedspaceimmediately
serveas a temporarychurchwithout howeverinterrupting
the regularwork. The childrenwere movedto the lower
floorsfor classesand for meals.Thiswas a relativelynoisy
groupsincefour hundredchildrenwerereceived
daily.This
programwould lastthreeyearsuntil the new churchwas
openedon April1l, I 907.
51 Sr. Lapointewas no longeron the staffof Sistersat the Asylum
at this time, but shecontinuedto devoteherselfto that cause.
168
The hospicewas to prove both usefuland popular.In
wasopenedand four
1918,a schoolfor homeeconomics
underthe administration
yearslater,therewereclassrooms
of the School8oard.Theseadditionsdid not meanthe
d e l e t i o no f t h e e a r l i e rw o r k s ,s o t h e I n s t i t u t i o nw a s
operatingat full capacityuntil the fatefuI day of lune 15'
1 9 5 1 w h e n f i r e d e s t r o y e dH o s p i c eS t e .C u n 6 9 o n d e ,
resultingin the death of thirty-fivevictims including
twenty-eightelderlywomen,five employeesand two
AntoinetteChauvinand RitaGervais,
namelySisters
Sisters,
Ceneralat the
the Superior
Mother
Courville,
the Superior.
timewouldwrite:
tragedy,we havebetter
by thisunutterable
Confronted
of Mother
was
whatmoralcourage required
understood
TE
DEUM
after
the
to
recite
in orderto be able
d'Youville
18,
1765.62
May
on
herhospital
firehaddestroyed
6 2A n n .1 9 5 0 - 5 1p, . 9 8 0 .
169
CHAPTERV
1890-1892
wrotewith a noteof
In November1889,the chronicler
that the Communityhad withdrawnfrom the
sadness
p r o i e c to f e s t a b l i s h i nag h o s p i c ea t S t e .T h 6 r d s ed e
pastorof that parish,had
FatherL.A.Charlebois,
Blainville.
this favorin luly of the precedingyear.He was
requested
supportedat the time by Mr. Drapeau,a benefactoron
Mr. Drapeau
whosehelp he had depended.Unfortunately,
Nunshad
Grey
1
and
the
9th
November
on
died suddenly
and
Filiatrault
proiect
which
Mother
to withdrawfrom this
when they had first
her bursarhad deemedadvantageous
visitedSte.ThEr€se.1
had other
concludedthat Providence
The chronicler
were
plans,for in the courseof 1890four newfoundations
and
in
1
891
realities
would
become
iormallyacceptedand
the
chronicler,
1892.Amongthe eventswhichSisterPanet,
recordeddaily,therewas one whoseimportancesurpassed
I The visit had taken placeon the returnfrom St. J€r6me(Circ.
'1887-92,
p. 284).
mens.
't71
all the restand whichbroughtunspeakable
ioy,not onlyto
t h e M o t h e r C o m m u n i t yb u t a l s o t o t h e C r e y N u n
Communitiesof St. Hyacinthe,Ottawaand Quebec.The
cable"broughtthe news,at 2 p.m. on
"trans-atlantic
March27. that the Causeof Motherd'Youvillehad been
brought beforethe RomanCourt.On the sameday, the
n e w sw a s r e l a y e db y t e l e g r a mt o a l l C r e y N u n s a n d
immediatelya three-daythanksgiving
celebrationwas
plannedF
. a t h e rL . W .L e c l a i rp, . s . s .a, m e m b e ro f t h e
C a n a d i a nC o l l e g ei n R o m e ,s t r o n g l ye n c o u r a g e tdh i s
expression
of gratitudeby writingto the Superior
Ceneral:
I consider
thiseventasoneof the mostimportantfor the
in particular.
lt is
Canadian
Churchandfor yourCommunity
one of the mostbeautifulfruitsof the tree plantedby Mr.
Olier.2
The officialportraitof the illustrious
candidatewas
entrustedto the artist,l.C. Marois,who finishedhistaskon
April26.3
Whilethe Sisters
savoredin advancethe hopeof their
Foundress'Beatification,
the Crey Nunswould experience
o n c e a g a i n t h a t n o h a p p i n e s si s c o m p l e t e .M o t h e r
Deschamps,
the bursar,noticeda slightcurvingof the
pillarsof the maior navein the chapel.aFurtherresearch
revealedthat some masonryalreadyaffectedby decay,
which
threatenedto collapse.The work of consolidation
consisted
in addingsteelarchesto connectthe four pillars,
2 l t i s c o m m o n k n o w l e d g et h a t t h e S u l p i c i a ngsr e a t l yh e l p e d
Mother d'Youvillein her foundation.Fr. Leclair'sletter was dated
M a y 3 , t h e s a m ed a y w h i c h s i x t y - n i n ey e a r sl a t e r m a r k e dt h e
beatification
of "this first flowe.of the CanadianChurch".
3 T h i s o r i g i n a l p a i n t i n g i s p r e s e r v e da t t h e M o t h e r H o u s e .
Multiplephotographiccopieswere producedfor the promotionof
the Cause.
I Vie de MEreDeschamps,
Sr.Collette,p. 365.
172
'l5.)
was begun on April 11 and completedon October
a benefactorwho
Sincethe chapelhad to be evacuated,
that thiswouldbe
suggested
remain
anonymous,
wishedto
a good time to erecta steepleand he offeredthe necessary
was Mr.
as everyonehad surmised,
funds.The benefactor,
of hissister,
Devins;hewasimitatingthe generosity
Richard
Mrs.Tiffin,who had donatedthe white marblestatuesfor
the sidealtars.6
would have
which the Sisters
Therewereanniversaries
b
e
c
o
n t e n tw i t h
l i k e d t o h i g h l i g h tb u t t h e y h a d t o
only
and to celebrating
mentioningthem in the chronicles
tocally.
Thegoldenjubileeof thefoundingof the GreyNuns
and
wasamongthese.MotherDeschamps
of St.Hyacinthe
where
the
SisterReidwere delegatedto thesecelebrations
On May 8, 1840.
followingcomparisonwas established:
and
Guyon
Pinsonneault,
Thuot,
lauronhad left
Sisters
Guyoncame
and
Pinsonneault
Montreal.In | 854,7Sisters
M
o
n
t
r
e
a
l
.T h e S i s t e r b a c k t o t h e M o t h e r H o u s ei n
35 novices
Communityat this time numbered185 Sisters,
Mother
by
inaugurated
works
the
postulants
and
and
i
n
several
o
u
t
c
a
r
r
i
e
d
b
e
i
n
g
d ' Y o u v i l l ew e r e a l r e a d y
years
fifty
who,
institutions.ArchbishopFabreof Montreal
in St.
earlierhad servedthe first Massat the HOtel-Dieu
Hyacinthe,now officiatedpontificallyon this great feast
at
day.8On August27 he left for Rome.MotherFiliatrault
withdrawal
to
the
relative
this time wai havingdiscussions
of the Crey Nunsfrom the schoolof Notre-Dame-despolicyof giving
Neiges,accordingto the long-established
s c i r c . m e n s . 1 a 8 7 - 9 2 ,p . 4 6 0 . T h e u r g e n c yo f t h e s e r e p a i r s
n e c e s s i t a t etdh e p o s t p o n e m e nitn 1 8 9 1 o f t h e T r i d u u m o f
thanksgiving.
5 Thesestatueswere installedfor the feastof the Presentation
of
21.
Mary on November
7 The first-nameddied in Montrealon lan. 23, 'l890 while Sr.
'l
Guyondied two yearsearlieron Nov. 2 1, 8E6.
8 Circ.mens.18a7-92,pp, 1a6, 352, 401-402.
't73
priorityto more remotemissions.
Bu! the peopleheaded
wouldnot hearof it.
by theirpastor,FatherN. Mar6chal
yearsthe Sisters
havebeentakingcareof
Fortwenty-eight
Welovethem
oursick,of ourneedypeople
andourorphans.
too muchto letthemgo,
saidthe peopleand the Sisters
hadto resumetheirlaborof
tove.
at HospiceSt.loseph,
Asfor the schoolfor daystudents
which hadfunctionedfor somethirtyyearsand wasunder
t h e d i r e c t i o no f S i s t e r sV i g n e a ua n d C h a r o n ,i t w a s
permanently
closedon June25.9Duringthe samemonth,
FatherOthon,a Franciscan,
in the chapelof thisinstitution,
h i g h l i g h t e dt h e r e t u r n o f h i s O r d e r t o C a n a d ab y
was being
Thusrecognition
celebrating
the Eucharist.l0
given to the successors
to spread
of "the first missionaries
the Gospelin thiscountry."notedthe chronicler.ll
in
Thecross,broughtto the NewWorldby the R€collets
shine
1615, and givento the CreyNuns,wouldhenceforth
on the steepleof their Mother House.lt was installedon
September2. This iron crossweighing nine hundred
pounds,measuringtwelvefeet in height restson a base
representing
the globe,alsoof iron and measuringthree
feet in diameter.While the Pomminvillecontractorsand
their employeesundertookthe periloustaskof installing
e Circ.mens.1887-92,p.425.
l0 25 ann6esde vie franciscaine
au CanadaD. 29.TheFranciscans
pirish. Two yearslater,
settledin a humbledwellingin St. Joseph's
t h e y w o u l d o c c u p yt h e h o u s e so f M r . l u d a h , t h a n k st o t h e
, he hospice
g e n e r o s i t yo f M r s . T i f f i n a n d M r s . M c K o n k e y T
whereyoung
5t. Elizabeth
furthermorewould shelterthe Patronage
ladiesassembled
to do sewingfor the poor. This initiativestarted
i n D e c .| 8 9 1 .
r r C i r c . m e n s . 1 8 8 7 - 9 2 ,p . 4 1 4 . T h e d e t a i l sw h i c h f o l l o w a r e
takenfrom the samesourceexceotwhen otherwisestated.
174
and their prot6g6srecitedthe
thisglorioussign,the Sisters
had been hoistedto the top
the
cross
When
finally
rosary.
by nteansof pulleys,Mr. Guimondgraspedit and settledit
fiimly.Thenremovinghiscap,he recitedthe verse,"Hail,O
Touchedby this.moment
Crosi,signof our Redemption."
removedtheir caps'
of intenseemotion,all the spectators
tion,
of
the
sign
on
seeing
The Crey Nuns
.the .Redemp.
life
of
played
in
the
had
the rolewhich trials
remembered
Motherd'Youville.
to this
The decreeawardingthe title of Venerable
belovedMotherarrivedin Montrealon August3l ' 1890
havingbeenbroughtfrom Romeby Fatherl.B. Proulx.the
pastoiat St. Lin parishand vice-rectorof the University.He
was stayingat the GreyNunsin orderto completehis
work, the union of the Victoriamedicalschooland the
in Montreal.l2
Faculiyof Medicineof the LavalUniversity
28 and
November
on
adopted
was
this
The Billconcerning
To
the
event.
celebrated
on December19 the GreyNuns
Proulx,
to him, Fatherl.B.
addressed
the congratulations
that he was only the
pastor,
responded
distinguished
the
powerful
motor.
in
fifth wheel the
The 6rey Nuns, particularlythose at Notre Dame
Hospitaland-who weie iokinglycalled"the LavalSisters"
rejoicedthat this thorny problemhad been resolved.This
true of SisterPerrin,the AssistantGeneral
wis especially
who hjd returnedto the post of Superiorat the Hospitalat
Therewas reasonto hope that a new
the end of 1889.13
p e r i o dw a s b e g i n n i n gf o r t h i s i n s t i t u t i o nw h e r e t h e
daughtersof Mother d'Youvillehad now beenworkingfor
ten years.
1 2R u m i l l yH
, i s t .d e l a P r o v .d e Q u € .v . V l p p . l 7 6 - 1 7 7 .A l l t h i s
happenedin the reignof Mercier.
1 3S r . S t u b i n g e rh a v i n g b e € n n a m e d F o r m a t i o nD i r e c t o r ,t h e
m e d i c a ls t a f f c l a i m e dt h e s e r v i c e so f S r . P e r r i nw h o w a s l a t e r
r e p l a c eb
d y 5 r . M a r i e - l o s e pi nh 1 8 9 1 .
175
- 1891herterm of officeby
had inaugurated
MotherFiliatrault
recallingthat "the first thrust of the founders(the rule)
bearsthe sealof the Spiritof Cod; one doesnot alter it
for the direction
without peril".Sinceshewas responsible
of the Institute,when confrontingthe problemswhich
a r o s e .s h e w o u l d a s k h e r s e l f ," W h a t w o u l d M o t h e r
The memoryof the
d'Youvilledo in a similarcase"?l4
Motherof the Pooropeningher door to all the needy
always moved the SuperiorGeneral to action'
Consequentl,the worksmultipliedto the point where
exclaimed
"lt is likein the time
earlyin 1891,the chronicler
of St. Theresa,when from one day to the next new
foundationswould appear".l5The commentwasiustified
since,during lanuary,two new projectswere undertaken
to openbeforethe end of
and anotherwasbeingprepared
the year.
Y e t , t h e w o r k s a l r e a d yi n e x i s t e n c ew e r e b e i n g
At. St. l616mefor
by certaindifficulties.
accompanied
example,the Sistershad lost a powerfulprotectorin the
personof pastorLabellewho died on lanuary4. Hardlya
fortnight later,the collegein that parishwas destroyedby
for the
fire and the Sistershad to assumethe responsibility
boys'school.
the Sistersoperatedthe agricultural
At Chateauguay,
schooland six orphanswere being trainedunder the
directionof SisterAresse.They would learnto till the soil
and be trainedin variousskillsand would providehelp in
erectinga beautifulcrucifixon the mound'l to replacethe
The
on lanuary 3, 1889.16
onedeitroyedby a thunderbolt
11Not. biog. MereFiliatrault,
A.5.G.M.
1 5C i r c .m e n s .1 E E 7 - 9 2p,. 5 ' | 7 .
r 6 t b i d . ,p . 6 5 4 .
't76
schoolwould not last however,for the Quebecyouth
proved to be more captivatedby the salariesoffered by
of breakingnew
Americanfactoriesthan by the perspective
land.
In Toledo,therewasmore hopefor the survivalof the
o r p h a n a g eW
. h i l e t h e E p i s c o p aSl e ew a s v a c a n t l,
had beenauthorizedby MonsignorBoff,the
canvassing
in
and ten GreyNunswerewarmlyreceived
administrator,
parishes.
asmany
would prove
As for the Toledohospital,circumstances
railway
accident
terrible
of
the
At the time
its usefulness.
to
personnel
were
mobilized
allthe
in the papers,
headlined
carefor sixteenwoundedmen, burnedand numb with
cold. Fiveof the victimsdied but the othersweresaved;the
s
werethe obiectof glowingtestimonies.l
Sisters
a fact was recordedin the
In Lawrence,Massachusetts,
had not
The localauthorities
annalsof the Community.
due for the orphanswho were
paid the compensation
so the Sistershad receivedthe order to
without resources
hand over sixteenof thesechildrento the bearerof the
letter.SisterMcKennawasformallyopposedto this. Father
who paid
to the parishioners
O'Reilly,
the pastor,appealed
at
who hadbeenreceived
the debt whilean elderlyspinster
poverty,
bequeathed
of
the
semblance
hospice
under
the
her weilth to the orohansleand thus the problemwas
solved.
Suchstoriesreachingto the Mother Houseservedto
ward off the boredomwhich often resultsfrom routine.
r7 The Bishopof Cleveland
diedApr. "14,1891.
l 8 T h e a c c i d e n th a p p e n e da t t h e e n d o f N o v € m b e r' 1 8 9 1 .s r Peltier,formerlythe FormationDirector,becameSuperiorat the
hospitalin September.
re This fact was recordedin Nov. 1890. (Circ.mens.1887-1892,
p.493.)
177
Other storiesw€re relatedverbally,for example,when the
heroicmissionaries,
SistersSt. Michel-des-Saints,
Daunais,
Lemayand St. Charlesreturnedto the MotherHouseafter
periodsof ten to thirty yearsand weregreetedwith ioy and
a true veneration.
Havingleft with the enthusiasm
of their
youth, they returnednow bent with age, fatigueand
privations.Their appearance
foretoldthe most eloquent
eventuality
for the candidates
now being preparedin the
novitiate.
Other worthy apostlesvisit€dthe GreyNuns.Among
them were BishoosGrouardand Pascalelevatedto the
episcopate
in | 891, the yearwhich coincidedwith the
fiftieth anniversary
of the arrivalin Montrealof the Oblates
of which they weremembers.
The event oar excellenceof 1891 was that of the
celebrationof the lntroductionof the Causeof Mother
d'Youvlllebeforethe RomanCourt.TheTriduumwassetfor
the two last daysof Marchand the first of April.All the
detailsof the program,saveone, had been carefully
planned.
TheSuperior
Ceneralpursuedhervisitsto the CreyNun
institutionsin Montreal.Shehad a bad fall as shewas
IeavingSte-Brigitte
17.
Refugeon the eveningof February
Shereturnedto the Mother Housewith great difficultyand
the doctordiagnosed
a simplefractureof the right leg.This
simplefracturehowever,provedto be complicatedand
was confined
when the Triduumbegan,MotherFiliatrault
to her room and thereforeunableto attend.Meanwhile,
s h e r e c o n c i l e dh e r s e l ft o t h e s i t u a t i o n .H a d n o t t h e
V e n e r a b l eM o t h e r w h o s ea c h i e v e m e n tw
s erebeing
celebrated,been herselfimmobilizedby a painful kneeat
the time of the founding of her religiousinstitution?
Mother Filiatraultwas not the type to lose herselfin
coniectures;
the crosswas being offeredto her and she
generously,
acceptedit
contentto unite her jubilationto
't78
the echoeswhich reachedher from the chapel,recently
of nonrestored.In orderto conformto the prescription
d
'
Y
ouville
M
o
t
h
e
r
c u l t 2 0 t, h e p a i n t i n g sr e p r e s e n t i n g
teachingthe devotionto the EternalFatherto her charges
and that depictingher absorbingdevotionto the Heartof
weremovedto the backof the nave.
lesus,21
Eachday of the Triduumtherewas a High Massand
with an appropriate
Sacrament
of the Blessed
Benediction
great
heroineof the
of the
homily.Thus,the attainments
d a y w e r e h i g h l i g h t e da t t h e M o t h e r - H o u s eb y t h e
of
the personnel
of Montrealand St.Boniface,
Arihbishops
priests
the
Seminary,
from
the
residence,
the Archbishop's
in whichtherewereGreyNuns,the
the pastorsof parishes
and especially
the lesuits,the Franciscans
OblateFathers,
priestswho had beenformer prot6g6sof the Mother
House.
On the secondday.the studentsat the CollEgede
and singerswere heardat Massand
Montr6al,musicians
a
then in the Communityroom wherethey interpreted
Cantatain honor of Mother d'Youville.The Cantatawas
General'
for the Superior
repeated
solemn
wereexceptionally
On the lastday celebrations
honor
guests'
of
Places
invited
were
numerous
and there
of St.
were reservedfor membersof the Sister-Communities
guests
Hyacinthe,Ottawaand Quebec.Afterthe Mass,the
at the tablesin the diningroomfollowingwhich
assembled
20Thistrial startedMarch '14,with the followingas membersof
the Tribunal:BishopE.C.Fabre,judge;CanonP. Leblanc,associate
p.s.s.,postulator;T. Kavanagh,Promoter
judge; FatherRousseau,
-of
actuarialnotaryand A. Le Valois,P.s.s',
the faith; P.N. Bruch6si,
recorder.Mother Filiatraultand 5r. Stubingerappearedbeforethis
tribunalin September"to givetheir testimony."
2 l V i e d e M i r e D e s c h a m p sS,r . C o l l e t t ep, . 4 9 . T h e s eP a i n t i n g s
'1856
w e r e o f f e r e dt o t h € C r e y N u n s b y F r ' F a i l l o ni n 1 E 5 4a n d
asearlyas 1885.
Theyweretransferred
respectively.
179
they gatheredin the Communityroom wherethe present
waslinkedto the past.TheDecreewhichheldthe placeof
honorwassurrounded
(Marguerites).
by symbolicdaisies
O n t h e w a l l t o t h e r i g h t h u n g t w o p a i n t i n g sO. n e
represented
the heroine,the other her greatgrandfather,
PierreBoucher.22
Thechronicler
commented:
Thestoryof the lifeof Pierre
Boucher
is possibly
oneof the
mostbeautifulpagesof our history.Duringthe firstsixteen
yearsof herlife,ourVenerable
Motherhadthe advantage
of
knowinghergreatgrandfather.
Sheevenhadtheioyof living
for sometime in his homewhereshewasinspired
by his
principles
andedified
byhisexamples.
Thisrecallof Madamed'Youville's
maternalancestry
particularly
impressed
Archbishop
Tach6aswellas FatherF.
Adam,pastorat Hochelaga
and FatherE. P6pin,pastorat
Howick.All threeclaimedto be descendents
of the famous
great grandfatherand consequently
were relatedto the
Foundress.
O n t h i s s a m ed a y ,t h e e i g h t e e n t ha n n i v e r s a royf
Archbishop
Fabre's
Episcopal
Consecration
washighlighted
b y a p a n e g y r i ci n t h e c h a p e l .T h e A r c h b i s h o p
of 5t.
gavea commentary
Boniface
on the TE DEUM,Mother
d'Youville's
favoriteprayer.Thistime with the convenience
of a wheelchair
donatedby Mrs.Tiffin,the Superior
General
couldattendthe closingcelebrations
at the MotherHouse.
More than 430 Grey Nunsand I I6 novicestook part in
thesecelebrations,
either in personor in spirit and a
voluminous
correspondence
beganon thisoccasion.
T h e s em e m o r a b l ed a y s w e r e t o h a v e a g l o r i o u s
t o m o r r o w . E a c h o f t h e m i s s i o n sa n d t h e C e n e r a
2 2T h e H o n o r a b l eC . E . Bo. f B o u c h e r v i l l e
o a n e dt h e p a i n t i n gr o
the Sisters.ArchbishopTach€had it copiedto offer to the Mother
House.
180
would have
Administration
of all the Sister-Communities
of Ste.Annefrom Lachinealso
their Triduum.The Sisters
the
offeredthe GreyNunsa paintingcloselyrepresenting
At
Varennes,
Marguerite
oldestportraitof the Foundress.
D u f r o s td e L a j e m m e r a i sb'i r t h p l a c et,h e p o p u l a t i o n
celebratedwith particularjoy as was the casein St
ArchbishopTach6nevermissedan occasionto
Boniface;
point out that the discoveryof the west was due in great
part to Pierrede la Verendrye,aided by his nephew,
respectively
uncleand
Dufrostde la lemmerais,
Christophe
d'Youville.
brotherof Marguerite
who had beenallowedto makethe
MotherFiliatrault
Alas,shecould
trip, attendedthe Triduumin St. Boniface.
The
rule madeit
further
north.
not howev€rvisit the Sisters
mandatoryfor her to visit them beforethe end of her first
of her ailingcondition,
mandateas Superiorbut because
of the Mackenzie
she was unableto do so. The Sisters
privation.
They
had
lookedforward
region keenlyfelt this
to her coming that "her breakfast
with such eagerness
awaitedher on the table" wrote SisterWarda few months
was equalledonly by
later.23
The regretof the missionaries
that of the Superiorwho undoubtedlyhad to say likethe
to
Foundress.
"Praythat God will give me the strength_
andto makea holyuseof them."za
carryall thesecrosses
THE INDUSTRIALSCHOOL,ST.BONIFACE,1891
The IndustrialSchoolof Qu'Appelleand of High River
proved to be sound investments.Therefore,it was not
surprisingthat ArchbishopTach6would soon securethe
samebenefitfor the nativechildrenof his own area.Since
had come into effect,
the law groupingNativeson Reserves
23 Letterof Dec.'1891
.
24 Letterof Motherd'Youvilleto Fr. de l'lsle-Dieu,SePtember
1E,
1 76 5 .
181
three 'encampments'
had beenestablished
aroundSt.
Boniface.
TheArchbishoo
did not hesitate
to solicitfinancial
helpfrom the Federal
Covernment
and no soonerhad he
obtainedit, than he movedinto action.Because
of the
unavailability
of an institution,
the girlsw€rereceived
at the
provincialhouseof the GreyNuns.Since1846, it had
becomethe customto takein everytype of proiec! at least
at their outset.On luly 1, 1889, thirty-fivegirls were
receivedthere and two roomson the north side were set
up asctassrooms.
In the followingyear,construction
of the lndustrial
(mostly
Schoolfor boys
of the Sauteuxtribe)wasbegunon
the Sisters'
land.2sOn December
28, 1890,in the presence
of a largeattendance,ArchbishopTach6blessedthe new
buildingto be completedonly in the followingspring.lt
was openedon lanuary2, 1891 however,and after the
groomin9,26
necessary
sixteenpupilsmadea noisyentry.
SistersLassisseraye
and d'Eschambault
were assigned
there:the first as Superior,the latter becauseshe mastered
both Englishand Frenchas well as the Cree,Sauteuxand
Siouxdialects,a fact which studentswould observewith
delight. FatherlosephLavignewas the first to assumethe
dutiesof chaplain.
At this school,as in the other schoolsalreadyin
existence,the childrenmaderapidprogress.The institution
becameso popularthat soon, regretfully,the Sisterswere
forced to refuseadmissionof any more pupils.In May
1892,therewereeightypupilswhile the Departmenthad
set the numberat sixty.A stable,a cobblershop and a
carpentershop were areaswhere the native boys learned
appropriateskills.Famousbishopsand renownedvisitors,
among whom was CovernorSchultz,stoppedat this
25ArchbishopTach€to MotherFiliatrault, 26, 1a90.
luly
26VerslesPaysd'en haut,A. Tessier
and H. Biron,pp. 183-18.f.
182
i n s t i t u t i o na n d w e r e a m a z e da t t h e c h i l d r e n ' sv o c a l
performance
at theirskills.
andespecially
in a
It was not easyhowever,to maintaindiscipline
mixed school,for the girls had been movedfrom the
Provincial
Housein 1897.A firm handwas requiredand
FatherDorais,an Oblate,becamePrincipalat the schoo,
werenowemployed.
wheresevenSisters
were
In 1901,one hundredpupils,of whom sixty-seven
boysand thirty-threewere girls,pursuedtheir studiesAmongthe tatter,fourwouldbecomeAuxiliarySisters.
obtained
"We havereasonto be proudof the successes
visit
to Fort
a
during
wrote
Pag6
at this school",Sister
now
established
pupils
were
wherethe former
Atexander2T
and whosebehaviorwas a creditto thosewho had been
theirteachers.
the Reserves
invadedthe territories,
Alas,as civilization
had
Schools
movedfartherawayso that eventhe Industrial
elsewhere.
to be transferred
In 1905, the few pupilsin St. Bonifacemovedto Fort
Schoolclosedits doorsafter
whilethe Industrial
Alexander
fifteenyearsof operation.
ALBERTA,1891
HOLYCROSSHOSPITAI-CALGARY,
On the morningof lanuary2'|, 1891, MissMadeline
Beemerwho had arrivedfrom Toledoa few daysearlier,
d o n n e dt h e g a r b o f t h e S i s t e r so f S t . M a r t h ai n t h e
Communityroomof the MotherHouse.Shewould receive
h e r p r a c t i c a lt r a i n i n g i n t h e W e s t s i n c e s h e h a d
acceptedto ioin the group of Sisterswho
courageously
were leavingfor Calgarythat samenight' The prayersof
the itinerarvwere offeredin the chapelat four o'clockin
'18,
27 Excursion
1899.
which took placeluly
183
t h e a f t e r n o o na n d t h r e e h o u r sl a t e r ,S i s t e r sC a r r o l l ,
new
St. Marcand Gertrude(MissBeemer's
Beauchemin,
broughtno
name)boardedthe train.The foundresses
ln fact,
otherthan theirtrustin DivineProvidence.
treasure
their capitalof
by the time they reachedtheir destination2s
5209.75had been deoletedto 573.75.At 2 a.m. on
30, in extremelycoldweather,the Sisterarrivedin
January
Calgary,a little town which owed its existenceto the
Father
alteied route of the CanadianPacificRailway.2e
pries!
for
had
been
expecting
them
the
Leduc,an Oblate
pastseveralhoursbut had soughtin vainfor a vehicleto
ladenwith
The Sisters,
conveythem to their destination.
their luggage,were forcedto trudge their way to the
of lesusa quarterof a
Conventof the FaithfulCompanions
but
mile away.The latterg reetedthem with friendliness
regretfully declaredthat they could not give them lodging.
The new arrivalsthereforepatientlyawaitedMasstime.
then after a light lunch,directedtheir stepstoward the
Thiswasa smalltwohospitalwhichwasasyet unfinished.
storeyhousemeasuring20 ft. by 20 ft. equippedwith a
stoveincapableof providingsufficientheatfor the needsof
from all sides.Old
The wind penetrated
the residents.
mattr€sses
and blanketsbought at an auctionwere set in
placewhilethe meagercapitalwasfurtherdiminished.
The Sisterswere pleasantlysurprisedby the arrivalof
SisterCleary,Superiorat the schoolin Dunbow near
Calgary.Seeingthe destitutionof her companions,she
cordiallyinvitedthem to cometo.Dunbow.Thefoundresses
alongin
declinedbut SisterCarrollsentSisterBeauchemin
of herfeeblehealth.
consideration
28Thesedetailsare €xtractsfrom Circ. mensand biograPhies
of
the foundresses.
2e Hist.abr696ede l'Ouesl Morice,p. 107
184
Moved by the situationof the Sisters,a few charitable
women sentvariousarticleswhile FatherLeducsupplied
themwith food.
On April 1, a patientwas admittedto the six-bed
hospital.He was so well caredfor that he becamea
sixty-fourpatientswere
publicityagentand eventually
admittedduringthe firstyear.lt wasevidenthowever,that
for the needs.lt became
the smallhousewas insufficient
to build. BishopGrandindonatedland, the
necessary
Oblatessupplied25,000 bricks,the women organizeda
in the
SisterCarrollwent to canvass
bazaarand the tireless
campsalongthe line of the CanadianPacific
construction
Railway.By May 3, 1892, the contractwas signedfor the
constructionof a new buildingthe cost of which was
at $6,000.00.
estimated
werealreadyin debt but DivineProvidence
The Sisters
waswatchingoverthem.SisterMargaretDevins,who had
gavethe sum
inheritedthe fortuneof her brother,Richard,
w
h
i l ea p u b l i c
H
o
s
p
i
t
a
l
,
t o H o l yC r o s s
of $10,000,00
population'
A
calamitywouldwin themthe affectionof the
small-poxepidemicbrokeout in Calgary'Localauthorities
two of them
for help. Courageously
appealedto the Sisters
patients
The
small-pox
field
of
action.
went to their new
p
i
t
i
f
u
l
s
tate of
w e r e s h e l t e r e du n d e r a t e n t i n a
wa5actuallyin a stateof
Oneof the patients
abandonment.
Eventhe doctor did not dare to come near
outrefaction.
Sistersattendedher to the end'
her,but the compassionate
Their ministrylastedfive week and wh€n they returnedto
the fold, they were compelledto burn their clothing in
order to avoid spreadingthe infection.Insteadof resting,
the work of construction.
the nurseswent aboutoverseeing
'l
The hospitalwas blessedon November 3 and on the
25th the Sistersmoved in. Of the three storeysonly two
w e r e c o m p l e t e db u t t h e c o s t h a d a l r e a d yr e a c h e d
The proiecthowever,was on a good course
S15,000.00.
185
and would not ceaseto develoo."Eventhe mostfanatic
non-Catholics
readilyagreedthat thereare no nurseslike
of Charity".ro
the Sisters
The existenceof a Catholichospitalgave rise to envy
andsoonanotherbuildingwasrisingfor the benefitof nonCatholicpatientsof the area,so that the Sistershad reason
t o f e a r s o m e r i v a l r ye s p e c i a l l ys i n c et h e t o w n w a s
in I 896. "Calgaryis
an economicdepression
experiencing
not today the flourishingcity which it had become",wrote
the farmers
SisterCarroll.3l"Cropfailureshavediscouraged
so that a largenumberof them haveleftthe country."Two
yearslater,the situationwas reversedwhen the railway
workshopsappearedin Calgary,bringingto the town seven
or eight hundredmore people.The competitionof the
non-Catholichospitalsuffereda seriousset-backin early
lanuary1900 whena conflictarosebetweenthe authorities
and the nurses.Consequently,twelve patientsleft the
institutionto seektreatmentat HolyCrossHospital.Among
thesepatientswas the directorof the hospitalhimselfwho
had been "our most zealousadversary",noted Sister
to planfor a further
Carroll.Asa result,it becamenecessary
extensionwhich was realizedin 1906. The Schoolof
Nursingopenedthe followingyear.That sameyear a
miners'strikecauseda shortageof coal and the laundry
workers,amongwhom was SisterCertrude,wereforcedto
returnto primitivemethods.Calgarywasstill unawareof its
black gold. The crisiswas temporaryhowever,and the
town soon beganto experiencea periodof astounding
As for the institutionfoundedby the Grey
development.
Nuns, it continuedto grow in sizeand to improvethe
qualityof caredispensed.Formanyyearsto comethe Grey
service
Nunswouldpursuetheirhumanitarian
and Christian
305r. Carrollto MotherDeschamps,
sept. 15, 1E93.
3r Letterof April 13, 1896.
186
wasableto
whichthe hospital
to overfivehundredpatients
expansions.
afterthe successive
accommodate
U,S.A.,
WORCESTER,
ST.ANNE'SORPHANAGE,
1891
parish
the pastorof the francophone
Fatherl. Brouillet,
1884
Nuns
in
Grey
to
the
appealed
Mass.had
in Worcester,
of
for the establishment an
in orderto obtaintheirservices
but the proiect
The replyhad beenaffirmative,
orphanage.
had to be postponedin favor of other projectspreviously
accepted.The delaywas deploredby the pastor,and five
the planof "YoungLadiesof the
yearslaterhe encouraged
Third Order" to transformthe buildingusedas a schoo
chapelin SouthWorcesterinto q shelter"for thirtyjive
orphansandfiveelderlypersons."32
of
Several
The initiativefailedand the groupdissolved'
persisted
in
living
and
elsewhere
themcametogetheragain
togetheras a communitydespitethe interdictionfrom
by the fact that
Thiswascomplicated
competentauthority.
of civic
charter
their
young
had
obtained
women
these
s
h
a
r i n go f
g
u
a
r
a
n
t
e
e
t
d
h
e
m
t
h
e
i n c o r p o r a t i ow
nhich
Theyleft the orphanageon Southgate
commongoods.33
orphansaswe..
Streetwheretherewere now sev€nty-eight
p
e
r
s
o
n
s
'
F
a t h e rB r o u i l l e t
h
a
n
d
i
c
a
p
p
e
d
a
n
d
aselderly
He
was
so persuasive
Nuns.
renewedhisappealto the Crey
the
Superior
that two dayslater,on lanuary30, 1891,
Generaltook the foundressesto Worcester.They were
S i s t e r sA n n a P i c h 6 ,S t . G e o r g e s ,P o i t e v i na n d S t e .
chosen.
carefully
four Sisters
Hedwidge:
SisterPich6was thirtyyearsold and had lessthan ten
y e a r so f r e l i g i o u sl i f e , b u t a l r e a d yd e s p i t eh e r f r a i l
32 Le Livred'Or, - A. Belisle,p. 72.
3 3T h e s i t u a t i o nw o u l d s t a b i l i z eh o w e v e ra n d f r o m t h i s s m a l l
group would comea worthy religiouscommunity.
187
appearance,
shewasknownasa strongwoman,a woman
with a great heart,one of whom any sacrificecould be
asked.lmpressed
by the courageof the ,heroicwomenof
t h e f a r N o r t h ' t h e y o u n g l a d y h a d o n c ed e c l a r e ds h e
wanted"to be a Grey Nun in orderto experience
extreme
deprivation".Her wish would be fulfilledin Worcester
w h e r e t h e s y m p a t h yo f t h e p o p u l a t i o nw a s d i v i d e d
betweenthe Tertiaries
andthe CreyNuns.sa
glorious,for the
. Theearlyperiodof theirstayappeared
e l i t e o f s o c i e t yw e l c o m e dt h e d a u g h t e r so f M o t h e r
d'Youvillemost cordially.The receptiontook placeat the
Casinowherethespeaker
statedthat
eventhoughthefacesof thenewarrivals
arenotfamiliar,
the brilliantrenownof yourcommunity
hasreached
ushere.
Aswe leftthe shores
of theSt.Lawrence,
we broughtwith us
memories
of the heroicabnegation
whichfor two centuries
hasbeenthe prideof our land(...)you cancountwith
certaintyon the entiresympathy
of the ten thousano
francophones
of Worcester
whowill be happyto helpyouin
therugged
you.ls
taskbefore
A beautifulbouquet of flowerswas offeredto Mother
Filiatrault
who thankedthe donorsand promisedthat she
would increase
the numberof Sisters,
for she had alreadv
observedthat four would not sufficefor the task.
T h e S u p e r i o rC e n e r a kl e p t h e r p r o m i s ea n d s e n t
additionalhelpwhichwasparticularly
appreciated
asSisters
Lapointeand Kdglearrivedbeforethe end of February.
The
v
' 1 9 !Sr.
0 - Pich6
1 9 2 0becamethe 5uperiorGeneralof the 6rey Nunsfrom
a n d f r o m I 9 3 0 - 1 9 3 5 .S h ew a s t h e f i i s t S u p e r i o r
Generalto visit the northernmissions
and she experienced
ail sorts
of difficultiesin her travelstrom '19'12-1933,
despitethe improved
conditions;therefore,one could concludethat the,petite, Mother
had a specialvocationfor hardships.
3s Circ.mens.1887-92,pp.522-523-
188
first had beena foundressof the missionsin the distant
region,so SisterPich6and all her companions
Mackenzie
held her in high esteem,an esteemwhich would never
abilityto
had a marvelous
declineas this greatmissionary
her.The
impossible
to
was
nothing
was
said
that
adapt.lt
even
get
idea
of
this,
a clear
would
peopleof Worcester
thosewho had at first displayeda certainreticencetowards
the Crey Nuns.Sheinitiatedthe proiectof loaveswhich
was practicallythe sole mannerof assuringthe daily
happenedthat
Despitethis,it occasionally
subsistence.
tableswerebare.St.losephwasthencalleduponandsmall
A bakeronceforgotto add saltto the
miracles
happened.
his loavesto-the orphanage;the
offered
dough, then
SisterLapointewas
coniibution was gratefullyreceived.36
and shecontinued
at theselittlehappenings
not astonished
h e r h u m b l et a s ko f c a n v a s s i n gS.o o np e o p l eb e c a m e
familiarwith the silhouetteof this Sisterof Charity,always
"our
Shewas nickn-amed
so pleasantand understanding.
grantedherrequests.s/
dailybread"andeveryone
I n M a y , M o t h e r D e s c h a m p st ,h e b u r s a rc a m e t o
Worcesterto providetemporaryrelief.SisterPich6greeted
the former SuperiorCeneralwith delight.Sheknew that
would be most helpfulto her.The house
her experience
wasalreadyinadequateto meetthe requestsfor admission.
The bursarsuggestedthe purchaseof land near the town
wherea smallbuildingwould be erected.The citizens
36 Sr. Rodierto the Sistersof the Mother House,Feb,1900' The
wasrecallingthe beginningsof the Community'
secretary
37Prematurely
exhaustedby hardwork and extendedfastsin the
far North. Sr. Lapointewas recalledto the Mother Housein 1895.
T h e W o r c e s t e Jr o u r n a lp u b l i s h e da l a u d a t o r ya r t i c l ea b o u t t h e
worthy religious."We haveseenher at work daily,rain or shine.lf
we havereisonto be Proudof our orphanage,we havecontracted
an enormousdebt toward Sr. LaPointewho, by her untiring zeal
a n d h e r i n d o m i t a b l ee n e r g ys u c c e e d € idn p l a c i n gt h e C a t h o l i c
Orphanageof Worcesterin the forefrontof charitableinstitutions
of New England."(Circ.mens.1892-95,PP.743-744).
189
obiectedto this preferringa more durableproject.In the
meantime,the farm-houseoccupiedby SistersMcKenzie
wasrepaired.
the guardians,
and St.Georges,
The construction
beganin May 1892. At SisterPich6's
request,MotherDeschamps
turnedthe sod and the St.
Anne Orphanageon GraniteStreetbeganto rise.Eleven
more
Sisters
wereemployedat this proiectwhichsheltered
thanone hundredorohanswhilethe otherswho visitedthe
homesof the poor discovered
dire povertywhich they
endeavored
to relieve.
Exactlytwo yearsafter their arrivalin Worcester,
the
GreyNuns enteredthe new orphanagewherethey were
140 orphans.
The housewasblessed
ableto accommodate
, ho
o n M a y 3 0 b y B i s h o pB e a v e no f S p r i n g f i e l dw
manifestedgreat interestin this orphanagewell situated
of
outsideof town and which had all the advantages
people
years
later,
in
November
1
897
countryliving.Two
were deploringthe fact of it "being so far away and
withouta telephone",sincea forestfire had startedin the
vicinityof the institution.Threeemployeeshad failedto
controlthe destructive
element.Accordingto them only a
squadof fire-fighterssummonedby telephonecould
workershad not countedon
controlthe blaze.Thezealous
Pich6and
the Sisters'
trustin theirspecialprotector.Sisters
gaveone
fire
and
went
to
the
site
of
the
St.ldr6me-Emilien
picture
to "set
a small
of Motherd'Youville
of the spectators
on one of the stakes."In lessthan fifteenminutesthe fire
wasundercontrol.
the Crey
In the francophoneparishof Notre-Dame
Nuns oursuedtheir charitablework to oromotethe faith
and the Frenchlanguage.For manyyearsto come they
would teachin their own language,
the orphansof the
CanadianFrenchwho had come to the United States
attractedby glowingpromises.
190
M a n y y o u n g l a d i e sf r o m t h e F r a n c o - A m e r i c a n
cameto swellthe ranlaof the Crey
populationeventually
Nuns.
- 1892 lanuarysawthe completiono{ the courtcaserequired
by Rometo provethat no public cult toward Mother
The term "public"cult
had beenencouraged.
d'Youville
mustbe defined,for the privatecult,that isdevotionto the
was intensifyingamongthe Crey Nuns.Each
Foundress,
Sisterattemptedto steepherselfin the spiritof the early
biographyauthoredby
foundationand the Foundress'
F a t h e rF a i l l o na, n o t e d h i s t o r i a na, g a i nb e c a m ev e r y
popular.The Sisters
wishedto imitateMotherd'Youville's
with her
and attemptedto imbuethemselves
availability
and to followthe example
total trust in DivineProvidence
towardsher brothersand
tenderness
of her incomparable
sisters.
for
remarkable
had beenparticularly
Motherd'Youville
her
had
rendered
who
her deepgratitudetowardsanyone
the slightestservice.
"Neverwill this institutionforgetyour
kindnessand thosewho will come after us will know of
y o u r g e n e r o s i t yi n o u r f a v o r " 3 6 ,s h e w r o t e t o a
and
In anotherlettershestated:"My Sisters
correspondent.
One
by wayof gratitude."3e
I canonlygiveyou our prayers
the
than in thesestatements
must not seekelsewhere
Nuns
of
Crey
among
the
established
the
tradition
sourceof
custom
a
lt hasbecome
prayingdailyfor theirbenefactors.
to recordtheircharitiesin detail,to notethe date of their
death and to tell the future generation"what they have
Plante,the former
donefor us."Thusthe deathof Frangois
36 Letterof Sept.24,1770.
3eLetterof sept. 16, 1764.
191
millerwho had servedtwenty-fiveyearsat Ch6teauguay
hadbeenrecalled.ao
In lanuaryof that yearthe nameof Mrs. Malhiotof
Boucherville
was recordedas havingofferedthe GreyNuns
a n o i l p a i n t i n go f a p o r t r a i tb y C h r i s t o p h eG a m e l i n
L a i e m m e r a i tsh, e n e p h e wo f M o t h e r d ' Y o u v i l l ew h o
"betweenten and elevenin the morning"on the day
beforeherfuneral,went to get the artist,PhilippeLi€bertso
that he might recordon canvasthe traitsof the Foundress
then lyingin state.4lAssuch,Christophe
Gamelintportrait
is that of a benefactorand deserves
to figure among those
of his illustrious
aunt and her venerable
g reat-grandfather,
PierreBoucher.42
Alsoin 1892,on the occasionof the accidentaldeathof
MisslessieSelby,the Sistersrecalledthe good servicesof
the DoctorsSelby,fatherand son, who servedthe Grey
Nuns and their chargesover the spanof almosthalf a
century.43
The month of Februarywas noted for anotherdeath,
that of Mr. RichardDevinswho along with his sister,Mrs.
Tiffin,continuedthe liberalities
of their father,Mr. peter
Devins,towardthe GreyNuns.
Many yearsbefore,in 1848, he had offeredthe first
organfor the chapelon the occasionof the entranceof his
daughter,Margaret,into the GreyNun Community.Seven
40 Deceased
on Aug. 4, hisfuneralwas held "in our chapel,,and
a m o n g o t h e r s w h o a t t e n d e d w e r e m e m b e r so f t h e c l e r g y ,
includinghis sonwho wasthe assiltantat Pointe-Claire.
1l Vie de Mire d'Youville,- Sattin,p. 52.
'12Mr. C. GamelinLaiemmerais
died a bachelorabout the year
1800at th€ homeof his nephew,Malhiot,in Verchires.
43The care providedby Dr. S.B.Schmidtwas recordedin 1600.
This doctor who had becamea convert at the tim€ of the typhus
e p i d e m i icn 1 8 4 7 ,d i e do n N o v . 4 , 1 8 9 2 .
192
yearslaterwhen hisyoungestdaughter,Elizabeth,knownin
religionas SisterSt. Patrice,was approachingthe time .of
heiperpetualoblation,he contributedthe carpetfor the
did not fallon sterileground.Mr.
Suchexamples
sanctuary.
RichardDevinsparticipatedin the organizationof the
lotteryfor the buildingof the chapel.He contributedalso
towaid the buildingof the steepleand the decoratingof
the chapel.Moreover,Mr. Devinswas a ferventdevoteeof
nocturnaladorationand he had beeneagerto offer the
sanctuarylampwhich burnedconstantlybeforethe Hostof
the tabernacle.He providedin perpetuityfor the upkeepof
this lamp, probablyto expresshis gratitudefor obtaining
the gracehe had solicitedfor manyyears:the conversionof
hisspouse.q
A largecongregationof faithfuland membersof the
clergygatheredin the chapelon Cuy Streetfor the funeral
serviceof Mr, R. Devins.Thesewere for the most part
. n M a r c h2 6 , a
b e n e f i c i a r i eosf M r . D e v i n s ' b o u n t yO
servicewas held as was the customfor
commemorative
deceasedSistersthirly days after their death. For the first
was grantedby competentauthorityto
time permission
Sister
on the organthe singingof the Requiem.
accompany
Margaret,the sole heir of the deceased,offereda new
for the chapelin orderto realizea wishherbrother
organas
hadhelddear.
SisterMargaret,an eminentmusicianherself,would
makethe new organ vibrateboth on great feastdaysand
from
during intimate community prayer.The missionaries
a'Mrs. Devinsembracedthe faith toward the end of 1878 and
died eightyearslateron luly 5, 1886.
'5 This Casavantorgan was inauguratedon Dec. 2'f.lt had 7E5
Mr. Devins'estatewould
pipes,l5 organstopsand two keyboards.
of €ertainmissions
iurther servCtor the foundingor maintenance
in th€ west:the Industrialschoolsand the hospitalsof Calgaryand
Edmonton.
193
remote regionswho returnedhome to the Mother House
afteryearsof serviceabroadwould marvelat its poweranc
the beautyof its sound.SisterWard, one of the heroic
'l867
womenwho had leftin
wasamongthese.Recalled
to
Montr€alto participatein the Chapterto be held in
October,shewrote to MotherFiliatrault
"l cannotbelieve
my eyes."Shethoughtit wasall a dream.46
Butthe dream
would materialize
on September
20 aftera iourneywhich
had beenlessdifficultthan that of 1867,a secondvoyage
she had neverexpectedto make.Shehad considered
herselfas destinedto live and to die at the far distant
conventof Providence
which had becomeas she hao
described:
"Our homeland,our home,our burialplace."qt
Wardhad leftthe old MotherHouseon the riverbank
Sister
so thiswasthe firsttime shesawthe hugeconventon Guy
Street"with all its conveniences".48
her
Shemet especially
formercompanions,
notablythe uniqueSisterLapointe
who had come from Worcesterin order to seethe valiant
missionary.ae
Recallinghow the newsbulletinshad been
a p p r e c i a t e di n t h e f a r - a w a yt e r r i t o r i e sS
, i s t e rW a r d
volunteeredto serveas chroniclerand conveyedher
impressions
to the missionaries.
Shementionedin her
lettersthe extraordinaryinventionof electricstreetcars.
"They circulate'at full speed'through the main streetsof
the town," commentedSisterPanetso.
One thing is certain;
SisterWardmarvelledat the growth of the community.She
had visited the missionsof the west locatedalong her
return route. Now she visitedthe neighboringhouses,
wherea schoolhad beenadded
especiallyin Chateauguay
.5 Letterof April 2, 1892.
17 Le SoleilBrillei Minuit, Sr, E.Mitchell,p. 39.
48An elevatorwas installedon May,l, 1892 at th€ north end of
the Guy Streetwing.
4e Sr. Lapointehad b€enthe foundingSuperiorat the conventof
Providence,
50 Circ.mens.1892-95,p. I
194
now belongedto a new
to the old manor.Chateauguay
createdon April 5 and where
diocese,that of Valleyfield,
FatherM6dardl. Emaidhadbecomethe AuxiliaryBishop.sl
delightedSisterWardwasthe number
What especially
in whom she sawfuture subiects
novices
and
of Dostulants
forher field of labor.In fact, mostof them had beendrawn
to the Crey Nuns by the accountsof the heroic deedsof
Northwasnot the
Butthe greatCanadian
the missionaries.
were
calledupon to
Nuns
Grey
only placewhere the
and though
minister.Theywere soughtafter everywhere
lllinois
the requestof the pastorof St. Roseat Kankakee,
new
year''1892'
three
same
in
that
to
be
declined,
had
others
and
two
in
Montreal
one
projectswere undertaken;
in the UnitedStates.
THE OPTHAIMIC INSTITUTE,MONTREAI. 1892
openedin 1873 and movedto
dispensary
TheNazareth
for
1
the Nolanhousein 881, valid reasonshad had to close
'Laval-Victoria'
quarrelhavingfinally
in 1883. The great
been settled,s2DoctorsEdouardand Henri Desiardins
wishedto resumetheir medicalspecialty.To this effectthey
addressedthemselvesto the Crey Nuns who in December
1890, agreedto build a smallhospitalconnectedto the
Nazarethinstitution.lt was thought at the time, that
constructionwould be completedby Septemberof the
The land,havingbeenflooded,the.plans
followingyear.s3
buildingmeasuring35 ft. by 62
werealterid. A three-stor€y
ft. with a Frenchroof and a basementhad to be erectedon
piles.Theofficialopeningtook placeon Sunday,March13,
i 892. Everyonereioicedthat this institutionwas being
5l Rumilly'sHist. de la P. Qu6., V5, pp' 304-305.Fr. Emardwas
Cause.
notaryin Motherd'Youville's
the assistant
s 2 R u m i l l y ,L a g r a n d eq u e r e l l ed e L a v a le t V i c t o r i a ,B u l l , H o P '
N . D . ,1 8 8 0 - 9 0p, . 1 0 .
5 3C i r c .m e n s .1 8 8 7 - 1 8 9 2P, . 4 8 8 .
195
dispensed
restored.
Therethe renownedDoctorsDesjardins
and in otocompetenttreatmentboth in ophthalmology
rhino-laryngology.
ln the fall of that year,five Sisterswere assignedto the
new institution.DoctorsBoulet,Plamondonand Masson
joined the Desiardinsdoctors.Twenty-threebedswere
madeavailable
to patients
andan operatingroomwassoon
retiredand
installed.ln 1902, DoctorEdouardDesjardins
was succeeded
by DoctorRodolpheBoulet,who like his
predecessor,
hadspecialized
in European
universities.
ln luly 1907,the newdirectorreceived
a veryimportant
patient,namelyBishopSbaretti,the ApostolicDelegateto
Canada.DoctorLubet-Barton
of Parishad recommended
that he consultDoctorBoulet.Unfortunately,
this doctor
wouldwitnessthe closureof the institutefor lackof funds.
On severaloccasions
he had pleadedon behalfof the
institution.sa
ln March1929 DoctorBouletreturnedto
France
wherehe diedin Parison lanuary16, 1935.
service,the Grey
After thirtyJiveyearsof courageous
Nunswithdrewfrom the institutionin order to dedicate
entirelyto educatingthe blindat the Nazareth
themselves
institution.
N.J.1892
ALL SOULS',HOSPTTAL,
MORRTSTOWN,
NursingSisters,
cladin the Greyuniform,werepopular
i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .F a t h e .l . M . F l y n n , p a s t o r a t
Assumptionparishin Morristown,"wanted no other
communitythan that of the GreyNunsto takechargeof
the hospitalwhich he proposedto open in his parish".))
Therefore,he enteredinto negotiationswith Mother
Filiatrault
in November1891on the octaveof All Soulsdav.
s4 Dr. Bouletto the Hon.A. David,sec.prov.,Oct.1920.
5s Circ.mens.1887-1892.pp.795-796.
196
Several
days
hencethe nameof the futureestablishment.
her
later,the SuperiorCeneraldelegatedSisterPainchaud,
to discernon site the
and Mother Deschamps
assistant,
was favorable
investigation
Their
project.
feasibilityof this
Shanessy
and
1892
Sister
and on the morningof August5,
setout for Morristown.
threecomDanions
was formedand the old
A committeeof businessmen
"Arnold Tavern"was purchasedto be transformedinto a
hospital.Thiswasa historicbuildingasGeorgeWashington
and his Chiefof Staffhad retiredthere in 1777,A plaque
this fact. The four-storeybuildingwas
commemorated
5' Soonpatients
hospitalon September
as
a
inaugurated
and
sympathetic
was
so
flocliedto it; the population
had.not
were surprisedthey
generousthat the Sisters
encounteredthe usualdifficultiesinherentin establishing
such a project. However,Providencewould seeto it that
the
SisterShanessy,
they would havetheir shareof crosses.
died in officeon March1 l, 1898.She
foundingSuperior,
was givin a statefuneral.The doctorsand the hospital
consideredit an honor to carryher coffin to
administrators
the churchand then to escortit to the stationasshewasto
be buriedat Chateauguay.
Wheneveran epidemicbrokeout in Morristown,the
sickwere takento the hospitaland the Sistersquarantined
as had their
with them facedthe dangerof contamination
The
in
Montreal.
predecessors
during the typhusepidemic
GreyNuns had beenchosenfor the hospitalin Morristown
A noted
preiisely becauseof this historicalcharacteristic.
in praise
spoke
McBurney,
York,
Doctor
surgeonfrom New
at the
existing
of the institution;despitethe conveniences
non-Catholichospital,the doctorspreferred" All Souls".
On May 24, 1901,Mr. Olcott would relievethe hospitalof
i t s d e b t b y p r e s e n t i n ga t 1 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0c h e q u et o t h e
Superior.He wishedto expr€ssin this way his admiration
for the nurseswho had contractedsmall-poxwhilecaring
't97
for their patients.Two of them wereso seriouslyscarredby
the disease"that their own motherswould not recoqnize
them."s6Fortunatel,the Sisters
recovered
and conti-nued
their humanitarian
work until 1913, at which time the
religiousauthoritiesdecidedto leavethis well-equippeo
placein orderto establish
a hospitalat FortSmithin the
solitudeof the Canadian
FarNorth.
THE FRENCHSCHOOL,SALEM,MASS.U.S.A.1892
A Canadianorphanagealreadyexistedin Salemsince
1866; the Grey Nunsacceptedto direct it in 1892. The
n u m b e r o f c h i l d r e ni n c r e a s e dt o s u c h a p o i n t t h a t
a c c o r d i n gt o F a t h e rC a d o u r n t h e p a s t o r ,t h e r e w a s
questionof rebuildingit and addinga parochial
school.On
August15, 1892 an Agreementwas signedbetweenthe
parishand the GreyNunsrelative
to assuming
the direction
of the school.Six monthslater,on December22, Sisters
Desnoyers
and Archambaultleft for this new field of
e n d e a v o u rT. h e r ea l s ot h e p o p u l a t i o np r o v e dt o b e
generousas everyonerespondedpromptly to Father
Gadoury'sappealand acceptedthe responsibilityof
providinggenerously
for schoolsupplies.
Coodspouredin
from all directions.One poor ladyofferedher mite: "sixteen
barsof soap."One francophonemerchantfor his part
openedhis storeto the Sistersand invitedthem to help
themselves
to the dishesthey needed.
'14,
On fanuary 1893the pupilscrossed
the threshold
of
the school.Threehundredand sixty-fourchildrenwere
assignedto one or anotherof the ten classrooms
in this
four-storeybuilding.Two months later,there were almost
s e v e nh u n d r e do f w h o m s e v e n t e e nw e r e b o a r d e r s .
Everyone
was amazedat their progressas well as at the
discipline
observed.
Thepupilsweresaidto be docileto the
s 6 C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 1 - 1 9 0 2p,. 9 4 .
't98
bell; the programwas perfectlytimed by meansof a
All the clocks
devicenotedone correspondent'
marvelous
struckat exactlythe
mechanism,
activatedby an electrical
sametime!
On December20, 1893 the schoolnarrowlyescaped
patrollingthe areanoticed
by fire.A policeman
destruction
Withoutgivingthe alarm,he
"flameson the third balcony."
went up by meansof a ladderand managedto extinguish
the fire. "St. losephSchoolis a blessing"proclaimedthe
p a s t o r ,F a t h e rC a d o u r ya n d w h e n h e a t t e n d e dt h e
his approvaland
histearsexpressed
"customarysessions",
hisjoy.
'1897
on the occasionof the visit of
On September7,
A d o l p h eC h a p l e a ua, t h o u s a n dp u p i l s
the Honorable
g reetedthe LieutenantGovernorand his wife to whom a
bouquetof flowerswaspresented,alongwith an addressin
French.
The school howeverelicited some curiosityf rom
outsiders.Thus,on october 13, 1899, the Superiorwas
informedthat the lnspectorof PublicSchoolswishedto
at the requestas
Shewasastonished
examinethe students.
private
one but she did not decline.The
the schoolwasa
visitorwas satisfiedwith his findings.He verifiedthat the
study programwas being strictlyadheredto and that the
Englishlanguagewas not neglectedeventhough French
wai being taught. He expressedhis amazementespecially
w h e n h e v i s i t e d t h e c l a s s r o o mo f t h e m e n t a l l y
for
the privilege
requested
Finally,
Mr. Perkins
handicapped.
visit
St.
to
schools
from
other
loseph's
certainteachers
School."They will be amazedas lam to observethe
s u c c e s os f y o u r p u p i l sa n d t h a t w i l l b e b e n e f i c i atlo
and the
them".57Mr. Perkins'reportlaudedthe Sisters
1
9
0
1
,1 , 5 8 4
p
o
p
u
l
a
r
i
t
y
I
.
n
S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r
g
r
e
w
i
n
school
5 7C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p, P . 3 0 9 - 3 1 2 -
199
studentswere admitted. The mayor of the town, Mr. l.V.
Petersonexpressed
his surpriseat seeingthe studentsso
well trainedssby the twenty-threeSistersand six lay
teachersworking in the school.All was going well in an
idealenvironment
when in I 903, the CreyNunsmadean
unforgettableand unforgottengesture.Therewasqu€stion
of the extinctionof a religiouscongregationexiledfrom
Francewhichwe shallseeasthe storydevelops.
The Sistersof Ste. Chr6tienneendeavoredvainly to
expresstheir gratitudewhen the Crey Nuns offeredto
relinouishtheir schoolto them. Fiaternalrelationshios
b e t w e e nt h e m a n d t h e i r
b e c a m ef i r m l y e s t a b l i s h e d
benefactors.
To the great regretof the population,the daughtersof
Mother d'Youvilleleft St. loseph'sSchooldefinitelyon
wassuch
December23, 1903.The affluenceof parishioners
that the parlorsand corridorsoverflowedwith peoplewho
came to expresstheir gratitudeand good wishesto the
Sisters.DoctorRoulier,the physicianservingthe institution,
was the spokesman
for everyoneas he addressed
the
Sisters:
of
I wasa happywitnessof the prodigious
development
this project.I followedthe construction
of the buildingbut
whichin a veryfew yearscaused
it to
especially
the progress
but wen superior.
becomenot onlyequalto publicschools,
In fact,francophone
childrenreceiveherea solideducation
whichisbothclassical
andreligious.se
The gratitudeof the populationof Salemwould haveas
its only equalthat of the Sistersof Ste.Chr6tiennetowards
their benefactoEthe CreyNuns.
58Circ. mens.1902-1903,pp.329-331.
5eCirc. mens.1902-1903,pp.782-783.
200
CHAPTERVI
1893-1895
The CeneralChapterof October3, 1892 entrustedto
for the fifth time, the mandateto
Mother Deschamps
Sisters
govern the Institute,giving her as Assistants,
Ward
as
well
as
Sister
Painchaud
Stubingerand
Filiatrault,
asDirectorof Formation.
A l t h o u g h t h i s w a s n o t M o t h e r D e s c h a m p sf'i r s t
she realizedthat manychangeshad occurred
experience,
of governing
sinceOctober3, 1853 whenthe responsibility
the Institutehad first befallenher.The SuperiorGeneral
to herself,
but on the evening
keptherintimateimpressions
of the Chapter,she did evokethe pastand thus revealed
Thirty-nineyearsearlier,
someof her innersentiments.
was thirty-fouryearsof age. The
Mother Deschamps
locatedin four institutions.
Communityhadfifty-fiveSisters
Now, fifty conventsin Canadaand the United States
The
housed477 Sistersworkingat variousministries.r
yearsof age!
SuperiorGeneralwas now seventy-three
I Circ.mens.'1892-95,
g, 15.
201
Thoughher physicalstrengthhad beenweakenedby the
wearof time,suchwasnot the casefor her mentalfaculties
with distinctionthe
which remainedkeen.SheDerformed
tasksentrustedto her in this her last mandate.Often
to her
hadassigned
delicateundertakings
MotherFiliatrault
and she hadfulfilledher missionto everyonetsatisfaction.
hadchosento giveherthis ultimatemarkof
Thecapitulars
appreciation
aswouldtestify"the
esteemandwelldeserved
letters
of
receivedlately"
visits
and
affection
numerous
notedthe chronicler.2
therewasa directlink with the
In MotherDeschamps
who had
past.Shehad knownpersonally
the olderSisters
h a d t h e p r i v i l e g eo f k n o w i n g M o t h e r d ' Y o u v i l l e ' s
Shehad gatheredfrom the lips of these
contemporaries.
which
belovedseniorsthe smalldetails,the oral teachings
gave
suchweight
completedthe delightfulstoryandwhich
t o h e r t e s t i m o n y i n t h e C a u s eo f t h e F o u n d r e s s .
was a womanwho had
Mother Deschamps
Furthermore,
Shehad founded
receiveda firm call to the missions.
As
twenty-sixin the courseof her precedingmandates.3
Assistant
Generalin 1858,shehad supportedthe initiative
l o s p i t aol f t h e C h a r o n
o f m o v i n gf r o m t h e G e n e r a H
Brothersto the Guy Streetsite.Through1874-1878,she
en d
h a d h a d t h e c h a o e lb u i l t a t t h e M o t h e r - H o u s a
undertakenthe constructionof the wing leadingto St.
MathieuStreet.
Sincethe Sistershad transferredto the west end of
Montreal,the sceneryhad changed.At the time the Sisters
had settled"in the country" and the neighborswere few.
S i n c e1 8 6 0 , M o u n t S t e . M a r i eo f t h e S i s t e r so f t h e
Congregationof Notre Dame,occupiedthe southcornerof
Guy and DorchesterStreets.At a short distance,also
2 t b i d .o . 1 7 .
3 Fourof thesemissionshad closedfor reasonsexplainedearlier.
202
toward the west,therewas now the Refugeof The Little
of the Poorand sinceMay 26, 1892,the Franciscan
Sisters
the formerhouseof Henry
livedin their monastery,
Fathers
purchased
throughthe generosity
which
had
been
ludaha
of Mrs.Tiffinand Mrs.McKonkey.
However,the intentionpursuedby the Crey Nuns at
the time of the transferof their MotherHousewas not
because
of the
Theyhad leftthe Pointe-e-Callidres
affected.
of the formerdwellingdue to annua
unwholesomeness
f l o o d i n ga n d h a d c o m e t o a p l a c ew h e r et h e y c o u l d
the
"breathethe pure mountainair" in orderto safeguard
its
ravages
continued
8ut
tuberculosis
healthof the Sisters.
and all too frequentlythey had to deplorethe death of
youngSisters
on whom theyhadfoundedgreathopes.
and
Facedwith this stateof affairs,MotherDeschamps
her Councildecidedto consolidatethe existingmissions
and for this reasonnot to acceptfor a few yearsthe
Thus,BishopAlbertPascal
foundingof anyothermissions.5
was not able to obtain Sistersfor the
of Prince-Albert
IndustrialSchoolhe had plannedto open in his Episcopal
s h i c h h a d c o m ef r o m t h e
S e e . 6F o u ro t h e r r e o u e s t w
Northwest,from LesserSlaveLake,and from the diocesesof
also
London,Ontarioand Springfield,Massachussetts
received
a negativereply.One can imaginethat it wasnot
easyfor the Superiorto refusenewfieldsof apostolate.
I Mr. Judah,formerlypresidentof the SavingsBankhad been a
faithfulfriend of the clergyand of religiouscommunities,notably
at the time of the constructionof the
of the Crey Nuns,especially
c h a p e l .H e d i e d o n F e b . I 0 , 1 8 8 3 , " a n d w e o w e h i m d e e P
renderedto us," the chronicler
gratitudefor the invaluableservices
wrote. (Circ.mens.188'l-83, p. 508.)
5 C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 2 - 9 5p, . 2 4 7 .
6 T h i sw a s a l e g i t i m a t er e f u s abl e c a u s ei t w o u l d h a v e b e e n a
duplicatioo
n f a s i m i l a rC r e yN u n s ' s c h o oal l r e a d yi n e x i s t e n caet
Lac-la-Biche.
203
At the end of January1893,in the bitter cold (the
M o n t m o r e n c yF a l l sw e r e c o m p l e t e l fyr o z e n ) ,M o t h e r
Deschamos
directedher travelstoward the American
m i s s i o n sS: a l e m ,L a w r e n c eB, o s t o n ,M o r r i s t o w na n d
Worcester.
At the latterplace,shehadthe ioy of seeingthe
Sisters
settlein theirnewlodging.
on her returnto the MotherHouse,she madeknown
that SisterStubinger
to the entireCommunityassembled,
the
had beendelegatedto visitthe far northernmissions,
surmisedthat Sister
most difficultto reach.The Sisters
this decisionfor
Ward,who was present,had encouraged
she had liveda quartercenturyin the landof the great
ThevisitingSistersetout on her long circuit
white silence.
on April 3. A stop at St. Bonifacewould allow her to
recognize"that the boardingschoolwas flourishinganc
that the wing destinedto expandthe hospitalwas under
construction."
On April 14, the SuperiorGeneralwent to Toledo,the
missionmost cherished,preciselybecauseof the difficulties
i t h a d e x p e r i e n c e dN. o w a n o t h e rc l o u d w a s a g a i n
of a
appearingon the horizon.The proiectof construction
by a
l a s b e i n gc o n t e m p l a t e d
n o n - C a t h o l ih
c o s p i t aw
Committeeof women among whom were wivesof the
the Sisterswere
MedicalStaffof St. Vincent's.Nevertheless,
prelate,
Bishop
new
greatlyappreciated
thereand the
protection.
Hortsman,
readilyhonoredthemwith his
On her return from this visit, Mother Deschamps
brought the mortal remainsof SistersSt. Charlesand
in Toledoin 1868and 1873respectively,
deceased
Quesnel,
who had been buriedin "a funeralgrove".The remains
were takento the commoncrypt after a RequiemMasson
May19.7
7 sr. collette,Vie de Mire Deschamps,
pp.375 -376.
204
Ceneral
Whenat the beginningof June,the Superior
foresee
the
tragic
could
not
left oncemorefor Boston,she
eventwhichwouldtakeplacein Montrealnor surmisethat
the resolution"not to take on any new proiects"would
haveto be suspended.
In the courseof the afternoonof lune 8, fire destroyed
the Mother Houseof the Sistersof the Congregationof
Notre-Dame
on the westslopeof the mountain.In a short
time VillaMariawas reducedto ruins.Only the boarding
schoolbearingthe samenamewassaved.Thewind carried
t o t h e M o t h e r H o u s eo n C u y S t r e e t ," t h e b a p t i s m a
certificateof one of the deceasedSistersof that Institute"
drawn up on blue paperof largeformat.The Crey Nuns
In fact,MotherFiliatrault
sawin thisthe signof a visitation.
t
o
t
h
e
d
a
u g h t e r so f M a r g u e r i t e
o p e n e dt h e i n f i r m a r y
on lune 12,
Bourgeois.
Threeof them arrivedon stretchers
the feastof the SacredHeartand ten otherscamea few
days later.They were to remainthere until their former
streetwas once more
Mother Houseon St. jean-Baptiste
readyto receivethem.8
returnedfrom her iourney,
When Mother Deschamps
to the bedsideof the
alongwith SisterWard,shehastened
was a
Sistersin distressof whom one, SisterSte.Rosalie,
relativeof hers.Shewas so touched by the tragedy,
that whenshemet the Community
reportedthe chronicler,
she hardly mentionedthe Americanmissionsand spoke
of VillaMarie.Forthe benefitof the
only of the catastrophe
Sisters,she drew teachingsfrom history.Yearsago, after
CreyNunshad nursedthe sickstrickenwith the typhusof
1 8 4 7 , t h e y t h e m s e l v e sh a d c o n t r a c t e dt h e i l l n e s s .
for
Accordingto medicaladvice,it had been necessary
of
The
daughters
rest
in
the
country.
to
thoseconvalescing
8 That is July18. one of them, sr. ThomasBeckett,novice,died
at the Mother Houseof the Crey Nuns after having Pronounced
her vows.
20s
MargueriteBourgeoishad then invitedthe daughtersof
d'Youville
to theirfarm on lle St.Paul.Through
Marguerite
f e a r o f c o n t a g i o nt h e e m p l o y e e so n t h i s f a r m h a d
threatenedto leave.The Sistershad beenreadyto facethe
them from
but BishopBourgethad dissuaded
challenge
having
offered
from
the
Seminary
The
Sulpicians
so.
doing
S
i
s
t
e
r
so f t h e
f
a
r
m
,
t
h
e
t h e i r h o u s eo n t h e C r e g o r y
Congregationof Notre-Damehad insteadtaken upon
of furnishingand settingup
the responsibility
themselves
t h e p l a c ef o r t h e m . T h i r t e e nC r e y N u n sc a m et h e r e ,
a c c o m p a n i e db y S i s t e r sM a r c e l l eM a l l e t a n d l u l i e
who would havebeen
two young Sisters
Deschamps,e
pleasedto know that within a half-century
the GreyNuns
would in like mannerwelcomethirteenSistersof the
Congregation.
for thesetwo religiousfamilies
All was not sadness
s i n c e ,a t t h e C o l u m b i a nE x h i b i t i o ni n C h i c a g o r 0t ,h e
schoolsof Quebecas well as the industrialschoolsof the
Flattering
success.
Westachievedoutstanding
Canadian
Mr.
one
Serrurier,
reached
both
communities.
testimonies
public
of
France,
ministry
of the
of the representatives
c o n f i d e dt o t h e Q u e b e cC o m m i s s i o n e rM, o n s i g n o r
is so akin to ours that for a
Bruchesi,
"Yourperformance
Boucher
TheHonorable
whilelthoughtlwas in France."ll
Council,said"This
of the Legislative
de la Bruire,president
exhibitionis a creditto us and comparesadvantageously
alongsidethe schoolexhibitionsof the other countries
whethernon-Catholic
or Catholic."l2
e 5r. Mallet,Assistant,
tvvoyearslater becamethe foundressof
the Srs.of Charityof Quebec.
lo The previousyear in the UnitedStates,the 400th anniversary
of ChristopherColumbus'discoveryof Americawas celebratedin
grandstyle.
r r L e t t eo
r f A u g .2 3 , 1 8 9 3 .
t 2 C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 2 - 9 5p, . 2 4 o .
206
Tach6concerning
wroteto Archbishop
Canonde Cazes,
t h e i n d u s t r i asl c h o o l so f M a n i t o b aa n d o f t h e f u t u r e
provinceof Alberta
directedby your
schools
Thepupilsfrom the industrial
in manypeoplefromal
goodCreyNunsattractanddevelop
s sf t h e i rc a p a b i l i t i e s .
o v e rt h e w o r l da n e wa w a r e n e o
stopand gaze
asmanyastwo hundredpersons
Sometimes
at thesechildrenof the woodlands
filledwith admiration
of
and at the kindlySisters
civilizedthroughChristianity
Charityknownfor theirgoodworksbut whommanypeople
yourCrace,that by allowingthe
haveneverseen.I believe,
to makingknown
Sisters
to comehere,you havecontributed
hasdonefortheNatives.rr
Government
whattheCanadian
Two yearslater,the Nazarethschool,that of Notrein Montrealand the industrialschoolsin
Dame-des-Neiges
St. Bonifaceand St. Alb€rt were to receivemedalsand
of their
the excellence
diplomasof honoracknowledging
exhibits.l4
The reputationof the Crey Nuns as teacherswas no
and they werein "populardemand".
longerquestioned
in
Despitethe decisionnot to openanyfurthermissions,r)
the
francophone
to
teach
1893 they accept€d
September
childrenat EcoleSt. Louisin Toledo,while in St. Boniface
they took chargeof the parochialschoolof St. leanBaotiste.lt was understoodthat in thesecasesthe Sisters
were only meetingemergencysituationsand two years
later,they transferredthe positionsto other teachers.The
c h a r i t a b l ew o r k s a l r e a d ye s t a b l i s h e dc, l a i m e d t h e
r 3 L e t t e ro l l u l y 9 , 1 E 9 3 .S i s t e r sM a l c h e l o s s e , C l € m eanntd
Lassiseraye
had beensentto Chicagowith severalof their Pupils.
l4 The delayin receivingthe insigniawasdue to the fact that the
E x h i b i t i o nh a d e n d e di n b l o o d .O n O c t . 2 8 , I E 9 3 , M r . H a r r i s o n .
in his home.
Mayorof Chicago,wasassassinated
rs Mgr. Hortsmanto Sr.Peltier,April.27,1893'
207
c o l l a b o r a t i oonf a l l a b l e - b o d i e p
d e r s o n n e l ra6n d t h e
GeneralCouncilhad alreadyacceptedthe prolectfor
p a t i e n t s w i t h i n c u r a b l ea f f l i c t i o n si n C a m b r i d g e ,
Massachussets,
U.S.A.FatherThomasScully,
the pastor,had
presented
his appealin personwhen the SuperiorGeneral
that the
w a s i n W o r c e s t eor n b u s i n e s sI .n s p e c i f y i n g
he strucka weakspotin
institution
wouldbe for incurables,
heartand she agreedto presentthe
Mother Deschamps'
proposalto herCouncil.Thefoundationwasaccepted
with
the understanding
that it wouldtakeplaceonlytowardthe
end of 1894.
The anticipationof a proiectso much in conformity
with the initialinspirationof the Foundress
elicitedgreat
in the novitiateof the CreyNuns,whereninety
enthusiasm
life.SisterWard
werebeinginitiatedto religious
candidates
inherentin a life
viewof the difficulties
oresented
a realistic
of sacrifice.She had been in a positionto experiencethis
herselfin the courseof the quartercenturyshehadspentin
shehadfelt there,she
the Arcticregion.Butin the isolation
had alsofound true innerjoy and serenity.Under her
learnedto discover
the
direction,the up-cominggeneration
perplexing
appearance
of
hiddenbeneaththe
blessedness
the cross.
-'t894 Motherd'Youvillehad nourisheda specialdevotionto
the Crossand to thosewho would becomeher followers.
sherecommended
"that eachdaytheyshouldprayto grow
who
in loveof the Savior's
Cross."]7Mother Deschamps,
for almostsixtyyearshad beenpenetratedwith the spiritof
wouldin the courseof 1894,haveherhopes
the Foundress,
l6 Srs.Thuot and Drouinhad beenassignedto the Toledoschool
while Srs.St. Placide,Marcott€,Marion and Valadetaught at St.
School.
lean-Baptiste
l7 Ruleof the GreyNunsI 738,Art. l
208
foiled by trialsand her faith testedon manyoccasions.Like
Motherd'Youvillgshe could say"Praythat God will give
well and to makea holy
me the strengthto carryall crosses
was not a
use of them."l8 However,Mother Deschamps
when
a serious
and
in
self-pity
womaninclinedto
lanuary
healthproblempromptedher doctorto recommendthat
of the sick,the SuperiorGeneral
shereceivethe Sacrament
surrender
compliedand her attitudeinspiredfortitude-and
her.19
gathered
had
around
who
in the Sisters
It was felt that the SuperiorGeneralwas thinkingof
would not
the Sisters
resigning,
but asin the daysot "1878,
heaiof it. "May God spareherandwe shallonly hopethat
in fervorthroughoutthe Institutemay be her
an increase
were at hand to carryout
ThreeAssistants
consolation."2o
required
duringa mandate
the visitsto the varioushouses
and so the SuperiorGeneralcouldgovernher Community
withoutevenleavingher room.lt is therethat the Council
would meet and that the Sisterspassingthrough to solicit
her advicewould be interviewed.With the help of a
w h e e l c h a i ro f f e r e db y M r s . T i f f i n , t h e i r e v e r - r e a d y
benefactor,she was able to go to the parlorto receive
to visitthe poor and comfortthe sick
visitorsand especially
Sistersin the infirmary.
strugglingagainstthe
the localauthorities
In February,
s c a r l e tf e v e r a n d d i p h t h e r i ae p i d e m i c sp r e v a l e n ti n
the wish to open the St. Camille
Montreal,expressed
Hospitalto the patientsthus afflicted.The SuperiorGeneral
fully approvedthe request.lt was then that Notre-Dame
Hospitaltook chargeof St.Camille,onewing of whichwas
reservedfor patientsof other faiths.The Crey Nunsdid not
leavethe civic hospitalhowever,as SisterPerrin,the
l E M . d ' Y o u v i l lteo A b b 6d e l ' l s l e - D i e u
S,e p t .1 8 , 1 7 6 5 .
re circ, mens.'1E92-95,
p.336,
20 Circ.mens.'l'892-95,p.449.
209
for
Superiorat Notre-Damehad acceptedthe responsibility
i t s i n t e r n a la d m i n i s t r a t i o nA.l s o ,M o t h e r D e s c h a m p s
and
assignedSistersCeoffrion,Dorion, St. Francois-Xavier
severalnovices.In a few monthsit was noted that ninetynine patientshad beentreatedand that eighty-oneof them
had recovered.
At the beginningof the year,two notableanniversaries
of the Letters
had beenanticipated;
the secondcentennial
patentissuedto Frire Charonon April | 5, 1594, allowing
him to establish
a CeneralHospitalat VilleMarie,and the
fiftieth anniversary
of the GreyNuns'arrivalin St. Boniface
1844.
The
Ceneral,
alwaysconcerned
on lune21,
Superior
with instillingin the Sistersthe love of the poor, declared
that April 15 of that yeat 1894,would be the feastof the
residents,the raison-d'€treof the hospital.lt so happened
had been
that for severaldaysforty-ninenew-comers
opened
stayingat the MotherHouse.St. CharlesHospice,
in'1877 for the most wretchedand outcast,had been
p.s.s.,the founderhad
expropriated.
FatherRen6Rousseau,
lookedin vain for anotherrefugefor his prot6g6s.So the
SuperiorGeneralhad openedthe MotherHouseto them.
lt
With ingenuity,
spacehad beenfoundfor the homeless.
wasthislargefamilythat shevisitedon April 15,to become
acquaintedwith the newcomers"assuringthem that they
were at home and that they would be caredfor as well as
St.Charles."2l
theyhadbeenat Hospice
A t t h e m i d - d a ya s s e m b l yt,h e S u p e r i o rG e n e r a
for the benefitof the Sisters:
exhibitedthe old manuscripts
madeto ClaudeCharonby Dollierde
the concession
C a s s o ni n | 6 8 8 a n d t h e L e t t e r sp a t e n t b e a r i n gt h e
signatureof LouisXlV. By a happy coincidenceevidentto
everyone,on this sameday, April 15, Doctor Rottot
2 t T w o S i s t e r sf r o m t h e f o r m e r h o s p i c e ,S r s . M o n t g o l f i earn d
would establishresidence
at Notre-DameHoso.from
Duchesnault
wherethey would visitthe homesof the poor.
210
declaredthe Superiorout of danger.The loveof the poor
continuedto producemarvels.
was unableto attend the golden
Mother Deschamps
jubileecelebration
So shedelegatedher
in St. Boniface.
with SistersDevinsand Curran.
Assistant,
SisterFiliatrault
The lattertwo would alsovisit the missionsin Lebret,
Calgaryand Dunbow.The departuretook placeon the
a certain
eveningof June13. SisterDevinsexperienced
in leavingher sister,Mrs.Tiffin,who for the
apprehension
last few yearshad been afflictedwith paralysisbut recent
improvementallowedher to believethat the dangerwas
not imminent.22
whichshouldhave
Alas,the goldenjubileecelebrations
beenjoyful,wereinterruptedby rial. A telegramreceived
on the afternoonof June20 announcedthat Archbishop
T a c h 6h a d b e e n a n o i n t e da n d o n t h e 2 2 n d a n o t h e r
message
broughtnewsof hisdeathat ageseventy-one.
of this loss,the
the immensity
to express
It is impossible
extentof thisgrief,northe painin whichthe familyof St.
areplunged.lt iscertainthat
Boniface
andthewholeInstitute
devotedfriend.Archbishop
losesa sincerely
the Community
Tach6,the deanand one of the gloriesof the Canadian
hadfallenat a criticalpointin the long struggle
episcopate
in the west.Duringthe longyearsof his
for Catholicschools
and
ourworksin St. Boniface
he consolidated
episcopate,
paidthedebtswhichourSisters
couldnot meet.Thehospital
andthe boardingschoolwherehe spenthisfinaldays,owe
kindfriend,
Hewasan exceptionally
him theirexistence.
n o t e dt h e c h r o n i c l erre, s e m b l i nMgo t h e rd ' Y o u v i l l e ' s
anotherbenefactor.
comments
concerning
22 since1893, Mrs. Tiffin had movedto an aPartmentabovethe
businessoffice. FatherMartin, the former-pastorof Madawaska,
b e c a m eh e r C h a p l a i n .
2't1
senta long letterto her bereaved
MotherDeschamps
her high regardfor the
Sistersin which she expressed
to pay with their
belovedBishopand urgedthe Sisters
prayersthe debt they owed him. Sheclosedwith this
"l myselfcount little on time, for my
acknowledgement:
healthis not improvingmuch.Eachof us in turn will soon
House."23
go to the Father's
washeldfor thisillustrious
On june27 a solemnservice
personin the chapelof the Mother House.Severaldays
later it was learnedthrough SisterFiliatrault,the officia
the ideaof
Tach6had discouraged
visitor,that Archbishop
program
jubilee
the
therefore,
postponingthe
celebration;
followedits courseat leaston lune 20 and 21, with a
and a historicpresentation
Massat the Cathedral
Pontifical
lt had beendecidedto makethe
at Acad6mieProvencher.
coincidewith
celebrationof the feastof St. lean-Baptiste
the jubilee.Triumphalarcheswere beingset up in the
with 'signsof mourning',and the
All werereplaced
streets.
great Archbishopwas laid to reston lune 27 as Bishops
and Pascalcelebratedthe Requiem
Duhamel,LaflEche
by Bishop
Mass.lt wasfittingthat the eulogybe delivered
TheWinnipegpress
who hadsharedhishardships.
Lafl6che
that it wasone of the mosteloquenttestimonies
estimated
they had everheard.24
did not €nd with the deathof
The list of ber€avements
the Archbishopof St. Boniface.In earlyluly, Mrs' Tiffin's
t hichhad
. h e t r e a t m e nw
c o n d i t i o nc a u s e dc o n c e r n T
appearedto help her eventuallyprovedineffectiv€and on
withouta complaint,
luly 4, at 10 a.m.shediedpeacefully,
23 Letterof June23.
21 D(. rach6, brotherof the ArchbishoP,
and formerdeputy and
Minister of PublicWorks, had died on April 15. To the
c o n d o l e n c e sM, o t h e rD e s c h a m pasd d r e s s etdo h i m , A r c h b i s h o p
Tach6had replied, "l have lost a belovedbrother and the Grey
Nuns,a devotedfriend.'
2't2
to the DivineWill. MotherDeschamps
entirelysurrendered
herin herfinalmomentsdeploring
attended
and the Sisters
the factof SisterDevins'absence.
Aswe haveseen,Mrs.Tiffinhad distinguishedhenelfby
her bounty not only toward the Grey Nuns but toward
many other religiouscommunitiesand toward the poor
who neverappealedin vainto her charity.As a Franciscan
tertiary,bearingthe nameof SisterAnna,she expresseda
formal wish: that her funeralbe markedby the greatest
simplicity.Accordingly,on luly 7, the servicewasheld in the
Fathers.
by the Franciscan
chapelof the CreyNunspresided
from
religious
Manymembers
of the clergyanddelegations
communitieswere present.The Grey Nuns and many
friendsescortedher to her final restingplace in the
Neiges.At the Mother Househer
cem€teryat C6te-despreserved
from oblivionby the lastingbeauty
memoryis
w i t h w h i c h s h e a d o r n e dt h e c h a p e l ,p a r t i c u l a r l tyh e
paintingsin the sanctuaryremindingthe Sistersof their
devotionto the Fatherof Mercies,to the Heartof Christ
and to hisCross.
The crosswould againbefallthe GreyNunsa month
later.On August4, SisterRobin,the Superiorat the
NazarethInstitution,died of a heart attack.An intrepid
worker,she had performedwith competencethe dutiesof
Assistant
at the Mother Housefor fifteenyearsand since
for the Institute
1878,she had assumed
the responsibility
and charitythat might be
for the blind "with a kindness
statedan articlein Croix du
equalledbut not surpassed"
of praiseaboundedat the Mother
Canada.Testimonials
House,while at Nazarethher prot6gdsalong with the
Italianpopulationto whom shehadopenedthe chapelfor
Sundayservices,wishedto offer her an ultimate homage.
An overflowingcrowd attendedthe Serviceat the Nazareth
Institutionwherethe Liberawas sung by MissEug6nie
213
Tessier,
a famoussingeraccompaniedby MissAmelia
Wiscam,professor
of music,
At the MotherHouseon August7, the funeralwas
s i m p l ea s u s u a l ,a s e v e r y o n eg a t h e r e da r o u n dS i s t e r s
Chapleau
and Sainte-Croix,
sisters
of the deceased.
Thesedepartures
Mother Deschamps'
strengthened
convictionthat "her own time wasshort"but they did not
lessenherdetermination
to do God'sworkwhiletherewas
gapscreatedby deathsincelanuaryI
stilltime.Theseveral
did not hinderthe orocess
of foundationof the hosoitalin
C a m b r i d g eT. h e p a s s i n go f t w e l v eS i s t e r sh a d b e e n
recorded.The agesof eight of them rangedbetween
twenty-fourand thirty-threeyears.Mother Deschamps
concurredwith the opinionof BishopEmardwho in a visit
to Chateauguay
hadsaidto the Sisters
assembled:
Thecanonization
of Motherd'Youville
will dependon your
maintaining
in all its puritythe spiritshebequeathed
to you.
It is not miracles
whichwill proveher holiness,
but it will be
your workswhich will confirmthat the Instituteremainson
the pathtracedby the Foundress.2s
The processof canonizationwas well on the way. Father
Captier, elected Superior Ceneral of the Sulpicians,was
replaced as postulator by Father Palin d'Abonville; in
Montreal,FatherHector Filiatraultacceptedthe function of
vice-postulator.There remained however,for the Grey Nuns
to give evidencethat the seed sown in the eady days of
1 737 continuedto bearfruit.
Holy GhostHospital,Cambridge,Mass.- 1894
Theday had comefor the GreyNunsto honorthe
promisethey had madeto FatherScullyand to beginthe
2s Circ.mens.1892-95,pp. 478-479.
214
In
in Cambridge.
buildingof the hospitalfor incurables
s p e c i f y i n gt h a t t h i s i n s t i t u t i o nw o u l d a d m i t p e r s o n s
r e g a r d l e sosf a g e o r n a t i o n a l i t yp r o v i d e dt h e y w e r e
the pastorhadfoundthe secretfor breakingthe
incurable,
determinationof Council"not to createany n€w worls for
a few years."
W h e n s h e h a d v i s i t e d B o s t o ni n 1 8 9 3 , M o t h e r
had beenableto visitthe proposedsiteof the
Deschamps
futureinstitutionand on her returnto Montreal,it had not
beendifficultto convincethe membenof her Councilto
acceptthis projectwhich appearedsimilarto the first
by Motherd'Youville.
refugeestablished
By April 1894,the SuperiorCeneralhad selectedthe
foundress,Sr.Hickey,the worthy home-visitorof the needy
who neverremainedindifferentto distress.SistersFernand
and on
as her companions
weredesignated
and Laviolette
September25, the three Grey Nuns establishedresidence
in one of the modesthouseson HoveyStreetuntil the
womenwelcomedthem and
hosoitalwas built.Charitable
Threemonthslater,the first Mass
oromisedtheir assistanc€.
wascelebratedin this house.Thiswasa privilegewhich was
travelleda mile
apparentlynot repeatedoftenfor the Sisters
the
Holy
Sacrifice.
dailyto attend
Patientsabounded:cancerpatients,the handicapped,
the crippled.Wth regretthe Sisterswere forcedto take in
aroseconcerning
only thosein greatestneed.Difficulties
of a civiccorporationand so construction
the establishment
wasdelayedto the great dismayof the Siste6who had no
alternativebut to refusesomevery pitifulcases.
Finally,in May 1895, the foundationswere dug for a
hospitalwhich would measure160 ft. by 45 ft and two
wings each measuring80 ft. by 40 ft. lt would be of brick
and would accommodatea greaternumberof patients'
SisterHickeywhosehealthwas failing, had to be replaced
2't5
anothermarvelof charitywhose
in 1897 by SisterPurcell,
w o u l d b e h i g h l y p r a i s e db y t h e
humanitarianism
population.
occupiedthe completed
In OctoberI 898, the Sisters
and
Williamsof Bostonblessed
buildingwhichArchbishop
of
small
public.
the
series
Then
began
openedto the
that they were
wonderswhich would confirmfor the Sisters
Soon
in Cambridge.
the work of Providence
accomplishing
by everyone"for they
therewerefifty-sixpatients,"re.jected
gangrenous
ulcersand
woundsdueto cancer,
hadrepulsive
other ailmentswhich sciencecould not heal or control.
lavished
theircare,applyingdressings
the Sisters
Untiringly,
withouta thoughtto the fact that theyelicitedadmiration
amongthosewho observedthem at
and astonishment
in the light of
work. Peoplebeganto questionthemselves
the faith of theseextraordinarywomen and to expressthe
desireto comeundertheircareshouldthe needarise.
A poor woman in great distresscameone day begging
to takeherin. Shesaidshewouldbe willing"to
the Sisters
sleepon the floor." A smallcleanplacewas preparedwhich
A few dayslater,shetold the sister
sheconsideredparadise.
had broughthera glassof
shehad hada dream.Someone
Port. "That would do me such great good," she
commented.SisterL'Heureuxtransmittedthe requestto
SisterPurcell.Now therewasno Portin the pharmacy.They
were preparingto serveher a glassof Bordeauxwhen Sister
Franklinappearedsayingshe had iust receivedfrom a
benefactora bottle of Port winel The three Sisterswere
filled with admirationand hastilysatisfiedthe wish of the
poorwoman.
Mr. Mclver,a memberof the staff,havingwitnessedthe
dedicationof the Sisters,confidedto them at Christmas
1900, that he had becomea convertto Catholicism
becausehe had beenwon over by their example."You
reallyare what you appearto be," he added. Mr. Mclver
216
of Mother
23, on the anniversary
was baptizedDecember
death!
d'Youville's
passing
throughCambridge
BishopEmardof Vallefiield,
praised
the admirablework of the Crey
in February1903,
Nunsthere,asdid manyothers!A thirteenyearold childof
baptismand receivedthe
beautyrequested
extraordinary
After his death,his companions
Cod of the Eucharist.
depositeda beautifullily on histomb asan emblemof the
purityof hissoul.
SisterDarchereceiveda letter in which the writer
his desireto helpthe hospital,"the only means
expressed
by which he could showthe high esteemhe had for the
weregivingby their dedication."The
examplethe Sisters
signatorywas noneother than the renownedProfessor
ElliottNorton.
"Thereis no work more repulsive,"wrote one of the
duringan officialvisit "but no otheris
Provincial
Superiors
by DivineProvidence."26
morevisiblyblessed
Holy ChostHospitalin Cambridgecontinuesin the
of the great Canadian
United States,the compassion
River
womanbornon the banksof the mightySt.Lawrence
on October15, 1701.
- 1895peoplewere no
surroundings,
In Mother Deschamps'
her
age
and infirmity,
her,
despite
to see
longersurprised
were
wrong."
participate
in communitylife "as if nothing
that, "faithfulguardianof her trust,
Theynoticedespecially
customsand highlightsthe
she maintainsthe established
why they are
reminding
the Sisters
in view of
anniversaries
here."
2 5T h e n o t e s c o n c e r n i n gC a m b r i d g ew e r e t a k e n f r o m t h e
chronicles
of this institution.
2't7
Shecouldalsobe seenat the beginningof the year
presidingat the great assemblyof the Poorand of their
servants
in the Communityroom.No oneweariedof seeing
sheshowedto the lowly
the respectand exquisite
courtesy
and the meek.In this year of 1895, her greetingsto the
by a bonbonnidre
offered
dearold folkswereaccompanied
project
of La
to eachone by thosewho had supportedthe
Presse
to bringcheerfor the NewYear.27
alsowishedto highlightthe I 50th
TheSuperior
General
anniversary
of the signingof the originalcommitment.At
M o t h e r D e s c h a m p s ' r e q u e sFta, t h e rL o u i sC o l i n ,t h e
S u p e r i o ro f t h e S u l p i c i a n sr,e a d t o t h e S i s t e r si n
Community,the text of this 'completedisappropriation'
2, 1745 by Motherd'Youville
and her
signedon February
by eachSister
companions
and sincethen,counter-signed
on the day of her final vows. "Neverdid any reading
appearmoresolemnthan that madeon this anniversary",
noted;andsheadded
the chronicler
to
Motherceneraltookadvantage
of the circumstance
haveenrolledin the
762Sisters
sharethefollowingstatistics:
ranksof the CreyNunssince1737,of whom518 arestil
andthe
living.All havebeenformedby the Sulpicians
hasa claimto ourgratitude.
Seminary
N o t h i n g w h i c h c o n c e r n e dt h e p a s t l e f t M o t h e r
Deschamps
indifferent.
Sheprovedthis againwhen on
August15, sheretrieved
the Stations
of the Cross,donated
to the Crey Nuns by FatherVincentQuiblieron luly 20,
gracedthe chapels
of
1841. Thesestationshadsuccessively
St. RochHosoitaland that of 5t. Camille.Sincethe latter
was now under the control of Notre-DameHospital,
Mother Deschamos
substitutedother stationsfor this
at the
orecioussouvenirand had the olderset re-installed
2 7C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 2 - 9 5p, p . 5 6 7 - 5 6 8 .
218
'1841,
of the ceremonyof
Mother House.An eye-witness
t h e S u p e r i o r G e n e r a l w i s h e d t o p r e s e r v et h e s e
r e p r e s e n t a t i o nosf C h r i s t ' ss u f f e r i n gb e f o r e w h i c h
generations
of CreyNunshad meditated.
for the pastwas not
reverence
For Mother Deschamps,
exercisedat the exDenseof the interestshe owed to the
of our worlcs.Sinceshe had beenentrusted
development
w i t h t h e g o v e r n m e n to f t h e I n s t i t u t e i n 1 8 9 2 ,
by the
hadbeenbroughtabout authorized
transformations
SuperiorGeneraland her Council.A wing had beenaddeo
had
to the St.Albertmission;the schoolat C6te-des-Neiges
was
Hospital
St. ,ean
been movedto a largerbuilding;28
being organized;an annexof 65 ft. by 23 tt. was being
addedto HospiceSt.losephin Chamblyand in the spring,
the digging of foundationsfor HospiceSte.Cun6gonde
would begin.tu for the hospitalin Toledo,authorization
was at last obtainedto enlargeit and to initiatethe
n e c e s s a rcya n v a s s i n g . F
2o
9 u n d e ds i n c e1 8 9 4 ,t h e S t .
'peoplewhoselot had
together
VincentSocietybrought
beenkind to them' and alsothe maiorityof the doctorson
staff;its goal was to maintainthe high standardsof the
hospitaland meet the competitionof the non-Catholic
hospital.Thanlsto this societythe first operatingroom was
"DoctorH'1.
installedin August.We readin the chronicles,
Askidwork marvelssincehe can takean x-rayin only thiay
minutes."3o
which the Superior
One can imaginethe satisfaction
Ceneralexperiencedat seeingthis proiectprosperafter
with extinctionbut which Divine
beingso long threatened
had saved.Two of them,
Providence
and somebenefactors
FathersAlfred and William Manning,Pastorsof Ste. Rose2 8T h e c h a p e l h a v i n g b e e n r e b u i l t , t h e s c h o o lo c c u p i e dt h e
basementof the new construction.
2 eA r c h .T o l e d o 1, 8 9 5
3 0A u g .11 , 1 8 9 5 .
219
de-Limaand of Youngstown,
Ohio, visitedthe Mother
Housein the courseof the summer.Theyprobablymade
the 5uoeriorCeneralawareof a cloudon the horizon.The
Sisters
at St. Vincent'sHospitalhad been notifiedthat
hereafter,
the sailorswould be treatedat the non-Catholic
h o s p i t a lt h o u g h n o r e a s o nw a s g i v e n t o i u s t i f yt h i s
measure.3l
For almostforty years,the sailorshad been
t r e a t e da t t h e C r e y N u n s ' h o s p i t a lT. h e S i s t e r w
s ere
surprised
at this decisionbut they did not despair,
for they
h a d s e e nm a n y t h i n g sh a p p e ns i n c et h e y h a d b e g u n
workingin the Ohioterritory,territoryof the beautifulOhio
River!One of the true friendswho had contributedto the
triumph of the cause.the respectedP.F.Quigley,better
known as Dr. Quigley,died on August31. The Superior
Ceneraland the Sisters
who had livedin Toledothrough
the darkyears1884-1889
knewwhatdebtof gratitudethey
o w e d t h i s r e v e r e db e n e f a c t o rT. h e S u p e r i o G
r eneral
renderedan eloquenthomageand recommended
him to
the prayersof the Sisters.32
Not only Americanvisitorscameto the MotherHouse.
On his return f rom the March l9 consecration
in StBonifaceof BishopAd6lardLangevin,the successor
of
Archbishop
Tach€,33
FatherAlbertLacombe
who had been
in the companyof the distinguished
proclaimed
travellers,
the worth of the Crey Nuns backthere,"They havethe
s t y l e a n d t h e c h a r m o f b e a u t i f u ls i m p l i c i t y . "A s f o r
MonsignorRacicot,uncleof the Bishop-elect
he declared
that "nothing pleases
the clergymore than the pleasant
simplicitynotedin yourinstitutions."
BishopEmardwrote
3l Chron5
. t . V i n c e n tp, . 3 4
32Circ.mens.1892-95,pp- 746-747.
33.TheArchbishops
and BishopsB€9in,Fabre,Duhamel,
Lafleche,
Gravel,Decelles,
Emard,and EishopCabrielsof Ogdensburg,N.Y.
assistedat the consecration.BishopFabrewas the consecrating
bi s h o o .
tzu
of stayingat the boarding
the advantage
I hadrequested
Tach€died.The
school,in the roomwhereArchbishop
givesme the
fromyourdelightfulSisters
received
hospitality
to you herethe thanksalready
pleasant
duty of expressing
in St.Boniface.34
offeredto the Sisters
The institutionhad been forced to closeits norma
schoolas a resultof the infamouslaw of 1890,35a law
which createda situationthat saddenedthe finalyearsof
ArchbishopTach6.However,BishopLangevinproposedto
carry on the struggleand thus supportbelovedBishop
defeat.The new
Grandinwho would not acknowledge
the helpof the
from MotherDeschamps
bishoprequested
she
may inspire
"that
Mother
d'Youville
of
intercession
for the peoplewhenthe matterwill
what is mostbeneficial
be dealtwith."36
BishopLangevinwas the last beneficiaryof Sister
she
Devins'generosity.On the occasionof hisconsecration,
paid
in
chalice
and
silver-gilded
him
a
beautiful
offered
than
a
Less
advance,the tuition for three seminarians.
passed
fortnight later,at 9 a.m. of April 1, SisterDevins
hasten€dto give her a final
awayas Mother Deschamps
praisedthe merit of this
The
unanimously
blessing.
Sisters
workerwho had neverflauntedher wealthand
courageous
who had livedamongthem as the poorestof GreyNuns.
Her generositytoward the distantmissionsr€flectedher
zealfor the Propagationof the Faithand deservedthe
of all the Nativesand of the sick
gratefulremembrance
whom herwealthhadassisted.
14 Letterof Mar.23, 1895.
35 E. de Moissac,Clochesde st. Boniface,Dec.l972,p. 375. The
samewas true of the Normal Schoolof St. Mary's Academyin
Winnipeg.
3 5B i s h o pL a n g e v i nw i l l i n g l y a g r e e dt o M o t h e r D e s c h a m p s '
requestconcerningthe novicesof St. Boniface'Henceforththe
latterwould comoletetheir formationat the MotherHouse.
221
againbecamea priorityin 1895.lt
Thedistantmissions
a l l b e g a nw h e n o n F e b r u a r y11 , M o t h e r D e s c h a m p s
receivedfrom Comte de Palysa copy of tlle pamphlet
entitled,"Une Famillebretonneau Canada."r/The author
of Motherd'Youville's
statedthat newsof the introduction
Causebeforethe Courtsof Romehad penetratedcertain
regionsof our countrywhereit had broughtgreatioy.
wasnot bornon our soil,sheis
"ThoughMotherd'Youville
This
the daughterof a Bretonfather,"he explained.3s
the genealogyof the
declarationmovedhim to establish
family after havingbriefly
Du Frostde la Gesmeraye
t h e l i f e o f " t h e g l o r i o u sC a n a d i a nb o r n
summarized
daughterof thisfamily".
Did the tract contributeto makingMotherd'Youville
known in Brittany?Did it endorsethe teachingof Father
mission?
AugustinLecorre,the Superiorof the Providence
of
Mary
The
Oblate
it
did.
One is led to believethat
p
r
e
c
eding
l m m a c u l a t ew h o h a d g o n e t o F r a n c et h e
summer,arrivedin Montrealon May 12 with seventeen
amongwhomweresixyoungBretongirlswho
compatriots
haddecidedto becomeCreyNuns.Oneof them,Eug6nie,
was only fourteenyearsof age.
a nieceof the missionary
The agesof the othersrangedfrom sixteento twe-nty-two.
fu for
Eug6n-ie,
of course,had to continueher studies.39
novitiate.
to
the
was
admitted
Prono,
she
MissFranEoise
Corfmat,MathurineMeliner,
The otherfour, leanne-Marie
went to the Arctic
H6lEneDanicand lulienneKersusan
regionwherethey receivedtheir formation.On May 13,
girlsexchanged
theirown gracefulnative
thesecourageous
37The Comptede Palyswasvice-Pres.
of the ArcheologicSociety
of llle-et-Vilaine.
38Letterof lan. 29,1895.
3 e5 r . E u g € n i eL e c o r r em a d ep r o f e s s i oN
n o v . 3 0 , 1 9 0 1a n d d i e d
in variousconventsin
yrs.
life
sPent
religious
1,
50
of
after
June
Montreal.
222
In thisgarb,
for the bonnetand habitof postulants.
dresses
native
of Brittany,
they visitedSisterCiquello,herselfa
whoselife wasebbingawayon the field of honorfor she
had refusedto go to the infirmaryin orderto remainwith
underherdirection.The interview
the littleAuxiliarySisters
with this worthy compatriotwas such as to confirmthe
in theirchoice.SisterCiquellodied on June20
candidates
while,on that morningat ten o'clock,the contingentfrom
Brittanyaboardthe St.loseph.landedon the banksof the
Generalof the
FatherAntoine,the Assistant
Athabaska.
Oblatesandofficialvisitorof the missions,
ioinedthe group.
cameto discuss
Thisvisitor,on hisreturnjourneyto Europe,
his impressions
concerning
the
with MotherDeschamps
of the Northland.
missionaries
withoutreceiving
or at
themselves
Backtheretheysacrifice
anythingin returnfromthe Natives.
leastwithoutexpecting
with the mostcompletesellTheygiveof themselves
themselves
to a heroic
Theycertainlysacrifice
forgetfulness.
degree.ao
The reportsreceivedat the Mother Housecorroborated
solitudeof this far away
this for, apartfrom indescribable
difficulties
concerningtheir
faceddaily
land,the Sisters
livelihood.The statement,"The supplyof fish has been
insufficient,so we must eat berri€s,"is recordedin the
SisterStubingerwho had visitedthe northern
chronicles.
m i s s i o n isn 1 8 9 3 ,f e l t u n a b l et o e a t b r e a dw h e n s h e
therewho had beendeprived
thoughtof the missionaries
of it sincetheirdeparture.
4 0c i r c . m e n s .1 8 9 5 - 9 8 ,p . 2 1 . F a t h e rS o u l l i e r , S uG
p .e n .o f t h e
oblates had visitedthe missionsof the west the precedingyear.
"without the Crey Nunsin the
He confidedto MotherDeschamps:
i n d u s t r i a sl c h o o l sa n d e l s e w h e r ew, e w o u l d b e p o w e r l e s sY. o L
comolementour works and I haveseenhow the presenceof the
the prestigeof the faith amongthe Natives."
Sistersenhances
223
MotherDeschamps
concludedwith legitimatepride
that the Sisters
weredoingGodt work,not onlyin the cold
Northbut alsocloseby,with lesspublicityperhaps,but
with
e v e r y b i t a s m u c h m e r i t . T h e C e n e r a lH o s p i t a w
l as
overflowingwith patients.Oftenalas,a smallbabywhich
had beenleft stealthil,wasfound in the vestibuleof the
entranceon St, MathieuStreet,On ,lune13, for instance,
SisterDostalernoticeda bundlewhich was moving.lt
containeda smallchildwith jet black,curlyhair.Whetherit
wasblackor white,the Sisters
wouldacceptthe infant.fu
the babyappeared
to be in a sorrystate,the ward mother
Thelatter,noticingthat the
took it to the Superior
Ceneral.
MonsignorRamsay
who
childwas moribund,summoned
wasbusywritingin an adjacentroom.The priestbaptized
the child,givingit the nameof Anthony,accordingto the
liturgical
calendar.al
Yearsago, Motherd'Youvillehad beenmovedto pity
for the fate of poor abandonedchildren.lt was befitting
to follow her
that thosewho had committedthemselves
shouldcontinueher initiative.The SuperiorGeneraloften
remindedher Sistersof the necessity
of expressing
their
following
Foundress
lovethroughacts
the exampleof the
who had not set any limitsas to the worksto be
lt was this consideration
which movedthe
undertaken.
the capitularresolution
SuperiorCeneralto againover-rule
of 1892...
The invitationto found a hosDitalin Edmontonhad
beenaccepted.The Communityhad alsotakenchargeot
the Refugede la Passion
and now towardthe end of 1895,
it supportedthe initiativeof FatherOn6simeH6bert,p.s.s.,
w h o o p e n e da s o u p - k i t c h ecno u p l e dw i t h a c l o t h i n g
departmenton Champs-de-Mars
Streetin Montreal.Sisters
Montgolfier,
were
Kennedy,
Charbonneau
and St. Stanislas
a r C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 2 - 9 5p, . 6 7 1 .
224
in serving
for this work.Theirdutiesconsisted
designated
breadand soupto the needyand providingthem with
26, the soup kitchenwas
warm clothing.By December
poverty
waswidespreadin
functioningat full capacityas
Ville-Marie
and throngsof needyclamoredfor breador
work.a2
especially
expanded,
The work thusbegun,gradually
SisterLapointeappeared,
when in 1903,the incomparable
to befollowedsixyearslaterby the uniqueSisterBonneau.
THE GENERALHOSPITAL,EDMONTON,ALBERTA1895
In truth, the CreyNunshad long beeninvitedto Fort
E d m o n t o n t, h e m o s t i m p o r t a n to f a l l w e s t e r np o s t s
destinedto becomethe capitalof what would one day be
of Alberta.On herdifficultiourneyasvisitorof
the Province
the remote missions,SisterCharleboishad written to
MotherSlocombe,
"l went to FortEdmontonon February
arewantedfor
7, at the requestof BishopCrandin.Sisters
Edmonton."a3
LacSte.Anneand
BishopGrandinhimself,in a letterdatedAugust20,
the great
"l understand
1872, wrcteto MotherDupuis,aa
for Fort
in designatingSisters
difficultyyou experience
I do not losehope.In the meantime,
Edmonton.However,
A year after having
the missionwill be well established."
Bishop
Faraud
the possibility
with
discussed
unsuccessfully
from the difficultmissionof Lacof withdrawingthe Sisters
La-Biche
in order to relocatethem in Edmonton,Mother
Dupuisgaveup the ideaof supportingthe apostolicplanof
the Bishopof St. Albert.The projectwas postponedand
42 lbid. D. 572.
a3 Letterof Feb.1'1,t 872. The Sisters
first settledin LacSte-Anne
in t 859, movedto St. Albertfour yearslater.
44The successor
to MotherSlocombewho died lune 22, 1872.
225
BishopGrandinhad to be contentwith buildingin Fort
E d m o n t o na, c h a p e lw h e r eh i s n e p h e w F
, a t h e rH e n r '
Grandinwouldserve.as
I n 1 8 9 1 , t h e r a i l w a yw a s t o r e d u c et h e d i s t a n c e
betlveenEdmontonand Calgaryand would bringabouta
genuineboom in the futurecapitalwhichwasasyet onlya
smallvillage,a supplycentrefor trappersand tradersof the
far North. Therewere only three generalstoresand one
hardwarestore.46
In October1894,MotherDeschamps
finallyaccepted
t h e p r o p o s atlo f o u n d a h o s p i t ailn E d m o n t o na t t h e
entreatyof BishopCrandinwho was himselfurgedby the
requestsof his people.aT
lt was then that SisterDevins'
earliercontributionorovedvaluablefor it was usedto
purchase
the land.As for the building,it wasconstructed
by meansof loansfor which the Mother Hous€assumed
responsibility.
The Sisters
werespeculatingasto whom they
shouldentrustthe enterprise
when Mr. Sen6cal
arrivedin
Montreal.He had carriedout the extension
to St. Boniface
Hospital.The Sisters
appealedto him and he acceptedto
go to Edmontonand builda threestoreyedificemeasuring
60 ft. by 45 ft. and havinga hip-roof.a8
werelaidand by luly
On May 13, 1895the foundations
noticewasgiventhat the outsidewasalmostfinishedand
wasprogressing
rapidly.On August1, the
that construction
4 s M o r i c eo, . c . ,V . 3 , p . 2 2 0 .
46 Breynat.Mgr. G., Cinquanteans au Paysdes Neiges,V. l, p.
7E.
rz The establishment
of a maternitydepartmentby the Sistersof
Misericordein 1900 would fill the void which existedat the Gen.
H o s p (. C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p,. 4 6 0 . )
4 EC i r c . m e n s . 1 8 9 2 - 9 5 ,p p . 5 7 6 - 5 7 7 .M r . s e n € c aw
l ould also
completethe Calgaryhospitalwhere two of the floors were left
unfinished.The Edmontonhospitalwas built on the HudsonBay
propertybetweenlasperand VictoriaAvenues.(doc.4)
226
and Gosselinae
foundresses
arrived.SistersMarie-Xavier
were to live in St. Albed nine milesawayuntil the hospital
r ad lived
c o u l d b e o c c u p i e d .S i s t e rM a r i e - X a v i e h
1894.Herwholelife had
memorable
timessinceDecember
in fact been markedby the action of Providencewho,
wantingher a GreyNun, had led her throughan intricate
courseto a particulardestiny.Shewas born at St. lohn,
Newfoundland
on lune 10, | 837. By the time she had
reachedthe age of sixteenshe had decidedto becomea
teacher.Desirousof alsoembracingreligiouslife, she
thought she would be excludedbecauseof a congenital
deformityof her left hand.In 1853,shewent to offer her
Theysoonnoticedher
servicesto the Sistersin St. Boniface.
g i f t e d n e s sA. d m i t t e d t o t h e n o v i t i a t ei n 1 8 5 4 , s h e
pronouncedher vows two yearslater and for thirty-three
yearsshewasemployedat teachingyounggirlsevenwhile
In 1889,
contributingto manualtask despiteherhandicap.
of
the
sickat
wasdesignated
for the care
SisterMarie-Xavier
Hospital.
Littledid shesuspectat that time,
the St.Boniface
that she was preparingto becomethe foundressof the
hospitalin Edmonton.ln the serviceof the sick,she had
shown a dedicationequal to that displayedformerly
towards her students.lt was from this field of action that
recalledherin November1894to entrustto
the authorities
her the responsibility
of foundress.5o
On August1, she left St. Bonifacewhich had now
becomeher true homelandsinceshe had workedthere
more than forty years."At her departure,therewasquite a
crowd at the stationfor manywomen in Wnnipeg owe her
aeThey precededsrs. st. Dosith6eand 5t. L€onwho were taking
a coursein nursing at St. BonifaceHospitaland 5r5. Desmarais,
Sanders
and Coursolwho arrivedDec.16.
s0 Havingarrivedin Montr€alon Nov. 27, 1894,Sr. Marie-Xavier
left the followinglan. 28.
227
their advancededucation,"stateda locallournal,the
No/wester.sl
herimpressions
conveyed
to Mother
SisterMarie-Xavier
Deschamps
in a letterdatedAugust8:
wellalways
in
Mycompanion
andI havemadethelourney
andtheirwives,Lordand
the companyof the covernors
LadyAberdeen,
Lieutenant
Schultz
andhiswife(a former
pupilof SisterMarie-Xavier
who however
did not mention
thisdetail).
Lord and LadyAberdeencameto visit St. Albertwhere
was to found the
they learnedthat SisterMarie-Xavier
hosoital.
and
wishingme success
Theygreetedme graciously,
promising
me warmlyto the ladiesof their
to recommend
lcount on the promises
of the Lordwho helpsthe
society.
of heart,
theGreyNunsaidin closing.
lowlyandthehumble
'l
On Saturday,December 4, ArchbishopLangevin
of BishopsGrandin,
blessedthe hospitalin the presence
6rouard and Pascal,
the clergyand many guests.The
cortegestoppedat the largestroom. The Bishopof St.
Bonifaceaddressed
the assemblyin Englishwhile the
Bishopof St. Albertspokein French.The eventconcluded
in the chape
Sacrament
with benedictionof the Blessed
dedicated
to St.Anne.
in the personsof SistersSt. Dosith6e,
Reinforcement
Desmarais,
S. L6on,Sandersand Coursolarrivedthe
was
followingday. Despiteher courage,SisterMarie-Xavier
The newcomers,
alreadygivingsignsof extremefatigue.s2
like their predecessors
could recognizeeverywheresignsof
s l C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 2 - 9 5p, . 7 5 0
s2 sr. Marie-xavierleft Edmonton
in
for the schoolin Lestock
1897.
228
ndedness.Fiftyboxesano
the Mother House'sopen-ha
from Montrealprovidedallthe necessities;
bundlesreceived
evena statueof St.Annehadbeensent.
The hospitalopenedonlyat the beginningof February.
Soontherewere twenty patientsof whom four occupiec
privaterooms.The otherspaid the fabuloussum of fifty
were carriedout
surgicalprocedures
centsa day. Several
and gainedthe confidenceof the population
successfully
suchas flour, tea,
who frequentlycontributedprovisions
good
oneof whichwas
cows,
rice.
have
two
"We
sugarand
givenby the St.Albertconvent,the otherby the Oblates",
receivedfrom
ln addition,the Sisters
statethe chronicles.
stee
the Oblatesa kneadingtrough linedwith galvanized
kneading
bread
who
had
been
Coursol
to the ioy of Sister
in a tin Dan.Two lrishfriendshad a telephoneinstalledat
the hospital.
goldfeverwhichbrokeout towardthe fal
TheKlondike
'1897
oI
brought about an amazingprosperity,but it was
deplorablethat many colonistsabandonedtheir fertile
plainsfor a fortunewhichwasuncertainand perhapseven
illusory.
I n t h e m e a n t i m et,h i n g sw e r e n o t a l l r o s ya t t h e
hospital,for the water supplybecamea problem.A wel'
dug with greatdifficultyhad cavedin followingtorrentia
had to buy waterfrom the town. And
rainsand the Sisters
is a marvelfor the country.Every
yet, "our establishment
day visitorsadmireits beauty,"wrote the correspondent.
T h e g o l d r u s h a t t r a c t e dt o E d m o n t o na m o t l e y
populationwhich soon clamoredfor "a non-sectarian
hospital."BishopGrandinset himselfup to defendthe
at the blessingof the parishchurchof St.
facts.Presiding
to explainwhat
of the occasion
loachim,he tookadvantage
wasandthe roleof the Sisters:
the GeneralHospital
zzv
The hospitalin fact existedsince1859 first at Lac-SteAnne,then in Saint-Albert
when M6tisfamiliescameand set
treatment
uD their hutsnearthe missionin orderto receive
to
and medicationsfrom the Sisters.When it was necessary
wasused.The
hospitalize
the patients,the Bishop'sresidence
gaveup their rooms'to sleepin bunk
Oblatemissionaries
wereableto
beds'.Later,thanksto a largerhouse,the Sisters
receivethe sick.The nine milesseparating
St. Albertfrom
Edmontonand the growingpopulation
of thistown madeit
necessary
to transferthe hospital"built by the crey Nunsby
meansof loans."The sickof any faith and sometimesof no
faith, have been treatedin our houses,often in my own
room,the Bishopcontinued,
and neverhasany ministerof
any difficultyin visiting
whateverdenominationexperienced
his patientseitherat the Crey Nunsor at the Bishop's
The Sisters
remainfaithfulto their traditionsand
residence.
will alwaysrespectfreedomof conscience.s3
The eloquent defensedid not halt the constructionof
the non-Catholichospitalbut it was the care by the Sisters
w h i c h w o u l d b e s o u g h t w h e n s m a l l - p o xb r o k e o u t i n
Edmontonin 1901. As always,it was the evidenceof their
dedicationwhich would win for the Sistersthe highest
esteem of those who saw them at work. In this City of
Edmonton, capital of the Provinceof Alberta, erected on
September1, 1905, the Ceneral Hospitalwould continue
to develop and adapt to the needs of an ever-growing
population.
1895
PATRONAGE,
MONTREAL,
THEYOUVILLE
wrote
On May8, thechronicler
Soonwe will havea new proiectin Montreal,a work to
which our VenerableMotherwould havegiven.ahigh
priority.lt is the Bureaudu Refugede la Passion,
openedin
1861 by the late FatherPicard,p.s.s.,for the placementof
s 3 C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p,p . 3 2 9 - 3 3 0 .
230
underthe patronage
workinggirlsandwhichhadremained
of theSeminary.
MissesPrattand Cassantassumedits directionunti
knownas
1866 when they were replacedby associates
garb
religious
latter
adopted
a
Poor.
The
of
the
LittleSisters
1885.s4
The
years
later,
in
in 1880but wereto disbandfive
Little Sistersof Lourdesthen took over the Refugede la
Passion
until 1892 afterwhich they withdrewand Miss
Delislebecamethe director.
Street,the
Locatedoriginallyon 5t. Charles-Borrom6e
then to a
Street,
to
Refugewas transferred los6phine
and St.
residence
situatedon the cornerof LagauchetiEre
The main
from Mr. O, Berthelet.
Urbainand Durchased
buildingwasof freestoneand consistedof two storeysapart
and provided
from the mansardroofsand the basement,
in threeareas.Besides
fifty roomsdistributed
approximately
officeandshelterfor the workinggirls,there
the placement
had alsobeenfor the pastten yearsa clothingdepot for
firstcommunicants.
FatherPicardhad long hopedto haveCreyNunsdirect
wasabout
this prolect.Now that the wishof the Sulpician
did not showany enthusiasm
the personnel
to be realized,
the wisdomof the
but they eventuallyacknowledged
residents
of the Refuge
that
the
realized
when
they
decision
was identicar
This
refuge
Ste.Brigitteappearedcontent.ss
and wasbeingdirectedby Grey
to the Refugede la Passion
Nuns.
enteredthe Refuge,changing
On August6 the Sisters
e h i l e m a i n t a i n i n gi t s
i t s n a m et o Y o u v i l l eP a t r o n a gw
5 4S e v e na m o n g t h e s e L i t t l e S e r v a n t sj o i n e d a F r a n c i s c a n
formerlyemployedat
communltyin Rome.PriscilleBourbonnais,
the ToledoOrphanage,was part of this 9roup. Shedied in 1893
afterhavingbeenDirectorof Formation.
55A refugeopenedfor lrishgirls since1860' In Boston,the crey
Nunsoerformedthe samework at St. Helena'sHome.
t5l
purpose.SisterPeltierwas the Superior,assistedby Sisters
Theymet thirty-twoworkers.The
lean and Ste.El6onore.
Dlacement
officefor domestichelo wasvacantand Miss
The only
Delisleherselfhad alreadyleft the premises.
resource
SisterPeltierhad wasa ten dollarbill which had
to coverthe cost of
been borrowedand was insufficient
not
for they
The
were
disconcerted
bare necessities, Sisters
them;hardly
whichdid assist
countedon DivineProvidence
was
eighteenmonthshad passedwhen the Patronage
beinghighlylaudedin the press.
Patronage
is the humblevioletwhichhides
TheYouville
humble
mai
foliage.
However
thisinstitution
undermeadow
to society.
usefulandevennecessary
be, it is nevertheless
who
of the Sisters
Thanks
to the charityandthededication
find there
helpers
anddomestic
directit, theyoungboarders
protection,
supportandencouragement.56
Youngladieswereattractedto that place.By 1869the
and
improvements
househad undergoneconsiderable
girls
received
and
had been
already,
at this time 3,319
had suppliedthe
helpedto find employment.Benefactors
furnishings,
the MotherHousehad providedthe chap€
for worship,Mrs. G6rin-Laioie
with all that was necessary
with a delicate
silklining".
haddonated"the tabernacle
Two yea6 later,a fire brokeout at a distanceof fifteen
Everyone
believedthat it would be
feetfrom th€ Patronage.
destroyed;everyonethat is, exceptthe Sisterswho had a
were
Theboarders
surety... the nameof Motherd'Youville.
astonishedat the Sisters'composurebut as for them, they
wantedto flee. The windowsof a housefartherawaywere
b r o k e n b y t h e h e a t b u t t h e f i r e d i d n o t r e a c ht h e
Patronaoe.
s6 Circ.mens.'l898-1901, pp. 778-779.
232
Socialchangewould bring about the closureof this
Patronageafter thirty-eightyearsof labor by about wenty
Sisterswho had servedthere. But the good accomplished
would remainand this certitudesufficedfor thosewho had
theirtime,theirskills,their
longago givenwithoutreserve,
whole life to the Lord,servinghim throughthe great
humanfamily.
233
CHAPTERVII
1896-1898
in Mother
At the end of 1895,the relativeimprovement
Deschamps'
conditionallowedher to involveherselfmore
Thestageleadingto
Causeof Beatification.
in the cherished
lt
the obtainingof the Decreeof non-culthad beenpassed.
reputationfor
now remainedto provethat the candidate's
holiness,
far fromfading,wasincreasing.
The SuperiorCeneralreceivedthe depositionof Sister
, h o t e s t i f i e dt h a t
M a r i ed e l ' A s s o m p t i o nS, u p e r i o rw
the young nativeof
MargueriteDufrostde Lajemmerais,
V a r e n n e sh, a d l e f t a l a s t i n gm e m o r ya t t h e U r s u l i n e
Monastery
in Quebecand "that her reputationhad elicited
thoughtsaboutthe gloriousrole shewould play in the
Church."r
Canadian
and
listedinstances
For her part, Mother Deschamps
prepared
the
she
memoirsas
searched
throughall available
t e s t i m o n yw h i c h s h e p r e s e n t e do n M a r c h5 . F a t h e r
, o n s i g n o r sL e b l a n c ,
B o u r g e a u l tt,h e V i c a rG e n e r a l M
I Letterof Dec. 10, 1895.
235
Bruch6si,
and Martin,with FathersFiliatrault,
Cousineau,
B r a d y ,P e r r e a u lat n d L e V a l o i sc a m e t o r e c e i v eh e r
whichlastedfour hours.2
deooiitionin a session
l a s h i g h l yp l e a s e dt o h a v e
T h e S u p e r i oC
r e n e r aw
this duty of filial love.Shewas happyalso
accomplished
that FatherD.S. Ramsayhad finishedwriting the Lifeof
responded
Thisbiographyin English
to a
Motherd'Youville.
genuineneedconsidering
number
houses
the
of
the Grey
Nunsoperatedin the UnitedStatesand in the Canadian
West. lt was not the Sisterswho had suggestedto the
He, himself,took the
authorthat thiswork be undertaken.
initiativeafterreadingthe bookwrittenby M. Faillon.The
with thisgesture,anotherproofof the
Slsters
werepleased
lt wouldappearthat
Foundress'
reputation
of holiness.3
a famous
FatherRamsay
initiateda trendsinceMrs.Sadlier
wrote
to
Mother
Deschamps,
author in Montreal
"lf my
on the
healthpermits,I shallbeginworkassoonaspossible
Foundress.
Sheand the community
life of your Venerable
for our city."a
shefoundedhavebeena blessing
a visitfrom FatherA.J.
In lung the CreyNunsreceived
to visit
Captier,the first SuperiorCeneralof the Sulpicians
further
in
their
hearts
the
desire
Thisenlivened
still
Canada.
to seetheir Mother glorified.Thevisitor,who was alsothe
first postulatorof the Cause,told them
MotherdYouville
for theworkof Venerable
Myadmiration
hadalwaysmademe desireand hopefor that whichI am
2 C i r c .m e n s . ' 1 8 9 5 - 9p8..1 0 7 .
3 The catholic Recordpraisedthis biography"which
desoibesin
a s i m o l ea n d c l e a rm a n n e rt h e m o s t b e a u t i f u sl c e n e sw h i c h
u n f o l d e di n t h e N e w W o r l d . W e a c c l a i mt h i s b i o g r a p h ya s a n
additionto our historicliteratureand congratulatethe Crey Nuns
for havingsucha Foundress."
a Letterof Sept.1895.Mrs. Sadlierwas notableto carryout her
prolecr.
236
of
today,to seeat closerange,the expansion
experiencing
shefounded.s
thecommunity
to another
FatherCaptiergaveup hisroleas postulator
FatherF.C.Palind'Abonvillewho had to resign
Sulpician,
He was replacedby
the positiondue to healthreasons.6
in lssy.The
Seminary
Sulpician
from
the
FatherF.X.Hertzog
myself
shall
commit
"l
latterwrote to MotherDeschamps,
of thisbeautifulCause."7
to the service
wholeheartedly
The SuperiorGeneralreceiveda largequantityof mai
of societytestifying
from all directionsand from all classes
lt was evidentthat
them.
or
requesting
favors
received
to
courage
of thosewho
the
wassustaining
Motherd'Youville
were continuingher missionand that she was answering
their prayers.However,it appearedthat she remaineddeaf
Deathwascontinuingits ravages
to one vibrantrequest...
within the community.lt happenedall too often that the
dying at an earlyage
SuperiorCeneralhad to assistSisters
after only a few yearsor even only a few months of
dedication.Theseyoung Sistersobviouslyhad given the
supremetestimonyof love, but there were so many
for the collaboration
of the GreyNuns!
requests
Sincethe earlydate of 1737,258 Sistershad passed
away.Theburialspacein the cryptbeneaththe chapelwas
For this reason,the Counci
fast becominginadequate.
decidedthat henceforth,the Sisterswould be buriedon St.
On ;uly 24, BishopEmard
Bernardlslandat Chateauguay.s
proceededto blessthe cemeteryin a beautifulceremony
which reflected"the respectand dignity with which the
the burialplaceof itsmembers."
Churchdedicates
5 T h e s ed e t a i l sa n d o t h e r sw h i c h f o l l o w w e r e t a k e nf r o m t h e
Circ.mens.lE95-98 unlessotherwisestated.
6 F r .P .d ' A b o n v i l ldei e dA u g .3 , 1 8 9 7 .
7 Letterof Sept.7, 1895.
E The Superiors
Generalwereburiedin the crypt until 1973.
237
presentundoubtedly
ponderedasto
Manyof the Sisters
when the hourwould strikefor them to be laidto reston
The
the mound,beneaththe shadowof the hugecross.9
firstto openthe longlineof GreyNunsto be buriedon St.
who diedin
BernardlslandwasSisterAlexandrine
Ste-Marie
her 26th year and the third of her religiousprofession.l0
However,there were ioys that mingledwith sorrowat the
Mother Houseof the GreyNuns.That year,1896,the
Sistersolannedto celebratethe sixtiethanniversarv
of
Mother Deschamps'entry
into the novitiateat the old
CeneralHospital.Membersof the SisterCommunities,
especially
the youngestbranchof the Institute,the Grey
N u n s o f N i c o l e t , l l w e r e i n v i t e dt o t a k e p a r t i n t h e
celebration.
Sixof the'heroicwomen'who had left the
and fifteenyearsago
Mother Houseover thirty-seven
respectively
and two professedfrom St. Bonifacewho had
neverbeentherewere invitedto come for the annual
r e t r e a ta n d t h e n a t t e n d t h € f e a s t ." T h e s em e e t i n g s
produceddeepemotionin everyone".
Thechronicler
adds,
these
cannotspeakof the happiness
"Mother Deschamps
homecomings
causeherwithoutbeingmovedto tears."
On September8, the eveof the greatday,the Superior
Generalwassereneand modest.Shelent an attentiveear
With
to the homagesand thankedall the participants.
humorconcerning
the praises
addresedto her,the Mother
implored God's mercy,"They know not what they are
. h i s e l i c i t e dl o n g
t a l k i n ga b o u t , " s h e c o m m e n t e d T
applause.l2
e This crosswas erectedin '1891and blessedon luly 25, 1E93.
(Circ.mens.1892-95,pp.221- 222).
r0 Sr.Ste.MariewasburiedNov. 13, '1896.
I I The Communitywasfoundedin 1886.
l2 Mother Deschamps
was not a dolefulperson.The Sisterswere
her cleverretorts.
unanimousin acknowledging
238
of gifu. Accordingto the
Thencamethe presentation
directiongiven not to offer anythingpersonal,but rather
that which would allowthe Superiorto bring ioy: altar
bool6,etc. Buta precious
liturgicalvestments,
decorations,
parcelwhich had arrivedTroma greatdistanceaway'made
h e r d a y . l t w a s t h e a l t a r - s t o n ef r o m t h e C h d t e a u
of M6dr6acin Brittany.In 1891 proceedings
Lajemmerais
relicaswell as
to obtainthis precious
had beenundertaken
T
h
e
r
e
s
u
l t sh a d b e e n
C
h
5
t
e
a
u
.
l
3
f
r
o
m
t
h
e
the bell
parishioners
were too
the
unproductive.The Pastorand
publication
In 1895,afterthe
attachedto thesesouvenirs.
of the brochure:Unefamillebretonneau Canada,Mother
resumedher effortsby appealingto Comptede
Deschamps
Palys.The requestwasagreedto in part. FatherAubr6,the
pastorof the place,explained:
assistant
I askedthe bell'sconsent.lt replied:I wouldbe happyto
wherelwascast
but I belongto M6dr6ac
ringin Mlle-Marie,
are
Thepeopleof M€dr6ac
of pilgrims.
fromthe offerings
to meandwill notfreelyallowmeto leave.
attached
as a
the altar-stone
contemplated
Mother Deschamps
preciousrelicand attacheda singularimportanceto the
fact that it had reachedits destinationon that day.
other profound
wasto experience
MotherDeschamps
houses
she had
the
emotionsas the orphansrepresenting
founded,offeredtheir homage.A scenelived out at
lt
ago wasrecalled.
morethan a half-century
Ch6teauguay
recalledfor the young
was that in which Mr. Duranceau
the memoryof Motherd'Youville,"l saw
SisterDeschamps,
herservinga lunchto the children,asyou aredoingnow.I
myselfwasamongthem."
l 3 P r o c e e d i n g su n d e r t a k e n d u r i n g M o t h e r F i l i a t r a u l t ' 5
s u p e r i o r s h i pl.i w a s i n t h i s c h a t e a ut h a t M a r g u e r i t e ' 5f a t h e r ,
had residedbeforejoining the
ChristopheDufrostde Lajemmerais
army.
239
A former companionfrom the novitiate,SisterSt.
of the St.
loseph,the last survivorof the foundresses
Bonifaceconvent,sent a specialmessage.
Sheeven put
words on the lips of the pioneersof yesteryears,
Sisters
Valade,
Lagraveand Lafrance.
FromToledocamea ciboriumwhichhad beenusedby
been
thefirstmissionary
of the OhioState.lt hadpreviously
givento St.Vincent!Orphanage
by FatherAm6d6eRappe,
Toledowasa housewherethe
latera bishopof Cleveland.
with
Sistershad sufferedmuch,a houseoften threatened
e x t i n c t i o nb u t w h i c h h a d s u r v i v e dt h a n k st o M o t h e r
Deschamps'
fortitude.To this housea hospitalhad been
yearshad facedrivalry
added,a hospitalwhichfor several
hospital.The enthusiasm
for the
from the non-Catholic
latter hospitaldiminishedhowever,as the populatior
r e c o g n i z etdh e h i g h q u a l i t yo f t h e c a r eg i v e nb y t h e
thisquality,MotherDeschamps
In orderto assure
Sisters.ra
of a nursingschool.the first
authorizedthe establishment
Catholicschoolin Ohio and alsothe firstof the nursing
schoolsfoundedby the GreyNuns.The beginningswere
the studentsuseda
evidentlymodest.Foran amphitheatre
who were membersof the
stairwaywhile the professors,
MedicalStaff,usedthe landingasa platform.Amongthese
first studentswas SisterElodieMaillouxwho was being
preparedprovidentially
for a great role in the field of
nursing.
The coursewas extendedover a two-yearperiod.
AngelaTraherwas employedas a graduatenurseon
October15,1897, at a monthlysalaryof twenty-five
washeldon August28,
dollars.Thefirstofficialgraduation
r4 The sicksailorswerereturnedto 5t. Vincent'shospital.
Thiswas
for in 189E,BishopHortsmanof
undoubtedlya temporarymeasure
Clevelandwould askhis friend,Pres.McKinleyof U.S.A.,to entrust
the care of the sailorsto the Grey Nunswho had caredfor them
sincetheir arrival.
240
18 9 8 rs t o b e f o l l o w e d b y m a n y o t h e r s f o r , a t t h e
it was pointedout that
celebrationof the 60th anniversary,
trainingat St.Vincent's
threethousandnurseshad received
throughoutthe world.l6
andweredisseminated
- 1897 for the city,the
The newyearwastingedwith sadness
for on
for
the
whole
Church,
dioceseof Montrealand
lanuary5, the funeralwasheldfor BishopEdouard-Charles
Fabrewho had passedaway on December30. Sister
Fauteuxwrote, "He died asa friendof our feastsand of our
of
works"and in the dailydiaryfrom whichthe chronicles
the communityweredrawnup, sheadded"He died after
grantingMotherGeneral's
requestthat he blessthe Grey
NunsandtheirailingMother."
her
The dearailingMotherhad no illusions
concerning
condition,for her pain was becomingmore intense.She
would live a few more monthsduring which time she
would be awareof the Cross,the crosswhich she had
g reetedeachmorningaccordingto the prescriptionof the
primitiverule of the GreyNuns.The crosshad fashioned
at the
her strongcharacter
and the trialsshe experienced
e v e n t i d eo f h e r e x i s t e n c ew o u l d a l l o w h e r s p i r i t u a
daughtersto graspthe depth of her faith,the strengthof
herhoDe.
On February2, newsarrivedby telegramof the death
On
of SisterSt. loseph,her dearcompanionof yesteryears.
the following day a letter arrivedfrom the far North with
the newsthat SisterEm6lieMichonhad alsogone to her
had
eternityon October23rd. Two valiantmissionaries
first
at
St.
Boniface,
the
fallenon the field of honor;the
l5 AliceButler,one of the first graduates,had died accidentally
in
earlyAugust.5hewasawardedher certificate'posthumously'.
r 6 C h r o n .S t .V i n c € n t 'H
s o s D1. 9 7 1 .
241
adoptedhomelandwhichshehadchosennot to leave.17
fu
for SisterMichon,she had sustained
to someextent,the
austerelife of the Mackenzie
areasince1867,and now
restedin the shadowof the crossin the cemeteryat
Providence.
followed.On February17, Sistef
Other bereavements
B6langer,
the Superior
at the St.l6r6meInstitution.
died of
pleurisy
contracted
whilevisitingthe poorand on the same
day,the Superior
Cenerallearnedof the deathof her own
brother,loseph.Shehad not beenableto attendhim in his
dying momentsbut she had delegatedSistersas nurses.
Sheinterpreted
the departureof thisyoungerbrother,the
lastsurvivingmemberof herfamily,asa signalof her own
impendingcall.Accordingltshe took advantageof Holy
Weekto prepareher meetingwith the Masterby making
s
herretreat,l
The pre-eminent
trialwhichdarkenedthe finalyearsof
Mother Deschamps
remainedwithout questionthe matter
of the Manitobaschools.The abolitionof the grant hac
forcedthe closureof the normalschoolin St. Boniface.ln
the previousyear,the boardingschoolhad becomea day
schooland now the Sisterswere confrontedwith the
withdrawalfrom this work which was to be transferredto
the Sisters
of the Holy Namesof lesusand Mary.leBishop
L a n g e v i na n d t h e C a t h o l i c sf r o m M a n i t o b ad i d n o t
abandonthe struggle.In severalplaces,denominationa
s c h o o l sw e r e r e - o p € n e d .F o u r p a s t o r sc o n s t i t u t e d
in their respective
villages,
themselves
as schoolprincipals
T h e A r c h b i s h o ph i m s e l f , c o n t r i b u t e d t o w a r d t h e
maintenanceof about twenty schoolswhile four others
l 7 s r . s t . l o s e p hh a d d e c l i n e dt h e o f f e r t o r e t u r nt o M o n t r e a l
explainingthat it had been too hard to leaveat the time of her
deoarturefor the RedRiverin 1844.
rE sr. collette,o.c., p. 447.
r e S r .M . C u i c h o n',1 8 4 4 - 1 9 4p4.,1 7 .
242
were operatedentirelyat his expense.The Grey Nuns
continuedto maintaintheirconventsat St. Frangois-Xavier.
T h e ye v e n
S t e - A n n e - d e s - C h € naensd S t . N o r b e r t . 2 o
schoolof St.
acceptedto resumeteachingat the parochial
Vitalwhich had beensuspended
since1888.However,
BishopLangevinreservedthe Crey pioneersfor a very
soecificwork:the industrial
schoolson the lndianReservesof
"Theywere foundedfor the poor and the disinherited
the humanfamily,"he explained.2l
MotherDeschamps
couldnot resistsuchan appeal.In the springof 1897,the
Archbishopof St. Bonifacereceivedan affirmativereply.
Acceptingthis work in this sparselyinhabitedregionof
TundraMountain22
would constituteMother Deschamps'
swansong.
Shewould havetwo greatjoysat the end of her life:
See
MonsignorPaulBruch6si's
nomination
to the Episcopal
of Montrealand a visitfrom BishopMerryDel Val,the
apostolic
delegate
of PopeLeoXlll.
was a formerpupil23of the Grey
MonsignorBruch6si
Nunsand alsonotaryfor the Causeof Motherd'Youville.
brought
On the morningof lune 25, the new Archbishop
patient.
Greeting
one of his first blessingsto the beloved
him, shesaid,"Welcome!and Cod be praisedfor selecting
you," and with a smile,she added,"The Causeof our
belovedMotherisin good hands."
had come to pay homageto the
Archbishop
Bruch6si
ApostolicDelegate
who, sincelune21, wasresidingat the
20The Trappistsestablishedat 5t. Norbert sincel892, assisted
this conventby providingfood.
2l Letterof March12, | 896.
2 2( M o n t a g n ed u T o n d r e )T u n d r aM o u n t a i n ,T o u c h w o o dH i l l s
and Lestockwereall namesof the sameplace.
23 BishopBruch6sihad spent some time at Asile5t. loseph,an
institutionunderthe directionof the 6rey Nuns.
243
MotherHouseof the CreyNuns.On the morningof lune
visitorcameto the Superior
28, the distinguished
General's
prayer
with
bedsideandloinedin
the Sisters.
In the peaceand trustof one who knowsin whom she
hadbelieved,
MotherDeschamps
breathedh€rlastat dawn
on the 29th.ThiseminentGreyNun wastakento herfinal
restingplacein the companyof a largeattendance
headed
of Montreal,BishopsCraveland
by the Archbishop-elect
Clut,manySulpicians
and members
of the clergt aswellas
delegates
from all the religious
communities
of the city and
surrounding
areas.Old friendsand friendsfrom everyclass
of societyattended,to showwhat esteemthey heldfor this
belovedmotherwhosegreatness
was being solemnized.
The retinueprocessed
towardthe crypt wherethe body
was laid to rest beneaththe chapelof the SacredHeart,
closeto the tomb of Motherd'Youville.
The chronicler
noted, "For us this is but an aurevoir,for we shalloften
comehereto prayfor our belovedMother."
The Crey Nunswould not be the only onesto kneel
beforethis tomb. Stanislas
Lestanghad come to the
He had been
GeneralHospitalin 1838as an employee.
assignedthe task of burying the deceasedSisters.Mother
Deschamps
had saidto him one day,'lVill you do this for
me?"Theelderlymanhadagreedand hadfulfilledhisduty.
In the courseof his visitsto the crypt, old Stanislas
always
kneltat the tomb of the one whom he had held in high
esteem.Stanislas
could not haveexpressed
himselfin this
mannerthough he subscribedwithout hesitationto the
eloquentmessage
deliveredby FatherW Leclair,p.s,s.,to
the Crey Nunsand which was one of the mostcomplete
t r i b u t e s p a i d t o t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r yw o m a n M o t h e r
Deschamps
hadbeen:
I haveknownthe Reverend
Motherfor manyyearsand I
haveoftenhadthe opportunityto appreciate
the superior
qualities
impressed
of hermindandheart,Whatespecially
244
me washer deepspiritof faith,the integrityof her character.
her uncommongood sense,her charity,her positiveanc
in tribulations.
soundjudgement,her strengthof character
matters
without
the
most
thorny
hercompetencyin handling
power
him
by
the
of
adversary,
subduing
everoffendingthe
respectful
irony.
she
was
always
rather
than
by
her reasoning,
of
authoritybut firm asa rockin the assertion
of ecclesiastical
perfect
lady,
according
to
the
world
anc
was
a
her right. She
one of the bestexemplificationsof a
a modelreligious,
superiorthat I haveeverknown. Shewas a daughterof the
crossand hadhugeonesto bearbut shewasalsoa daughter
Thereis
and was nevershakenby adversity.
of Providence
heaven.
is
an
which
wil
She
example
now one moresaintin
wisdom,
remain
in
my
memory
as
an
expression
of
long
moderation,
kindness,
and patience.2a
LESTOCK,SASK.,
NOTRE.DAMEDETESPERANCE,
't897
had given proof of her organiSisterMarie-Xavier
zationalabilityin the foundingof the CeneralHospitalin
Edmonton,so she was chosento establishthe schoolat
wereher
Valadeand St.Alexandre
TundraMountain.Sisters
group
left
Boniface
on
of
three
St.
The
companions.
,uly 12
part
of the
TouchwoodHillswas
for their destination.
of the
territorywhich was to be within the boundaries
The distancefrom this
future orovinceof Saskatchewan.
placeto Montrealwasestimated
at 1,749miles;but it was
only fifty mil€sfrom the Qu'Appellemissionfoundedin
1884.
This post which had beenservedby the Oblatessince
'I
established
onlyfiveyearslatet.
891, becamepermanently
The populationwas M6tis,Creeand Sauteuxand the
schoolhad beenmanagedby a laymanunderthe direction
Thenumberof childrenwas
of the OblateMissionaries.
limitedto thirly and it wasonly in 1906that the number
24 Letter of Sept. 15, 1897.
245
couldbe increased
by ten.The pupilswerefinancialwards
of the Government.
The foundresses
wherethe
stoppedfirst at Qu'Appelle
Sistersof that missionattemotedto retainthem for a few
wishedto reach
days.Thiswasa losteffortfor the travellers
Lestock
for the feastof Our Ladyof Mount Carmelon luly
16. Theschoolbeingsituatedin a stillpaganarea,2s
Sister
Marie-Xavier
wishedto entrustits success
to the Virgin
Mary,hencethe nameof Our Ladyof CoodHope,adopted
from the outset.
By5 a.m.on July15,the travellers
wereon theirway in
t h e c o m p a n yo f F a t h e rM a g n a na n d S i s t e r sC o u l e t ,
Bergeron
Two hourslater,they
and Brabantof Qu'Appelle.
could seethe schoolsteeole.This insoiredthe Oblateto
beginsingingthe SalveRegina.
The singingremained
a
solo however,for the Sisterswere too movedto join in.
U n d o u b t e d l ya l l o f t h e m w e r e r e f l e c t i n go n t h e i .
r e s p o n s i b i l i tf yo r t h e f o u n d a t i o no f t h e l a s t m i s s i o n
acceptedby Mother Deschamps
and on the fact that its
wascompromised
success
by several
obstacles.
The Sisterswere amazedhowever,at seeingthe
installation.
Therewas a stonebuilding,sufficientlylarge
and well lightedadjacentto the formerschool,whichnow
pupils
Twenty-seven
servedas a chapelfor the Reserve.
were there, ratherstiff-mannered,
intimidatedby the
appearance
of the Creyuniformsthey wereseeingfor the
first time. However,thesechildrenof the woods would
soon show rapid progressfor, in 1898,at the time of
Mother Filiatrault's
visit,they greetedher with a song of
welcomein French.
Thetaskhasbeenverydifficultfor the Sisters,
the Superior
Ceneral's
secretary
wrote,but with patience
andCod'shelp,
2 5 " T h e s u n i s h o n o r e da s a g o d , " w r o t e t h e c h r o n i c l e ri n 1 9 0 1.
246
in a relatively
shorttimetheymadeof theseundisciplined
Indianfamilyonecouldwish
the mostcharming
children,
lor.26
hadweighedtoo heavilyon SisterMarieThechallenge
Shewas compelledto leaveafter one
strength.
Xavier's
year,and threemonthslater,on October18, 1898,she
in Calgary.
diedat HolyCrossHospital
herandworkcontinued
SisterVictoireThiffaultreolaced
at TundraMountain"wheretherewas no more mountain
t h a n t h e r e w a s a l a k ea t L a c - L a - S e l lneo" t e d M o t h e r
Filiatraultt
secretary.27
Thoughthere was no mountain,there were other
Valadeand Pronowereonceobligedto
Sisters
difficulties.
spendthe night in the open duringa terriblestorm in
Decemberwhile they were mid-waybetweenQu'Appelle
and Lestock.The schoolmasterwhom the Sistershad
replacedspreadthe strangestcalumniesagainstthem in
order to destroythe esteemthe Nativeshad developedfor
the agentof the schoolwho
them.Thisattitudeinfluenced
would
was alreadyhostiletowardthem. But he eventually
l
i
t
c h a n g eh i s o p i n i o nw h e n a t h i s v i s i t ,h e w a s e r a l l y
overcomeby the good conductand the genuineprogress
he congratulated
the Sisters
of the children.Furthermore,
and saidto them, "l am pleasedthat you are doing good
here.I promisethat I shalldo all in my powerto cooperate
with you."z8
At Lestockas in other placeswherethe GreyNuns
of 'mastersorcerers'and of
worked,therewereconversions
good paganwomen,one of whom wouldaptlysay,"lf the
God whom the Sistersaysshe lovesso much, were not
2 6 S r . B o u l a n g e rl,e t t e r o f l u n e 2 8 , | 8 9 8 .
27 A mountain and a lake did in fact exist, but not close to these
two schools.
2 8 A n n . 1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1 ,p p . 9 8 - 9 9
247
good,hewouldnot haveput in herheartso muchkindness
for the ooorNatives."2e
in fact,did not limit themselves
The missionaries
to
they visitedthe poor,the
teachingthe risinggeneration;
n e e d y ,a n d w h e n t h e e p i d e m i co f S p a n i s hi n f l u e n z a
to the
wreckedhavocin 1918,the GreyNunshastened
all would in turn be
bedsideof the sick.Unfortunately,
afflictedwith the illness,exceptone who caredfor them
pupilsalsobedridden.3o
andfor theforty-seven
The schoolbecameso popularthat it had not only to
. h e n e w b u i l d i n gw a s
b e e x t e n d e db u t r e p l a c e d T
inaugurated
on lune 17, 1931.lt consisted
of a four-storey
main buildingwhileeachwing had threestoreys.lt could
l l0 pupilswhichalonewasa creditto the
accommodate
hadat firstlimited
teachers
for the Government
authorities
the numberof pupilsto thirty.
of the new school,
Twelvedaysafterthe inauguration
the laundry,the bakery,the
that is lune 29, fire destroyed
shop,the garageand the old school,but the new building
wasspared.Meanwhile,
having
the communityauthorities
recentlyacceptedthe directionof the St-VitalSanatorium
patients,the Sistersregretfullyhad to be
for tuberculosis
withdrawnfrom Lestockin orderto staffthe new proiect.In
April'1932,they left TundraMountainwhere they were
replacedby the OblateSistersof the SacredHeartand of
Marylmmaculate.
Thirty-fiveyearsof labor gave the Grey Nuns the
satisfaction
of havingcarriedout at Lestocka work that
wouldendure.
2 es r . V a l a d et o M o t h e rG e n .M a y2 1 , 1 8 9 9 .
3 0A n n .l 9 l 7 - 1 8 ,p p . 8 6 7 - 8 6 8 .
248
to us.We havethe satisfaction
Our pupilsarea consolation
of thosewho havebeenbaptized.
of notingthe perseverance
areshowinggratitude.
One
Andwhatis rarerstill,the seniors
would give testimonyto
of them whoselife was a success
SisterMarieXavierin thisway:"lt I am happytoday,I owe it
to her good advice."We would like to believethat this
in theirhearts.
aloudwhatothersbelieve
Derson
oroclaimed
- 1898 T h e C e n e r a lC h a p t e ro f A u g u s t1 4 , 1 8 9 7 , a g a i n
e n t r u s t e dt h e g o v e r n m e not f t h e I n s t i t u t et o M o t h e r
P r a x d d eF i l i a t r a u l tp, r o v i d i n gh e r w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g
Ward,and
MathildeHamel,Elisabeth
Assistants:
Sisters
R o y a s s u m e dt h e
L o u i s eP a i n c h a u dS. i s t e rE l i s a b e t h
Eversincethe early
responsibility
of Directorof Formation.
yearsof the Institute,the customhad beenmaintained
of
in orderto constitutethe twelve
electingotherCouncillors
s t i p u l a t e di n t h e l e t t e r sp a t e n to f 1 7 5 3 . 3 1T h i s t i m e
would become
however,five among theseCouncillors
vicarialsuperiorsby virtueof the decisionratifiedby the
C h a p t e ro f d i v i d i n gt h e v a r i o u sw o r k si n t o c a n o n i c a
provinces.32
province
with the Ville-Marie
SisterPerrinwasentrusted
of the housesin Montrealand sheresidedat the
consisting
MotherHouse.The housesoutsidethe city weregivento
Sister
SisterStubingerwho would resideat Chdteauguay.
at
with residence
Reid'ssharewas the Americanmissions
the orphanagein Salem.SisterDionnereplacedSister
Hamelwhosetwelvehousesbelongedto the Manitobaand
As
Saskatchewan
areaolustwo locatedin the UnitedStates.
for the provinceof St. Albert,its ProvincialSuperiorwas
SisterLetellierwho had jurisdictionover the housesin
3l Art. 9 Letterspatentsignedby LouisXV,lune3, 1753.
3 2T h e s ec a n o n i c a p
l r o v i n c e sd i d n o t n e c e s s a r i lhya v e t h e
boundaries
of the civicorovinces.
249
andthosein the Northwest
Alberta,northernSaskatchewan
Territories.
indicatedthat at August1, 1897,the Institute
Statistics
s ith, in
h a d 5 5 3 S i s t e r s1, 0 0 n o v i c e sa n d p o s t u l a n tw
a d d i t i o n ,Z 5 L i t t l eA u x i l i a r yS i s t e ras n d 4 3 c a n d i d a t e s
Thoughrecruitment
showeda
aspiringto the Sisterhood.
realincrease.
the fact still remainedthat tuberculosis
was
Thismoved
takingits toll and the rank weredecreasing.
the Sisters
to callon St. josephto whom solemnpromises
weremade"if he orantedan imorovement
in the healthof
the Sisters."33
Oesoite
the crisisof the schoolsin Manitoba.
the proiectsclaimingthe cooperationof the Crey Nuns
were on the increase.
had beenwell
MotherFiliatrault
trained.Shehad an earto the needsof her time.Thus,in
1898,she perceived
that the time had cometo
January
Hospital.She
establish
a NursingSchoolat Notre-Dame
with the Medicalauthorities
of the institution
hadconferred
over the pastyear and all were in agreementconcerning
provedthat the
the needfor a school.A recentexperience
projectwas in fact overdue.St. CamilleHospitalwhich
since189434had been partlyconnectedto Notre-Dame,
withdrew.Onlyan
had itsfundingcut off and so the Sisters
was retainedin caseof an epidemic.
ad hoc organization
and
DoctorLaberge
took chargeof the newadministration
used the servicesof graduatenursesfrom the Victoria
Hospital
to providecare.3s
33 Devotionto 5t. Josephgoes back to the early historyof the
Grey Nuns. Mother d'Youvilleconsideredhim as the faithful and
humble laborerwho earnedthe livelihoodof lesus.she ordereda
painting representinglosephin his workshopin order to remind
the Sistersof their roleas providersfor the poor.
34This hosoitalwas dividedinto two sectionsof which one was
ofthe anglophonehospital.
underthe responsibility
3 5C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 5 - 9 8p, p . I l 5 - 1I 7 .
250
waseasyto graspand it wasunderstood
The message
Hospitalwasdearto
General.Notre-Dame
by the Superior
manyGreyNunsand SisterPerrinwho had workedthere
manyyearscould not forget it sinceit was within the
But,on Saturda,
territoryfor which she was responsible.
lanuary29,aboutI0 a.m.,firebrokeout in the clinicroom.
F o r t u n a t e la
y ,n i n t e r ns o u n d e dt h e a l a r ma n d s h o r t l y
on the sceneand managedto
volunteerfiremenappeared
controlthe flameswhich had reachedthe operatingroom.
"Contraryto what the Presshad reported,the staff had
thus preventingpanic
remainedcalmin the circumstances,
chronicler.36
wrote
the
maintaining
order",
and
of the Grey
Hospital,
the collaboration
At Notre-Dame
for
to the
thanks
been
appreciated
Nuns had evidently
SisterCrandin,one of the
generosity
of the administrators,
nurseswas rewardedwith a trip to St. Albertwhere her
elderlyuncle,BishopCrandinwas nearingthe end of his
p r a i s e w o r t hcya r e e r H
. e h a d s e e nh i s f e l l o w b i s h o p s
disappearone after another:BishopsBourget,Faraud,
BishopGrandinwasonly sixty-ninebut the
Tach6Fabre.37
worksin the mostdifficultcornerof the world had
apostolic
takentheir toll on his health.ln the previousyear he had
beengivena coadiutorin the personof BishopEmileLegat
on lune 17, 1897.To see his niece
who was consecrated
theirdearhomeland,
again,to chatwith heraboutFrance,
joys,
which
would lastfour
last
one
of
his
would be one
months.
West
SisterGrandindid not go aloneto the Canadian
for the SuperiorGeneral'spresencewas requiredto deal
where
in St. Boniface
with seriousproblems,especially
there was questionof expandingone of the missions.
36tbid.D.565.
3 7 C a r d . T a s c h e r e a ua l s o d i e d o n A p r . 1 2 , 1 8 9 8 a n d B i s h o p
L a f l i c h eo n l u l y l 4 o f t h e s a m ey e a r .
zJl
alongwith her
Beforeher departure,MotherFiliatrault
the wing
St-Mathieu
Street,
Councildecidedto buildalong
l lueprino
t f the
w h i c h h a d a p p e a r e do n t h e o r i g i n a b
180 ft. by 60 ft. and
Thiswing wasto measure
institution.
for the
reserved
havefive storeys.lt would be exclusively
drew
up
Venne,
the
architect,
sexes.
Mr.
orphansof both
began
Pauz6and Sons
Pr6noveau,
the plansand Martineau,
t h e c o n s t r u c t i o no n M a y 4 , a W e d n e s d a yt,h e d a y
to 5t. loseph.
dedicated
T h e S u o e r i o rC e n e r a l w o u l d n o t a t t e n d t h e
proiectfor shehad leftfor
inauguration
of the construction
the Weston April21, in the companyof SisterBoulanger
whoseduty it was to keepthe traveldiary.However,
would herselfgivesignof lifef rom time
MotherFiliatrault
havingleftMontreal
to time.lt wasshewho acknowledged
in"theUnited
the
missions
with a graveworry "concerning
war.56The Sisters
of the Spanish-American
Statesbecause
hadwrittenfrom Eoston
The
to families.
Thiseventis bringingbereavement
wereclosedin orderto allow
factories
andbusinesses
schools,
for Cuba.
of a regiment
to attendthe departure
everyone
leftlastweek.
Twootherregiments
sf
r et four Sistero
N e a r E d m o n t o n t, h e S u p e r i o m
en route to their new missionin PeaceRiver.
Providence
her concerningthe fate of the Crey
The latterre-assured
Nunsin the UnitedStates.
to St.
itineraryled her successively
MotherFiliatrault's
Boniface,Calgary,St. Albert and Edmontonand finally,to
foundedin'' 862 and which had neveryet
Lac-La-Biche
shewas
visited
by
a SuperiorCeneral.Unfortunately,
been
presence
was
whereher
unableto reachlle-i-la-Crosse
38Letterof May 26, 1898.
2s2
their grip
Trialsdid not rel€ase
howeverkeenlydesired.39
SisterLajoiewrote
on thispoormission.
14. Eightof the
the barnon December
Firedestroyed
perished
we wereableto get
in theflames;however,
animals
four out beforetheyweretoo badlyhurt by fire.More
the hastewith which
recentl,on lanuary12,sheunderlined
barn'In orderto
kindlyneighbors
helpedbuilda temporary
thema plentifulmealat
we served
showthemourgratitude,
whichmeatsavedfrom the firewasthe maindish'Sister
the
decision,
Lajoieaddedthat asa resultof a Covernment
school",
humble
convent
became
a "boarding
At the end of her visit,the SuperiorCeneralconfided,
When lconsiderthe sacrifices
"Thesedear missionaries!
g
e
n
e
r
o
u
s
l
y
a c c e p t l,a m t e m p t e dt o k i s st h e i r
t h e ys o
footprints."lt waspainfulfor her not to be ableto go also
t o t h e S i s t e r sl i v i n gi n e x i l ei n t h e f a r N o r t h ,w h o i n
Decemberstill ignoredthe identityof the new Superior
Ceneral.
THE NURSINGSCHOOL,NOTRE-DAMEHOSPITAL,
MONTREAL,1898
for
Notre-DameHospitalwhich had beenin existence
now
lt
bounds'
grown
by
leaps
and
years
had
eighteen
accommodatedtwenty-two patientsin privaterooms and
dailyoccupancy
113 in publicwards.Therewasan average
of ninety-onepatientsand statisticsrevealedthat 132,999
patientshad beentreatedthrough189'l-'1892.
with the helpof the Ladies'Auxiliary
Theadministrators
w e r e a t t e m p t i n gt o l i q u i d a t et h e $ 2 5 , 0 0 0 . 0 0d e b t
contractedfor expansionwhile the MedicalStaffassured
the qualityof medicalcare.
3 es r . L e t e l l i e rt,h e P r o v .s u p . w o u l d v i s i t t h i s m i s s i o ni n t h e
courseof the samesummer.
2s3
Therewere three Englishlanguagenursingschoolsin
Canadaao
and it wasthoughttime had cometo offerthe
candidates.
sameadvantage
to francophone
M o t h e r F i l i a t r a u l tu n d e r s t o o d t h a t " g o o d i s
Forthis reason,she
accomplished
at the priceof sacrifice."
submit
to a rigorous
her
Sisters
to
encouraged
elevenof
studyprogramin order to obtaina nursingdiploma.al
SisterElodieMaillouxwho in 1897 had been part of the
first group of studentsat St. Vincent'sHospitalin Toledo,
Now she
wasrecalled
of failinghealth.a2
in Augustbecause
had excellentexperience
aptitude
and showedremarkable
for nursing.Blessed
with a broadcultureand genuine
kindnessalong with great firmness,the young Sister
possessed
a naturalinsightfor thistypeof work.Shehad a
statelybearingand, unbeknownto her,was calledthe
"Marquise"by the hospitalstaff.ln her new function,the
Marquisewas alwaysa humble religious,competent,
dedicated,undauntedby difficulties,
and thoughshe was
understanding,
she would not toleratemediocrityin the
and
students.Sheinculcatedrespectfor their profession
especiallyrespectfor the patientsentrust€dto them.
On Friday,
lanuaryI 5, 1898 at 3 p.m.,DoctorCharles
Hdbertgavethe first classto the elevenstudentSisters,of
whom nine were destinedto later constitutethe teaching
staffof the school.
The first graduationtook placeon lune 12, 1899 and
eventhoughSisterMaillouxfiguredamongthisgroup,she
was recognized
as the foundressand first directorof the
practical
The
experiencewhich the Sistershad hao
school,
40Angers,A.F.,Ec.d'inf. Hop NotreDame,pp.27 -28
4 r C i r c .m e n s .l E 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p, p . 1 7 8 - 1 7 9 .
a2 Circ. mens.1895-1898,p. 465. Thereis reasonto believethat
5 r . M a i l l o u xd i d n o t g r a d u a t ei n T o l e d o .M i s sA n g e l aT r a h e ri s
considered
asthe first graduateof this school.
254
with the sickexplainedwhy the coursewas shortenedin
theirfavor.Thenormalcyclewasthreeyears.
howeverwasslow.lt wasonly on October
Recruitment
1 that the next entry was recorded.Six other candidates
soon registeredbut all would leaveafter a short stay.
Nursinghad not yet acquiredany prestigeas a profession.
who
It wasconsidered
as a mediocretradeand candidates
couldthen lead
by wayof instruction
met the requirements
an easylife at home.At the secondgraduation,it was
anothergroup of elevenGreyNunswho would receive
at the
Onlythe lay personwho registered
theirdiplomas.a3
persevere
to th€ end.
Notre-Dameschoolin I 900 would
After three monthsof probation,she receivedfive dollarsa
The training receivedwas
month for personalexpenses.
fair
considered salary.aa
of
were so happyabout the perseverance
The Sisters
give
graduation
a
her
MissHelenRouththat theywishedto
of grandeur.On October23, 1903,an assembly
character
g r o u p e dt o g e t h e rB i s h o pR a c i c o tF
, a t h e rR . L a b e l l e ,
the doctorsand their
Superiorof the SulpicianSeminary,
wives,as well as the LadiesAuxiliaryand finallySister
Generalof
Maillouxherselfwho had becomethe Assistant
year.as
the CreyNunsduringthe previous
discourse
DoctorE.P.Benoitgavea highlyappreciated
which was reproducedin its entiretyin the community
afterhavingestablished
Theeloquentspeaker,
chronicles.a6
Hospital
that Notre-Dame
a 3c i r c . m e n s .1 9 o 2 - o 3p, , 1 2 6
aaA.F. Angers,o.c., p. 34. Unlessotherwisestated,the details
concerningthe schoolare drawnfrom this book.
as AppointedOct. 6, 1902,shewas replacedat the schoolby Sr.
M.A. Duckett.
a6Circ. mens.19O2-O3,
pp. 736-742.
255
whichcancompetewith any
wasa medicalorganization
that the hospitalwasbornof the
stressed
similarinstitution,
h a r m o n i o uusn i o no f s e c u l acrh a r i t ya n dt h e r e l i g i o u s
and of the ecclesiastical
of civicdedication
apostolate,
it is that it
and if it had becomea success,
benevolence;
on the
countedon the moralsupportof powerfulprotectors,
of menandwomenof the world,on the entire
dedication
for whomthishasnotbeenthefirst
of the Sisters
cooDeration
of theseSisters.
the attainments
stressed
battle.Thespeaker
wasto have
suchgreatstability
what gaveour institution
beenableto counton the will to work,the intelligent
a n d o n t h e a d m i r a b lsee n s eo f d u t y w h i c h
initiative
(.'.)When
of Motherd'Youville
thefollowers
characterized
themat work,I canseeon theirfacesthe calm
observe
of ourancestors.
determination
to the candidatethat he
DoctorBenoitacknowledged
of her
the competence
had
appreciated
she
knew that
h
e
r
c
h
o
i
c
ea n d
h
e
r
o
n
i n s t r u c t o r sH. e c o n g r a t u l a t e d
predictedthat "the secularSisterof Charityin a bluedress
and white bonnetwouldbe a creditto the careershehad
chosen."
Definitely,the Crey Nuns were being affirmed.Doctor
E.P.Lachapelle,
the medicaldirectorreadthe annualreport
a 1902graduate
in whichit wasstatedthat SisterWeekes,
j
u
s
t
b e e na p p o i n t e d
f r o m N o t r e - D a m eS c h o o l ,h a d
p r o f e s s o ro f h y g i e n e a n d o f p a t i e n t c a r e b y t h e
C o v e r n m e n to f M a n i t o b a a n d o f t h e N o r t h w e s t
Territories.aT
lf it had takenfive yearsfrom the date of the foundation
Schoolof Nursingto graduatethe first
for the Notre-Dame
lay nurse,it wouldbe differentin the future:by 1904there
was a housingcrisisfor students.lt wasthe soup kitchen
Streetwhich would
openedin 1895 on Champs-de-Mars
47 tbid., p. 743.
2s6
be utilized.lts two upperstoreyswere rentedto serveas
for nurses.
the firstresidence
Theschoolcontinuedto progress
underth€ directionof
the creditfor havingin 1905
SisterDuckettwho deserves
written the first study manualin Frenchfor the students.
Duckettand Fafardarealsocreditedwith organizing
Sisters
advancededucationwhich in 1922 would bring about
with the University
of Montreal.lt wasequallyby
affiliation
"La
reviewfor
Veilleuse",
a professional
their initiativethat
nurseswas founded.By now, the Schoolof Nursingwas
transferred
to a beautifulbuildingerectedin 1924 on
Street.
Sherbrooke
Throughthe followingyears,the schoolwould prove
worthy of its origin. Underthe directionof a Grey Nun,
an attempt was made to
aided by severalassistants,
high standards
of teachingand the nurseswho
encourage
trainedtherewouldbe a creditto theirAlma Mater.Many
went
Crey Nunswho had graduatedfrom Notre-Dame
elsewherein Canadaand the UnitedStatesto administer
who also
of laynurses
A longlistis recorded
similarschools.
in the serviceof humanityand
themselves
distinguished
in both world wars.
who evenservedoverseas
HOSPICETACHE,ST.BONIFACE,MANITOBA"1898
O n e o f t h e r e a s o n sc l a i m i n gt h e p r e s e n c eo f t h e
wasthat of the boarding
SuperiorCeneralin St. Boniface
The institutionof which Bishop
schoolor Tach6Academy.
Tach€had beenthe architectdatedbackto 1883.He had
Pupilsof neighboringregionsand even
been successful.
studiesthere
from the UnitedStateshad pursuedadvanced
to continue
until the Creenwaylaw renderedit impossible
i
t
h
a
d
b
e
c
o
m
e
a
d
a
y
s
c h o o l .T h e
the work.By 1893
followingyearthe pupilsfrom thisschoolhad ioinedthose
of the Conventof the HolyNamesof lesusand Mary.Now,
257
the ProvincialSuperiorwas being urged to adapt the
buildingto anotherpurpose.
T h e o r p h a ng i r l sw e r e m o v e dt h e r ea n d i n M a r c h
i898aEa crdchehad beenooened.The old Provincial
House,despiteits scantyspace,hadsheltered
thesevarious
worksuntil the hospitalwasopenedin 187'l and alsothe
boardingschoolin i883. An annexknownas the yellow
househadlodgedthe orphans.
In the year,1898,therewas questionof utilizingthe
former boardingschoolin order to group the various
work. MotherFiliatrault,
in the courseof hervisit,realized
that in fact the populationof the formerboardingschoot
could be increased.
lt would henceforthbe known as
HospiceTach6in order to perpetuatethe memoryof its
untiringbenefactor.
In agreement
with the Provincial
Council,the Superior
Ceneralgrantedall the necessary
authorizations
so that
henceforthboth the orphansand the elderlycould be
lodgedthere.BySeptember,
wouldopenfor
a kindergarten
small boys.a9The decisionwas so pleasingto everyone
concernedthat it was decidedthat the eventshouldbe
celebratedby a superbpicnicon the lawn.The Superior
C e n e r a la n d S i s t e rD i o n n e ,t h e P r o v i n c i aSl u p e r i o r
considered
it an honorto wait on the table.For her part,
the secretarycommented,"The former boardingschool
w o u l d n o t l o s ea n y v a l u eb y b e c o m i n ga c h a r i t a b l e
institution."s0
In September,
sheadded,
4 8C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 5 - 9 8p, . 1 9 0
a eS r . G u i c h o n o
, . c . , p . 1 8 . T h e C r i c h ew o u l d c l o s ei n l 9 O 4 i n
favor of the Misericordia
Sisters.As for the kindergarten,
it would
c l o s ei n 1 9 0 7 .
s 0 S r .B o u l a n g et or t h e M o t h e rH o u s e , 3 1 , ' 1 8 9 8 .
July
2s8
It ison the9th of thismonththatwe shallopenwideour
the
and the Penniless,
doorsto the physically
disabled
with
Allwillbewelcomed
orphans,
the etderly,
smallbabies.
joy.
l f t h e s e c r e t a r yc o u l d h a v ef o r e s e e nt h e f u t u r e
By 1905 the
development,
shewouldhavegreatlyreioiced.
hospicehad to be expandedand this time it would be
Mother DesDins
the new ProvincialSuperior,who would
that
directthe work and it was underher administration
'191
1 while
Housewould be movedtherein
the Provincial
to housethe
designated
the formerhousewas henceforth
agingpopulation.
'1922
fire brokeout in the attic of the
On lune 15,
and the children.
awokethe Sisters
A
cry
of
alarm
Hospice.
it
under
control.sr
butiortunateiythe firebrigadebrought
Theyundertook
TheCreyNunswerenot disheartened.
repairsand in 1923, becauseof the great
the necessary
the Sistersdecidedto
for admission,
numberof requests
movebackto the 1846 building.
in 1944,HospiceTach6
At the time of the Centennial
paralytics,
with
handicapped,
elderly,
had 412 boarders:
n
r
e
p
r
e
s
e
n
t
i
n
gi n e
n o n - C a t h o l i cass w e l l a s C a t h o l i c s
priests
had
A departmentfor elderly
differentnationalities.
by one hundred
alsobeensetup. FortyCreyNunsassisted
e m p l o y e e sp r o v i d e d t h e s e r v i c ei n t h i s Y o u v i l l i a n
for the reliefof humanmiseryof all kinds.s2
establis-hmenf
sl Circ.mens.1922-23,pp. 171-172.
5 2T h i s w o r k w o u l d e x p a n da s s e e nb y c o m p a r i n gt h e f o r m e r
hospicewith the beautifulCentre HospitalierTach€Inc. erected
d u r i n g1 9 7 0- E 0 .
2s9
LACtA BICHECONVENTMOVEDTO SADDLELAKE,
1898.
ALBERTA"
at LacLa
Theschoolof OurLadyof Victoryestablished
and
a greatmanydifficulties
Bichein 1862experienced
We recallthat during the
hardshipsof everydescription.
Rielinsurrectionin 1885, the Sistershad beenforcedto
leavetheirconventandseekrefugeon an islandwherethey
remainedfor three weeks.Foodsuppliesreachedthe
distantmissiononly with great difficultyso that when
h u n t i n ga n d f i s h i n gw e r e p o o r ,t h e w h o l e h o u s e h o l d
e x p e r i e n c e ldo n g p e r i o d so f f a s t i n gc o m m o nt o t h e
northernmissions.
difficultiesto
BishopCrandindeploredthe incessant
which this missionwas prey.He suggestedto Mother
to SaddleLake.lt
be transferred
Filiatrault
that the Sisters
madeit a duty
Superior
General
reason
that
the
wasfor this
post
as soonas she arrivedin the
to reachthis far-away
West,that is, in May 1898.Shewasawareof the fact that
wereattachedto this cornerof the earth.
her missionaries
Shewrote:
It is difficultto leavethis placewherefor thirty-sixyears
to giveupthis
havesacrificed
themselves,
manyof ourSisters
w
i
t
n
e
s s eosf s u c h
w
e
r
e
d
i
s
c
r
e
e
t
w
h
o
s
e
w
a
l
l
s
house
abnegation.s3
It was for this reasonthat she wanted to bring to the
for the "great upheaval"
Sistersthe comfortof her presence
would occurduringthe summer.The SuperiorGeneral
to acceptthe sacrifice
encouragedthe Sisters
for thismovewill resultin Cod'sgreaterglory.Bysettling
we shallprovideChristian
at the verycentreof the Reserve,
of children.
to a largernumber
teaching
53 Letterof MotherFiliatrault,
May 26,'1E98.
260
SisterSt. Placidewas appointedSuperiorof the future
and with her companionsleft LacLa Biche
establishment
journey
towardthe new missionwhichwould
22
to
on luly
St-loseph.
be knownasHospice
of BishopGrandinand of Mother
The discernment
would soon be justifiedfor the peopleof the
Filiatrault
and Mr. Cibble,the
werehappy"to haveSisters"
Reserve
C o v e r n m e nat g e n th i g h l yp r a i s e dt h e i r t e a c h i n gs k i l l s
followinghisfirstofficialvisit.
wouldsoonsay
TheSisters
themselves
whichwe receive
fromthese
Thesuoernatural
consolation
youngsters,
to
the
teachings
of the
fresh,
so
new,
so
open
so
in
we
had
to
make
for
the
sacrifice
faith,amplyrewardsus
residence.sa
for
new
Lac-La-Biche
mission
this
the
exchanging
at SaddleLake.
Nevertheless,
therewere difficulties
The
the crop in 1900.5s
destroyed
Frostand strangeinsects
occasions
of the housewouldindicateon several
chronicles
of torrentialrains,worms
that the crop was poor because
whichaffectedthe frail
and mice.Moreoverthe epidemics
pupilshadobligedthe teachers
to seryeasnurses.
Thoughthey livedon the shor€sof a largelake,the
Sistersstatedin 1912 that there was still no water at
HospiceSt.loseph;so it wasdecidedthat a well would be
dug. At a depth of 200 ft., "there is still little hope."s6lt
couldenjoythe benefitof
wasonly in l 9l 6 that the Sisters
" s i s t e rw a t e r . "T h i s w a t e r w o u l d f a l l i n a b u n d a n c e ,
by hail,wind and lightningduringa tornado
accompanied
cropsand broke144
in Julyof that yearwhich destroyed
panesof glassaboutthe house.
s 4A n n .I 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p,p . I I 7 -l 1 8 .
s 5 t b i d .p . l 5 z .
s 6 A n n .1 9 1 1 - 1 9 1 2p,. 3 7 2 .
tol
and followingthe example
At the sightof the disaster,
thankedGod by
the Sisters
of their belovedFoundress,
To
recitingtogetherthe Magnificat. be true to history,they
shouldhaverecitedthe TeDeum...
ol
The era of trialsdid not end therefor the influenza
I 918 and hungerclaimedmanyvictims.SisterNantel.the
for three
visitingnurse,travelledthroughoutthe Reserve
weeksgoing as far as St. Paul,where the Sistersof the
Assumption,
alsoaffectedby the epidemicwould call for
Breynolfand C6lina
her services.57
Two Crey Nuns,Sisters
eventually
fellvictimsof theirdedication.
''928,
of the
ln
fire destroyed
the barn.Thedestruction
entiremissionwasnarrowlyavoidedbut extremehardship
wasagainthe lot of the Sisters
and their wards.Thistime
however,they realizedthat they had not sownin vain.for it
was the Nativesof whom severalwere former pupils,who
would come to their help. Severalarrivedon horse-back
from a distanceof twelvemilesto offertheir services."l was
touchedby their sympathy"wrote the Superiorwho
a d d e d , " M y c o m p a n i o n sa r e a d m i r a b l ei n f a i t h a n d
resignation.
Theygreatlyedifyms."saThreeyean later.in
1931,this localcommunitywouldagainbe transplanted.
this time to St. Paul,Albertawherethe GreyNunswoulc
carryon their missionof civilizationat the Residential
Schoolof BlueQuill.
E-DU-RAI,KENORA,
ST-ANTOI
NE SCHOOL,PORTAG
oNTAR|O,1898
On her returnfrom LacLa 8iche,the SuperiorGenera
againstoppedat St. Bonifacein order to conferwith the
Sistersof the provinceconcerningthe creationof another
mission.BishopLangevinhad presented
a requestto the
s7 Doss.5r. Nantel
5EAnn. l92E-'1929,p. 207.
262
3, 1898 to obtainmissionaries
Superior
on February
for
P o r t a g e - d u - Rw
ah
t i c h w a s l a t e rt o b e c a l l e dK e n o r a ,
situatedat the mouthof the WinnipegRiver.The Sauteux
livedthereand when BishooTach€had visitedthem in
1845,they hadrefused
to receivehim.
year,1897,FatherP.H.Cahill,an Oblate,
fn the previous
had determined
to establish
a schoolin that area.59
He
rentedthe houseof CharlesLaverdidre
and hiredformer
pupilsfrom the IndianSchoolof 5t. Boniface
as teachers,
H i s a m b i t i o nd i d n o t s t o o t h e r ef o r h e h a d o b t a i n e d
Governmenthelp to build a schoolfor fifty pupils.In the
f i r s t f o u r t e e nm o n t h so f t e a c h i n g f, i v e t e a c h e r sh a d
succeededone another,so difficultwas it to train these
childrenof the forests.
BishopLangevin,
as well as FatherCahill,recognized
must
then that they
appealfor helpfrom the GreyNuns.
He explainedto the SuperiorGeneral"Thereare almost
3,000paganswhom we hopeto convertby meansof their
childrenwho aredestinedto be aoostles
to their race."He
praisedthe site of the schoolon the shoreof the beautifu
Lakeof the Woods,132 milesfrom Winnipeg,and he
added:
Theworthyfollowersof Motherd'Youvillehaveraiseda
monumenton the banksof the RedRiverfar moredurable
I offeryou thisboarding
thanmarbleor brass.
schoolasa
proofof my trustandto recognize
the inappreciable
services
whichyourCommunityhasrendered
to our youngcountry
for welloverfiftyyears.6o
Suchan appealcould hardlyremainunanswered
and
MotherFiliatrault
encouraged
SisterDionne,the Provincia
Superior,
to appointthe foundresses.
SisterDuffinwas
5 9s r . c u i c h o n ,o . c . ,p p . 5 9 - 6 0
5 0O r p h .W i n n i p e gh, i s t .d o c . 5 .
263
namedSuperior
and Sisters
Ste.Lucie,a professed
from St.
Boniface
werehercompanions.
and Marie.an auxiliary,
Al.
t h r e e l e f t t h e v i c a r i a lh o u s eo n N o v e m b e r2 , 1 8 9 8
accompanied
by their Provincial
Superiorwho wishedto
seefor herselfthe welcomewhich the Crey Nunswould
receive.
The OblateFathersexhibitedgreatioy as did the
p u p i l s .T h e S i s t e r sw e r e a m a z e da t t h e s y m p a t h e t i c
welcomeof the latter,but knewthat despitethis,theirtask
would not be easy.The severecold easilypenetratedthe
building,the dietaryregimenleft muchto be desired,and
besides,there
was no domestichelp.Thefoundresses
were
not surprised
to find the waterfrozenin the house!only
s u p p l yb a r r e l . 6 H
l a d n o t t h e S i s t e r si n t h e f a r N o r t h
acceptedthe fact that theycouldnot writebecause
the ink
hadsolidified?
SisterDuffindid not dwellon the difficulties
but rather,shedescribed
the beautifulsiteandspokeof the
lovelyislands
studdingthe greatRainyLake.
The presenceof the Sisterssoon brought about a
transformation
in the pupilssimilarto that whichhad been
observedelsewhere.
By the springof 1899, the Sauteux
were
children
singingthe Masswith an artisticabilitywhich
delightedtheirparents.
As the missionaries
had hoped,the
pupilswereexcellentpublicity.Soonthe adultsthemselves
were callingon the Sisters.
A poor womansufferingfrom
t u b e r c u l o s i sa s k e d t o b e t a k e n t o t h e c o n v e n t .
Unfortunately,
when her husbandremovedher from the
canoewhereshe was reclining,she could not be carried
any further.SisterDuffinhastened
to her but coulddo
nothingmorethanto recommend
hersoulto Cod.62
The missionaries
would havemore successwith the
young daughterof DoctorMoksgabaw,nicknamed"the
who had allowedCatherine.
Chiefdevil of the Reserve,"
6r lbid.,pp. 60-61
62 sr. Duffin to the Mother House,
luly 12, 1899.
264
one of histwo daughters,to livewith the womenof prayer.
Victoire,the youngest,soonwas influencedby her elder
shesaidto
sisterand when shewashavinga hemorrhage,
I want to be baptizedlike
her fathet "Get the missionary,
The famousmagicianhastened
to the mission
Catherine."
for
little
one.63
to requestbaptism the
By I908, the schoolhad succeededin eliminatinq
desertions
completelythough therewereseventy-eight
pupils.Therewas an increasingnumberof pupilsbut
unfortunately,
in 1930the GreyNunshad to leaveKenora
after thirty-twoyearsof work. Theirserviceswere required
for tubercular
for the foundationof the St.Mtal Sanatorium
patients.
TheNatives
werevulnerable
to thisdisease.
T h e S i s t e r so f l e s u sa n d M a r y a n d t h e S i s t e r so f
Providence
at the requestof the Oblates,secretlyorganized
. f t e r a s o n gw r i t t e nf o r t h e
t h e f a r e w e l lg a t h e r i n g A
occasion,a child of the forestsreadto the Sistersan address
whichdrewtears,for the readersaid:
T h a n ky o u f o r y o u r u n t i r i n gz e a la n d y o u r e n t i r e
Youhavetaughtusto knowCodandwe shalltry
dedication.
to beworthyof theteaching
received.
Weknowthatyouwill
notforgetusandbe assured
thatwe on our partwill always
remember
ourdevotedCreyNunsof Kenorafl
6 3 A n n . 1 9 0 2 - 0 3 ,p p . 5 0 - 5 1 .
5 4 A n n . 1 9 3 0 - 3 1 ,p p . 3 4 4 - 3 4 6 .
265
CHAPTER
VIII
1899-'t902
hao
Hardlya yearhad gone by sinceMotherFiliatrault
beenre-elected
to governthe Instituteandshehadalready
ooenedtwo new houseswhile the schoolat LacLa Biche
to SaddleLakeand AcademieTach6
had beentransferred
Thiswasa greatdealof changeif
had beentransformed.
one considers
that the orudentresolutionthat no new
workswould be acceptedwasstill in effect.
The numberof Sisters
at the beginningof lanuaryhad
risento 582, an increaseof twenty members,while thirteen
deathshad been recordedin the pastyear.Furthermore,
there were fourteenSistersin the infirmaryand other
valiantworkersworn with ageor afflictedwith tuberculosis
in the communitywork.
who couldno longerparticipate
r e n e r aal c c o m p a n i e d
O n l a n u a r y5 , t h e S u p e r i o G
BishopShanleyof Dakotawho was visitingthe Mother
Housefor the first time. He wasamazedat the manyworl6
shelteredin this largehouse.Undoubtedly,this sight
sufficedto convincehim that it was unwisefor him to
Thisattitudedid not
requestanotherhousefor hisdiocese.
zot
applyto the pastorof a parishin Ohio, for a committee
from lllinois,and for BishopAlbert Pascaleachof whom
wererequesting
thefoundationof a hospital.l
The Grey Nuns continuedto edify peopleby their
proficiency
asnurses.
Afterdifficultbeginnings,
St.Vincent's
Hospitalin Toledoand HolyCrossHospitalin Calgarywere
developingan excellentreputationand, about Calgaryit
couldevenbe said
t h a t t h e n o n - C a t h o lhi co s p i t a lr,a t h e rt h a n b e i n g
detrimental
to us,is insteadan asset.Wellinformedpeople
help
cannot
but noticethe superiority
of our organization
overthatof thelayinstitution.2
Truly,everythingin Calgarywas progressing
since
FatherLacombe,
the intrepidOblate,wouldsoonannounce
that a NormalSchoolwould be established
underthe
directionof the FaithfulCompanions
of lesus.l
Thatyear,the Apostleof the BlacKoothad reachedthe
fiftieth year of his priesthoodand the Crey Nuns of St.
Albertwould celebratethe anniversary
in a worthy fashion.
Therewould be a gatheringin the humbleconventwhere
Father
the pupilswould presenta dramasummarizing
Lacombe'sillustriouscareer.ArchbishopLangevinof St.
B o n i f a c ew h o w a s D r e s e n tc o u l d n o t c o n c e a l h i s
With tearsin hiseyesand emotionin hisvoicg
admiration.
His Gracethankedboth the teachersand their pupilsfor
beingsucha creditto the CatholicSchoolSystem.
T h e A l b e r t a m i s s i o n a r i e sw o u l d i n t r u t h b e
overwhelmedin Septemberwhen on the 17, they received
a visit from ArchbishooBruch6siof Montreal.He himself
I C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p, p . 9 1 a n d9 2 .
2 5r. Carrollto the MotherHouse.june 1899.
I C i r c .m e n s .I E 9 E - 1 9 0 1p,. I 2 9
268
receptionhe wasgivenin this
wouldrecountthe grandiose
smallcornerof the world.
BishopCrandinand hisclergygreetedme
Thevenerable
with the soundof bellswhileflagsflutteredabovethe
Weembraced
and
the conventandmanyhouses.
Cathedral,
for a fewdays.
coadjutor
I accepted
to bethesecond
The Archbishopof Montrealpresidedat Massthe
followingmorningwherehe deliveredthe sermonboth in
He presided
at a concertexecutedby
Frenchand in English.
the pupilsof the conventin whichyoung Praxide,Mother
F i l i a t r a u l t 'gs o d c h i l d ,s a n g a c h a r m i n gl i t t l e s o n g . 4
ArchbishopBruch6siw€nt alsoto Edmontonand Calgary
On his return,he would
on his way to BritishColumbia.s
say concerningthis trip, "l was delightedto observethat
the kingdomof God is being extendedthere by our clergy
and religious
communities."6
EveryGrey Nun has the certitudethat even in the
lowliesttask,"she is truly a co-workerwith Christ" (Co.
all
however,
that shecannotaccomplish
1.3:9).Sherealizes
the good which is offeredto her zealeverywhere.Thiswas
painfulto the SuperiorCeneralwho had the responsibility
of attendingto the developmentof alreadyexisting
proiects.In the fall of 1898,shehad attendedthe blessing
of the hospitalin Cambridge.Duringthe year 1899,she
alsovisitedthe missionsof Toledoand Morristownwhile
4 On one of her visits to the West, the SuperiotGeneralhad
a c c e p t e dt o b e t h e g o d m o t h e ro f a p o o r a b a n d o n e dc h i l d t o
Filiatrault.
whom shegaveher own name:PraxEde
s Letterto MotherFiliatrault,
1
7,
1699.
sept.
5 Visitfrom ArchbishooBruch6si
to the M. House.Nov. 4, 1899.
'18
h e h a d s e n t t h € 5 u p . G e nt.h e f o l l o w i n gt e l e g r a m :
On S€pt.
"ArchbishopBruch6siwishesyou to sharein our specialholiday.
Yourgod-child.PraxedeFiliatrault."On his return he had stoPped
at the Toledomissions.
269
shedelegatedherfusistantto carryout the officialvisitation
of the other Americanhouses.ThereSisterHamelrealized
the popularityof the Patronagein Bostonas Bishop
W i l l i a m sh a d c h o s e nt o o u r c h a s ea n o t h e rh o u s et o
a c c o m m o d a t teh e w o r k i n gg i r l s .S i s t e rL e t e l l i e rt,h e
went
Provincial
for the Albertahouses,
Superiorresponsible
to comfort and encouragethe Sistersin the far North.
Throughher delegate,Mother Filiatraultlearnedthat life
therewasstilllivedin a heroicfashionwith onlya few less
stressfulintervals.SisterDoucet,Superiorof the conventat
Chipewyan
evenobtaineda smallmiracle.Thegold rushof
1898 had attractedmanyseekers
to this distantland.Two
of them, one of whom was a brotherof FatherLacombe,
Therethey
stoppedat Chipewyan,then at Providence.
receivednewsof the disasterthat had occurredat Dawson
which thereafterbecamea ghost town. They became
volunteercarpenters
and helpedto build the convent
whichthe Sisters
occupiedon March16. Thesmallmiracle
consistedin finding carpentersin the deadof winter in this
frigid country.T
on luly 8, earlierthan
SisterLetellierreachedProvidence
was customaryfor the North. Shewas introducedto this
new houseof which the residentssaid, "We can hardly
believeour comfort."The visitingSuperiormeanwhile
concealedher emotionbeforesuchpoverty.
In delegatingto the Assistants
and the Provincial
Superiorsthe visitationof the far-awayhouses,the Superior
Generalwasableto ensurethe developmentof the proiects
Asfor the housesin Montrealand surrounding
everywhere.
areas,and evenin the UnitedStates,it waseasierfor her to
visit them herself.In the courseof 1898-1899 the Nazareth
would
Institution
and the HospiceSt.tosephin Beauharnois
t sr. E. Mitchell,Le soleil,p. 133.
270
expand.The samewas true of St. Anne'sOrphanagein
Worcester,
U.S.A.8
Evenat the MotherHouse,therewasplentyof building
Whilethe kitchenin the St, Mathieuwing was
in progress.
werealsobeingaddedto each
beingexpanded,balconies
main
wing
and
to the one parallelto Cuy
storeyof the
S t r e e t .T h e c h a p e lw a s w i r e d f o r e l e c t r i c i t ya n d t h e
chroniclerwrote, "floodedwith so much light, one feelsas
into glory" and she notedthat
though one is transported
in
alonewas675.
bulbs
this
area
the numberof
Concernedabout the healthof the Sisters,Mother
Filiatraulthad "a simpleplatformcoveredby a rusticroof"
built in the yard. "Therewere long rowsof tablesand
bencheswhile latticework Drotectedthe Sistersfrom the
Thereprescribedholidayscould be
view of passers-by."
takenthroughthe summernow that the old Carmelhad
disappeared.
had a remarkable
senseof adaptation
MotherFiliatrault
b u t s h e s h o w e d e q u a l r e s p e c tf o r t h e p a s t . s h e
r e m e m b e r e dt h e d e v o t i o nt o o u r L a d y o f s o r r o w s
institutedat the old hospitalby FatherFaillonin 1855.
Eagerto maintainthis devotion,she had a beautifulsmall
shrineset up in the St. Annecorridor.In the centrewasa
picture of the Mother of God holding the body of her
deceased
son,while on eithersideweretwo angelsbearing
instrumentsof the passion.
On the doorsof the old hospitalat Pointe-)r-Calli.res
there had been the monogramof Mary.The Superior
Generalwishedto havethe samemonogramsinstalledat
statethat the senior
the new MotherHouse.Thechronicles
pleased
of the
at the re-appearance
Sisterswere very
Mariansign.However,the doorswere more numerousthan
8 Hist.,orph. ste Anne,Feb.6, 1900.
271
in the old hospital.lt wasthen that anothersmallmiracle
c a m e a b o u t .A w o r k e rw h o h a d f o u n d o n e o f t h e s e
m o n o g r a m su n d e ra r u b b i s hh e a p ,b r o u g h ti t t o h i s
mother.Shein turn gave it to one of the little Auxiliary
Sisterssaying,"Givethis to your Superior.lt belongsto her
since my son found it where he works,...at the former
Mother Houseof the Grey Nuns." Creat was Mother
Filiatrault's
ioy at receivingthis souveniriust as she was
lookingfor a modelof thisantiquemonogram.
The Crey Nuns had a deep devotionto Mary. Mother
d'Youvillehad had recourseto Our Ladyin particular
instancesduring her life. lt was alsoto the Mother of God
that shewould go to seekcomfortin timesof trial. Thus,it
was beforeOur Ladyof Sorrowsthat the Sistersgathered
on luly 23 upon learningof the deathof SisterBrady,one
of the foundresses
at Toledoand who had laboredtherefor
forty-fouryears.Therewere touchingdemonstrations
for
herin the parish.A solemnrequiemHighMasswassungby
a lesuit in the chapelbeforea largeattendance.The
Ursulinesofferedtheir servicesfor the choir as SisterBrady
and anotherSisterhad providedthe singingat the first
religiousprofessionwhich had taken placein their own
monasteryin Toledo.
On August20, SisterBrault,the mostseniormemberof
the Institutq passedawayhavingaccumulatedto her credit
sixtyyearsof serviceto the Lord.On October28, the Sisters
deploredthe deathof SisterMary Ann Pumphreyat age
twenty-eight.The young Sister,a nativeof HarborGrace,
NeMoundland,had beenvisitedon October12, by His
Excellency
BishopDiomEdeFalconio,the first Apostolic
Delegateto Canada.He had formerlybeena misionary in
Newfoundlandwhere MaryAnn had receivedher first Holy
Communionfrom the handof the futurepapaldelegate.
272
Nine deathshad been recordedin 1899 and despite
this decreasein the numberof laborers,a new proiectwas
beguntowardthe end of theyear.
MAN.,1899
sr. RocHHosPlrAl-sr. BoNlFAcE,
The careof contagiouscaseshad beenasumed by the
GreyNunsof this provincesince1881. On May 15, Mr.
Magherhad loanedhishousenearthe hospitalso that the
Sistirscould useit to carefor casesof small-pox.g
When the eoidemicwas ovel the housewas returned
to its owner.Whenthe choleraepidemiceruptedin 1885,
the Grey Nunswho were againcalledon to carefor the
afflicted,converted"an old ice house" in order to isolate
the Datients.
BishopHenri Faraud,ApostolicVicarin the Athabaskain a housewhich
region,retiredin St-Boniface
Mackenzie
he had purchasedand considerablyimprovedusing his
He diedthereon September
abilityas a capablecarpenter.
26, 1890 at the age of sixty-seven.l0The Sistersof
Mis6ricordetook over the placetemporarilyin October
it to housethe staff
TheGreyNunsthen purchased
1898.11
caringfor the sick,whileanotherbuilding24 tt x 26 ft. was
erectedfor contagiouscases.
C o n s t r u c t i o nc o u l d n o t b e g i n u n t i l t h e e n d o f
'l
rapidlybut a virulent
September 899. Work progressed
influenzacomplicatedby scarletfeverand typhoid erupted
in the fall compellingthe Sistersto once more receivethe
sickin the formerquarters.
e The detailswhich follow are drawnmostlyfrom the chr, of this
nou5e.
r0 Benoit,Vie de Mgr. Tach€,V. 2, pp. 690-700.
rr Morice,o.c.,V. 3, pp.342-343.
273
Contagiouscaseswere admitted to the isolation
buildingonlyon April25, 1900andfrom thisdatethe area
continuedin operation.Administration
had beenprovideo
by St. BonifaceHospitaland it was only in 1902 that a
Superiorwas appointedin the personof SisterSt-Wlfrid.
Sinceno hospitalexistedfor the treatmentof tuberculosis
eighteenbedswerereserved
for this categoryof patients.
Soonthe City of Winnipegthrough its representatives
appealed
to the CreyNunsto acceptall contagious
casesin
the capitalat a compensationrateof seventy-five
centsper
patient-day.
In 1910, fire broke out at a saw-millin the
neighborhoodof St. Roch.The peoplewere surprisedthat
the hospitalwas not engulfedin the disasterbut the Sisters
p r o u d l y a t t r i b u t e dt h e p r o t e c t i o nt o t h e i r b e l o v e d
Foundress.
In the followingyear,the St-Rochunit became
distinctfrom St-Boniface
Hospital;in that year,460 patients
weretreatedthere.
l n ' 1 9 2 2 i t w a s d e c i d e dt o e r e c ta n e w a n d l a r g e r
b u i l d i n g w i t h a h u n d r e d - b e dc a p a c i t y .B y 1 9 4 2 ,
preventativemeasureshad controlledcontagiousdiseases
so the hospitalwas closedto suchcasesand becamean
annexof 5t. BonifaceHospitall2while the Sanatorium
remainedfor the treatmentof tuberculosis.
- 1900 In the heart of everyGrey Nun, there was a common
hope, that of their VenerableMother/sCauseprogresing
toward beatification,
Therefore,one is not surprisedthat in
the chronicleseveryevent concerningthe Causewas
reported,suchascorespondence
from Romeaswell asany
l 2 5 t - R o c hw a s l a t e r c o n v e r t e di n t o a r e s i d e n c ef o r f e m a l e
employees
of the hospitalwhileone departmentwas reserved
for a
few isolationcases.
274
initiativetakenby the faithfulwho sharedwith the Grey
d'Youville.
for Marguerite
Nunstheirveneration
In the two first yearsof the twentieth century,entries
would be prolific on the subiect.SisterFauteuxwas
replacedaschroniclerby SisterFortierwho in turn recorded
a l i t h a t c o n c e r n e dt h e p r e c i o u sC a u s e . l 3l t w a s w i t h
announced
on February
unmitigated
ioy that SisterFauteux
Mrs.
by
4, that a biographyof Motherd'Youville
lettd had
been published.Mrs. lett€ was the wife of the Lieutenant
Governorof the Provinceof Quebec.
May the readingof thesepagescontributeto the
of the CausewhichMrs.lett6hasservedwith
advancement
suchzealoverthepastfifteenyeaD
wish sharedby the Crey Nuns of
was the chronicler's
Montreal,of St. Hyacinthe,of Ottawaand of Quebec.la
FatherG. Bourassa,
a diocesanpries! eulogizedthe book in
Religieuse:
LaSemaine
I hooethat it will makefurtherknownand lovedthe
whosematernallove
familyof the holyFoundress
religious
thewordof the
we admireandwhichhelpsusto understand
DivineMaster:
Youshallknowthetreeby itsfruits,l5
As for the author,she herselfexplainedthe genesisof
herbook.
wouldnever
Thethoughtof writinganotherbiography
haveoccurredto me; but in 1884,havingbeenchosenby
in
asoneof the witnesses
the Postulator
FatherBonnissant,
t 3 S r . F a u t e u xw a s d i r e c t e db y t h e S u P .G e n . t o c o l l e c t o l d
documentsand memoirs.Fromthesewould resultVol. 1 of H6p'
G6n.and alsoa biographyof Motherd'Youville.
r 4 C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p,. 3 6 8 .
l s l b i d . , p . 3 6 9 . F . . B o u r a s sw
a a s f r o m L a v a lU n i v e r s i t yi n
Montreal.
275
the trial, I had the occasionto study this remarkablelife in
depth. ArchbishopFabreand FatherT. Harel.the Apostolic
Notaryaskedme to makea draft of my notesand to publish
them. Threeyeanrago, I wasagaincalledon to witnessand
ArchbishopFabreand MonsignorBruch6sirenewedthe
requestencouragingme so stronglythat I soonsetto work.l5
Mrs. lett6 extolled the merits of this illustriousCanadian
woman,
Living at a time when the women of this country were
often calledto heroism,Madamed'Youvillehowever,was
noteworthyamong them by her great personalityand her
sublimevirtues.
Archbishop Bruch6siof Montreal congratulated the
author saying:
Youhavewrittenan importantchapterin the historyof the
CanadianChurch(,..).Yourstudywasnot limitedto external
life
events.You enteredinto the intimacyof the Foundress'
and you followed her in her continuallyascendingwalk
toward perfection(...)Begunin Montreal,this biographywas
completedin SpencerWood and it is pleasingto me that
from the Governor'shousewould comesucha eulogyof the
humble Grey Nun who was a servantof the poor, the sick
and the orphaned.lz
The Archbishopof Montreal was sincerewhen he said:
16Mrs. B. lett6, o.c., pp. Xxlll et XXIV.Mrs.lett€had knownthe
Grey Nunsfor manyyears.Beinga nieceof Sr. Brault,a cousinof
Sr.Thibodeauof Ottawa,and havingone of her own sistersin the
OttawaCommunity,she had full acc€ssto informationfrom senior
Sisters,
contemporariesof Sr. Braultwho had enteredthe convent
'l
in 835 and died Aug. 20, 1899, aftet 64 yeatsof religiouslife.
r7 Letter of ArchbishopBruch€sito the author,Dec.12, 1899.
JudgeJett€wasnamedLieut.Gov.lan.1898,
276
in makingknownto theworldtheworkof
Thisbiography
willearnfor theauthorthe
thefourCreyNuncommunities,
work
the Foundress'
oratitude
of all thosewho continued
region.
evento theMackenzie
ixtending
K n o w l e d g eo f t h i s l i t e r a r y w o r k w o u l d h a v e
for thanksto the delicate
evenin France,
repercussions
attentionof Mrs. Fabre,the Sistersreceivedan issueof
in which Mr. HectorFabre,brotherof the
Paris-Canada
d e c e a s e dA r c h b i s h o po f M o n t r e a l ,h a d p u b l i s h e da
article.
commendatory
isadmirable
andisadmirably
Thislifeof Motherd'Youville
havingbeenbornin
welltold,hesaid(...)Motherd'Youville
is particularly
dearto us.Todayit isthe
hermemory
Canada,
for her,
who is soliciting
Governor
spouse
of the Lieutenant
sincethetime
by Rome,asif nothinghadchanged
exaltation
by HismostChristian
wereappointed
whenCovernors
or Frontenac.l8
Champlain
Maiesty
andwerecalled
The diversityof the work establishedlong ago by the
great Canadianlady is continuedtoday in Montrealand
beyond its borders.Thereis a varietyeven at the Mother
BishopFalconlo,
currentlyon an
Houseand HisExcellency
impressed.
Nuns,
was
"He
visitation
at
the
Grey
official
t"h e
h
i
s
a
d
m
i
r
a
t
i
o
n
,
e x p r e s s ehdi s a s t o n i s h m e natn d
noted.
chronicler
was movedat the sightof the babiesat
HisExcellency
the crecheand of the orphansof schoolage but the
lt
Delegate
did not visitSt.Mathieuwing asyet unfinished.
was
transferred
1
0
that
the
orphanage
was only on May
wouldfollowin May 1902.rv
therewhilethe crCche
1 8A r t i c l es i gn e d H e c t o rF a b r ea n d r e p r o d u c e di n C i r c . m e n s .
1 8 9 8 -9
t 0 1 ,p . 4 0 3 .
1 eC i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 2 - 0 3p, . 1 0 3 .
277
Beforethe year1900had endedanotherproiectcalled
for the dedicationof the Grey Nuns.An epidemicof
measlew
s a s r a g i n ga t t h e c o l l e g ei n M o n t r e a l .T h e
Sulpicianpriestshad to becomeorderliesbut they did not
hesitateto yield their dutiesto the followersof Mother
d'Youville.Their country housewas convertedinto a
hospitaland Sisters
Charpentier
and Rosconi
aidedby Sister
zealously
lavished
Ald6a,an admirablelittleauxiliarySister,
care on the studentswho recoveredrapidly.The requests
Langevin
of
did not comeonlyfrom Montreal.Archbishop
St. Bonifacehad not givenup his plan of foundingan
for boysin Wnnipegand the GreyNunswere
orphanage
againinvited.
WINNIPEG,MANITOBA"
ST.IOSEPH'SORPHANAGE,
1900
A tall Crey Nun, SisterCertrudeDuffin, had shown an
exceptionalabilityfor adaptationwhen she had gone to
found the IndustrialSchoolat Kenora.Shesoonwon the
admirationof her'bronzefamily'whoseparentswere
equallywon over by her amenityand her welcoming
attitude.
In April 1900,shewas recalledto Montrealwhereshe
remainedthreeweek. Shehad no ideawhat wasawaiting
her,for the SuperiorGeneralhad selectedthis nativeof
Toledo,who had adjustedso well to the CanadianWest,as
foundressof the orphanage.SisterDuffinexpressed
surprise
when she learnedwhat role had befallenher, and so
Mother Filiatraultinvited her to go before the Blessed
Sacramentto offer her sacrifice.ln connivancewith the
sacristine,the SuperiorGeneralhad reserveda surprisefor
her.While she was recollectedat the backof the chaoela
signalwasgivenand all lightswent on. Electricity
had lust
recentlybeen installed.SisterDuffinwas overcomewith
278
Sheadmittedthat this
shewasin glory.2o
aweand believed
neededand she left
she
gave
her
the
courage
fore-taste
route toward her
2
en
Montreafin the eveningof May
futureduties.2l
The projectunderthe directionof a committeeof lay
personsled by FatherP.D.Guillel o.m.i.,the pastor,hadits
basein the former Ste-Marierectory.SisterWard,the
Ceneralwho wasthen visitingthe houses
secondAssistant
in the West,describedit asfollows:
aboutthirtychildren.
Thehousecaneasilyaccommodate
anddormitories
room,porches,
a refectory
It hasa recreation
aswellasa kitchen,a pantryandfinallyroomfor the Sisters.
and a lovely
will find that thereis electricity
Thefoundress
yardwherethe children,betweenfiveandtwelve
recreation
yearsof age,canplay.
SisterDuffin arrivedin Winnipegon May 7 on the eve
o f t h e b l e s s i n go f t h e o r p h a n a g ew h i c h w a s n o t y e t
completedsincesevenmen were still at work. The need
was urgentand the childrenwould haveto be admitted
without delay.Thefoundresswrote:
Thereweremanypeopleand poor SisterDuffinstoodin
Sweat
to allthesevisitors.
the corridorin orderto be Present
me.
andtearsblinded
Butthe senseof humorin thisCreyNun soonprevailed.
Sister
At the sight of the laborersabouttheir business,
'We
to
Duffinconcludedphilosophicallt mustbe resigned
men."22
and
of
of
God
workin the sight
2 0A . s . c . M .B i o g .s r . D u f f i n
2l During her stay in Mt'|. 5r. Duffinwas pleasedto notic€that
" a s i n t h i o a s t " t h e A m e r i c a n ss t i l l v i s i t e dt h e M o t h e r H o u s e
d u r i n gt h e n o o nh o u r .
22 Letterfrom Sr.Duffin,May 1900.
279
We read in the chroniclesthat initially,five children
wereadmittedand "we had to begin by dressingthem for,
as they are, we could considerthem naked." By the
beginningof ,uly,twenty-fourwereattendingthe Brothers'
schoolcloseto the orphanageand the peopleof the
neighborhoodwere astoundedat the rapid transformation
in thesechildrenwho but a shorttime ago had no other
homethan the streets.Soona Ladies'Auxiliarywasformed
underthe directionof M6. H.T.Champion.
Theirgenerous
help was appreciatedfor the Governmentgrant was
minimal.23
The work was alreadythriving when Mother Filiatrault
visitedin 1901. By I 904, the thought of expansionhad to
be considered.
Landvaluedat $1,500.00was purchased
from the Oblates.ln that year,SisterDuffinwasreplacedby
SisterSt. Alfred when she was called to assumethe
directionof the hospitalat Morristown.Two yearslaterthe
expansionwas completedand seventy-fourorphanswere
caredfor with an increasedstaff. SisterBellavance,
one of
the newcomerswould givethe orphansexceptionally
good
careand be lovedby them as a mother.24
The thankless
function of canvasser
befell her but as she combedthe
countrysidepeoplesaid of her that "she went about here
doinggood."
S t . l o s e p h ' sO r p h a n a g ef o r t u n a t e l ye s c a p e dt h e
hurricane
of August10, 1907,althougha greatmanytrees
were twisted and broken.A schooltwo milesfrom there
was completelydestroyedwhile a new housewas lifted
from its basewith its roof plantedin the groundseveralfeet
awayfrom its foundation.The houseof the Champagne
familywascarried380 ft. awayfrom its originalsite.As the
storm waged, Mrs. Champagneand her three young
2 3O r p h .W p g .C h r o n . p
, . 15.
21A.5.G.M.biog. 5r. Bellavance.
280
d a u g h t e r ss a w " t h e i r o n f r a m e w o r ko f a b e d b e i n g
twisted."z)
completely
was enlargedagainand the
In 1910,the orphanage
150 children"who
to accommodate
capacitywasincreased
wroteSisterPrince.
gratifyus by theirloveand application"
periodical
in the CapitalCitygranted
In 1915,an English
prizesto two pupilsof the institutionwho distinguisheo
in a composition
entitled"The SevenWonders
themselves
of Winnipeg.26
Eoidemics
workedtheir havocat the institutionbut the
who
only death recordedwas that of SisterBellavance
on November7, I 918. Soon
becamea victimof influenza
t h e r e w o u l d b e 3 4 6 c h i l d r e n o f s i x t e e nd i f f e r e n t
in this institutionwhereall weredevelopingin
nationalities
a choicesettinglargelysupportedby public charity.2T
Whenthe CreyNunswithdrewfrom the orphanagein
of
of Providence
1938, they were replacedby the Sisters
the
Winnipeg,
of
At the requestof BishopSinnott
Kingston.
pioneersassumedthe foundingof a hospitalat Ste-Roseleftthis institution
du-Lac.lt waswith regretthat the Sisters
wherethey had servedfor thirty-eightyearsbut they were
to leavea thrivinginstitutionin orderto open
accustomed
the hardships
anotherwherethey would againexperience
inherentto a newfoundation.
-'t901-1902 The early customshad been preservedwith great
respectby MotherCeneral.Thus,earlyin |901 on either
was placed
sideof the chapelentrancea framedsentence
ano
King,the immortal,invisible,
whichread:To the Eternal
2 5C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 6 - 0 8p, p . 3 6 6 - 3 7 7 .
2 5C i r c .m e n s .1 9 ' l ' 6 - 1 9 1 8
p ,. 2 7 3
27 circ. mens.1922-23,pp.218-221.
281
only Cod, be honorand glory for everand ever(1 Tim.
1:17).The other,takenfrom Ps.84, read "How lovelyis
your dwellingplacemy Kingand my Cod.My soulsingffor
loy beforethe livingGod".
A s w a s t h e c a s ef o r S i s t e rE t h i e r , 2 m
8 anySisters
returningto the MotherHouseafteryearsof servicein the
missions
found in the new placethe quotationsthey had
meditatedupon long ago at the old hospitalof Pointe-iCallidres.
M o t h e r F i l i a t r a u l t ,a n x i o u s t o e n c o u r a g et h i s
remembrance
of the pastin orderto ascertain
the direction
f o r t h e f u t u r e ,e n t r u s t e dt o S i s t e rB o i r e ,o n e o f h e r
s e c r e t a r i etsh, e e d i t i n go f a p a m p h l e ti n d i c a t i n gt h e
principaleventswhichstoodout in the lifeof the Foundress
and herCommunity"to our day".29
F r o m f a r a n d w i d e t e s t i m o n i e so f s p e c i a lf a v o r s
a t t r i b u t e dt o t h e i n t e r c e s s i oonf M o t h e r d ' Y o u v i l l e
abounded.Thusin lanuary,when a fire almostcompletely
destroyed
the buildingson the blockcircumscribed
by the
streetsof St. Sacrament,
St. Pierre,St. Pauland St. Nicolas,
only the storeof MessrsMartinand Lapierrewas spared.
Mr. Martin statedthat the orotectionwas attributableto
Motherd'Youville
whosepicturehe hadaffixedto the walls
of his houseand store.Thegratefulmerchantwouldin the
futurebe generous
towardthe northernmissions.
M r . M a r t i n w a s n o t t h e o n l y o n e i n M o n t r e a lt o
considerMotherd'Youville
an eminentwoman,worthyof
the highesthonorsfor in December,at the Superior
General's
suggestion,
City Councilwhich had decidedto
2 8A . S . C . M .d o s s .5 r . E t h i e r .T h e p r a c t i c eo f u s i n g t h o u g h t provoking"quotations"was continuedunder the Superiorship
of
M o t h e rH a m e l .
2eThe pamphletwasdistributedto the Sisterson the Sup.C€n.'s
feastday and a new edition5oonbecamenecessary.
282
park,calledit
convertMarch6Ste.Anne into a recreation
Placed'Youville.30
A l d e r m a nM a r t i n e a us t a t e dt h a t t h e b i o g r a p h yo f
writtenby Mrs.lett6 may haveplayeda
Motherd'Youville
part in the awakeningof interestamong the peoplewho
"of oneof our mostworthy
now knewbetterthe Foundress
i n s t i t u t i o n s . " 3Tlh e a l d e r m a nl i t t l e k n e w t h a t h e w a s
e c h o i n g t h e d e c i s i o nf r o m R o m ew h i c h t h a t y e a r
the DecreeDe Fama,that is her reputationof
oroclaimed
The CreyNunslearnedthe newsin a letterfrom
holiness.
who
of the MontrealSeminary
FatherLouisColin,Superior
h a d b e e n t o R o m ei n l u n e . T h i s n e w s t e p t o w a r d
arousedamongthe CreyNunsan enthusiasm
beatification
which was manifestedby a greaterdesireto imitatethe
M o t h e r o f U n i v e r s aCl h a r i t y .M e a n w h i l eb, e f o r eh e r
departurefor the visitationof the St. Bonifacevicariate,
to the requestof FatherTroie,
acquiesced
MotherFiliatrault
the oastorat Notre Dameand namedSisterCharpentier
for the 'Parish'.
sacristan
The 5uperiorGeneralfulfilledher duty of visitingeach
exceptthat of TundraMountain
of the far away missions
and of
calledthe "Mountainof Sacrifice
whichhersecretary
Privations."32
r0 The name of Parliament5quarehad first been suggestedbut
'1901
Placed'Youvilleprevailedwith 28 votesto 6'
on Dec.16,
3 l C i r c .m e n s .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 0 1p, . 7 8 3 . T w o b i o g r a p h i ehsa d b e e n
publishedtill then. Therewere no more copiesof the one written
by FatherFaillon,historian.The Englishbiography,written by.Mgr.
R a m s a y" a t t h e r e q u e s to f t h e A m e r i c a nm i s s i o n s "h a d b e e n
. s f o r t h e t w o m e m o i r so f F r
d i s t r i b u t e di n t h e U n i t e dS t a t e sA
C h a r l e sD u f r o s t ,s o n o f M d e . d ' Y o u v i l l et,h e w r i t i n g so f F r .
E.Montgolfierand of Fr. AntoineSattin,P.s.s.,they had remained
as manuscripts.
32 sr. Boireto the MotherHouse,May 1E, 1901.
283
Shehad no soonerreturnedfrom the Westthan she left
for the United Statesto deal with the persistentproblem,
that of the orphanagein Toledo.The Bishopwishedto
to whichthe Superior
bring it underdiocesan
iurisdiction,
Generalagreedbut the transferwouldtakeplaceonly later
at whichtime it would be called5t. Anthony'sOrphanage
it from St.VincenttHospital.
to distinguish
On her returnfrom sucha circuit,it was not surprising
to read in the chronicles,that the SuperiorCeneralhad
returnedto Montrealon lune 29, "tired and ailing;"and
yef she had chosento be presentat a familyfeast,that of
the goldeniubileeof SisterGaudry'sreligiousprofession
which was being celebratedthat sameevening.A poem
her CreyNun activities
wassungto herwhichsummarized
at the serviceof the childrenat St. loseph'sAsylumwhere
formerlyshe had welcomeda lively,intelligentlittle boy
of Montreal.Mrs. Bruch6si
who was now the Archbishop
had alsowishedto offer the humbleGreyNun a basketof
book. On the
naturalflowersas well as two well-chosen
followingday,the Archbishophimselfcame.He evokedhis
own memoriesof the pastand though admittedly,he was
he
strongand could controlhisemotionsbeforeaudiences,
was visiblyovercomeat the memoryof the stepsof StlosephAsylum.For their part, the Sistersand especially
SisterGaudryherselfhad not forgotten him who as an
his fatherto the annual
adolescent,
had accompanied
endedioyfully;
banquetfor the old folk. The celebration
but severaldays later,when SisterGaudrysaw that the
f e a s t - d a ys o n g h a d a p p e a r e di n t h e p r e s s ,s h e w a s
mortified.Shewould have preferredanonymityas would
havedone her Mother and Model who had neversought
personalglory.
284
LEOMINSTER
SCHOOLAND NASHUAORPHANAGE,
u.s.A.- 1901
wereacceptedin 1901; both in
Two new foundations
in the diocese
the UnitedStates:the schoolof Leominster
t
h
e
o
r p h a n a g eo f
t sn,d
o f S p r i n g f i e l dM, a s s a c h u s e t a
New Hampshire'The first
Nashuain that of Manchester,
lastedonly tvvoyearsdue to the fact that the Sisterswere
wherethe staff
recalledin order to relieveother missions
wasoverburdened.
As for the second,it openedon April 9, underthe
Deguireand Paquinand would rallythe
directionof Sisters
sympathyof the populationas it was maintainedonly
thanksto the people'sgenerosity.Hardlytwo yearshad
had to be givento a new and
elapsedwhen consideration
wouldfulfilla socialand
largerbuilding.Thisinstitution
purposefor manyyears.
humanitarian
whoseterm of officewas nearingits
MotherFiliatrault
andshewouldnot evade
end,stillhad muchto accomplish
Alongwith her Council,she decidedto
her responsibility.
e x p a n d t h e S t . A n t h o n y ' sH o m e f o r t h e e l d e r l y i n
whilein the springof 1902,work beganat the
Longueuill3
of a boiler-room
M o t h e r H o u s eo n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n
m e a s u r i n g3 5 f t . b y 4 0 f t . T h e o l d b o i l e r sc o u l d n o t
p r o d u c es u f f i c i e n th e a t f o r t h i s h u g e b u i l d i n g .T h e
12 ft. by 6 ft. in
boilersmeasuring
installation
of "enormous
diameter''did not occurwithout difficulty.A motor had to
be installedin the neighboringyard to provideheat for
cookingwhilethe laundrywasdoneat one of the missions
closeby: eitherat HopitalNotre-Dameor at Asileste.
Cun69onde.
On May 28 while this work was going on, the crdche
was movedto its new quarterson the fourth floor of the St.
33 P.Arch. 1872-77.
285
Mathieuwing. Professed
Sisters,novicesand postulants
helpedto movethe childrenwho protested
loudlysincethe
chroniclernotedthat a veritablecacophonywas heard
whichcould havegratedthe earsof artists.3a
Statistics
on
thisoccasionindicatedthat,sincethe distantdaysof '1754,
32,952 childrenhad beentakenin by the Crey Nuns.35
Thiscrdchein it5 new quartersdrew manyvisitors,namely
DoctorsRottot,Hingston,Lachapelle
and Cormier,Father
from the University,
Bourassa
aswell as "forty womeneager
to seethesesmallbabesin blue and white,who wereso
tiny andsosweet"andto admirethe largesunnynurseries.
It wasunderstandable
that the burdenof work affected
the Sisters'
health.On luly Il, they deploredthe deathof
SisterMarguerite
Stacy-Michel,
a heroiclittleAuxiliarySister
of lroquoisorigin,born at Caughnawaga
whosecareer
endedat agetwenty-three.
Thechronicler
wroteof her:
Shehadedifiedusby herpietyandherselflessness
no less
thanby herpatience
duringthe pneumonia
whichbrought
anearlyendto herlife.
In order to minimizethe effectsof the excessive
workload,daysof relaxationat the Carmelwere restored.
Thiswas a propertysituatedin the parishof Westmount
wherethe Sisters
occasionally
spenta day of leisure.This
propertywas now smallerin sizesincepart of it had been
givenup for th€ establishment
of a chapelat the requestof
Archbishop
Bruch6si.l5
Twoyearsearliera fire had partially
destroyedthe modestchaletwhere the Sistershad found
shelter.Fortunatel,the chalethad beenrepaired,for the
day the Sistershad chosento go there often turned out to
be rainv.
3 4C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 2 - 0 3p, . 1 0 3 .
35 lbid., p. 225
36 Landgiven up April 20, 19OOfor the constructionof a chapel
which would laterbecomethe Churchof St. L6on.
286
and difficulties'life
Despitehard work, bereavements
wasnot qloomyat the convent.on luly 29, whenforty-five
annual
Ci"n tiiionuries arrivedfrom the Statesfor their
as
them
for
was
organized
,"tr"ut, u triumphalwelcome
tnree
or
tor
two
someof them had not beento Montreal
perchedon trapezes
'and fft" childrenof the orphanage
""u".swingswavedAmericanflagsand.bgal gruT:-tle
by ioyful hlrrahs to
soundofl,vhichwas accompanied
Whilethe new arrivalswere
celebratethe home-coming.
the
surprised,the Montrealersfelt they had outdone
in hosPitality'
Americans
The retreatrestoredsilencein the convent'Thissilence
the mitredabbotof the TrappistMonla-ofOka
imoressed
of sil€nc€'He hnd
althouqhhe was himselfa specialist
appealto the charityof the GreyNuns'on luly.24'
;;;;
nao
their monastery
at aboutfour o'clockin the afternoon,
in the
l".n-J"ttroy"a by fire while all the monkswere
were.able
they
to the scene,
fields.Thoughthey hastened
and a few altardecorations'
vessels
sicred
to saveonl/the
to
itre fattreinUbot now solicitedthe help of the Sisters
makehabitsfor hismonK.
True to tradition,the followersof Mother d'Youville
ano
undertookthe taskof makingthe largewhite cassocks
Motner
worn by the sonsof St-Benedict'
the blackscapulars
similarserviceto the clergy.of
introduced'a
had
J"youuiire
paristres,
notablythat of l'tusumption'the first
ih;;;i";t
herselt'
in recordskeptby the Foundress
appearing
287
CHAPTERIX
1903-1906
Whenon October6, 1902,MotherMathildeHame
acceptedto guidethe destinyof the Instituteshedid not
all the eventswhichwouldhighlightherfive-year
anticipate
mandate.
however,had admirablypreparedher for
Providence
her duties.Havingenteredthe conventon October16,
1856 when MotherSlocombewas Directorof Formation,
SisterHamelhad the privilegeof being initiatedto the
by a womanhighly
spirituality
interiorlife,to the Youvillian
whichthe novice- and
gifted,a modelreligious;
a privilege
laterthe professedSisterwould appreciateat full value.The
youngreligious
pronounced
hervowson October20, 1858
in the novitiate,then
and was appointedassistant-director
bursarat the conventin St. Benoft.On April27,1869, she
left for the CanadianWest where she soon gave proof of
h e r a b i l i t yf o r b y 1 8 7 1 ,s h e b e c a m ep r i n c i p a al t t h e
boardingschooland then Superior.Beforeenteringthe
convent,shehad beena teacher.Shebecamedistinguished
as such in St. Bonifacewheredifficultiesensuedfrom an
289
unauspicious
law.l lt wassaidof herthat herdamagedand
torn handswereevidencethat shelaboredat construction
simultaneously
with education.2
premature
ln 1872,at the time of MotherSlocombe's
and had
to
the
Chapter
delegated
death,she had been
the
arrivedin Montrealon luly 9 with SisterCharlebois,
Assistant
Generalhastilysummonedfrom the Westwhere
In
shewason an officialvisitationof the variousmissions.
November,Mother Dupuisannouncedthat SisterHamel
of St. Boniface,
a
of the vicariate
had beennamedSuperior
positionwhich she held for the term prescribedby the
Constitutions.
Shethen remainedin the Councilas the
Assistant.A teacherin the full senseof the term, Sister
Hamelindeedpromotededucation;"We are educators",
she would sayto her Sistersand this watchwordexpressed
t h e h i g h r e g a r ds h e h a d f o r t e a c h i n g .W i t h e q u a l
magnanimity
sheattendedto allworls of charity.
of the eminent
Shehad an excellentunderstanding
greater
poor
had
no
dignity of the
and
ioy than that of
helpingher needybrothersand sisters.Shetherefore
I T h e d e t a i l sc o n c e r n i n gM o t h e r H a m e lw e r e t a k e n f r o m h e r
biographykept in the ASGM.lt i5 interestingto note that Elisabeth
Levesque,
one of Miss Hamel'sstudents,would follow her to the
GreyNuns eight yearslater underthe nameof Sr. Royand would
i n t u r n f u l f i l l t h e d u t i e s o f a s s i s t a n t - s e c r e t aor yr g, a n i s ta t t h e
r f F r e n c h .E n g l i s ha n d m u s i c a t t h e
M o t h e r H o u s e ,p r o f e s s o o
N a z a r e t hI n s t i t u t i o n ,D i r e c t o ro f F o r m a t i o n ,c a P i t u l a ra t t h e
r e n e r a la t t h e
C h a p t e ro f 1 8 9 7 a n d s e c r e t a r yt o t h e S u P e r i o C
Chapterof 1902.Shedied on March 15, 1908.One of 5r. Hamel's
youngersisters,5r. Mivillealsoenteredthe novitiate.she died May
25, 1902.
2 The building in questionhere was th€ first boardingschool,
n a s a d d e di n 1 8 7 1 .I n
t h e ' y e l l o w h o u s e ' t ow h i c h a n e x t e n s i o w
'1881-83,
u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o no f A r c h b i s h o pT a c h € ,t h e l a r g e r
b o a r d i n g s c h o o lw a s b u i l t w h i c h a f t e r 1 8 9 8 , b e c a m ep a r t o f
HospiceTach€.
290
approvedthe foundations.At her instigationtwelvenew
workswereopenedovera fiveyear period.
to
ln 1892,shewas delegatedby MotherDeschamps
carry out the visitationof the conventsin Alberta,a
of
mandatewhichshecarriedout to the greatsatisfaction
years
was
declining
so
later,
her
health
Three
all the Sisters.
SisterHamelwas recalledto the Mother Housefor reduced
activityduring which shewould visit a few of the American
in Octoberand two
missions.
Shereturnedto St. Boniface
t e n e r a li n t h e
y e a r sl a t e r w a s e l e c t e da s A s s i s t a n G
Congregation.
for her vast
This humblereligiouswas appreciated
e x p e r i e n cw
e h i c h e n a b l e dh e r t o p r o v i d ea p r e c i o u s
contributionwithin the Council.Her long stay in St.
en routefor
the stoppingpoint for all travellers
Boniface,
allowedher to becomeacquaintedwith the
the Territories.
on their way there,especiallythose
Crey Nun missionaries
recruitedin Brittanyby the Oblates.Shelived through the
d a r k d a y s o f t h e R i e lu p r i s i n g1 8 7 0 - l 8 8 5 . S h e s a w
Tach6at work as well as BishopsFaraud,Clut,
Archbishop
Legaland the famousBishopGrandinwho
Grouard,Pascal,
The
for his holiness.
diedon lune 3, 1902highlyesteemed
Nun
first
Grey
the
Bishop
thanked
especially
"saintly"
laborerswho cameto the remotelands.He entrustedto his
for
BishopLegal,the completionof the cathedral
coadjutor,
work
had just begun.3The illustrious
whichthe excavation
of the belovedOblatewouldcontinueand hisCausewould
oneday be introducedin Rome.
As Assistant
Ceneral,Mother Hamelhad beenable to
t t work and to become
o b s e r v eM o t h e r F i l i a t r a u l a
a c q u a i n t e dw i t h t h e m a n a g e m e n to f t h e g e n e r a l
3 c i r c . m e n s .1 9 0 2 - 0 3 ,p . l l . s r . G r a n d i nw a s a t h e r u n c l e ' s
he returned
bedside.As for Fr. Grandin,nephewof the deceased,
'10.
from St. Pauldes M€tisin time for the funeralon lune
291
In thiscapacityshehad reflected
a kindness
administration.
and firmnesswhichwon her the esteemof the Capitulars
of the whole
who entrustedto herthe generalresponsibility
she was given SistersElodie
Community.As Assistants,
whileSister
Wardand Praxede
Filiatrault
Mailloux,Elizabeth
OctavieDugasassumedthe dutiesof Directorof Formation
In her own way, Mother
and SisterRoythoseof secretary.a
H a m e lw o u l d s h o w t h a t " t h o u g h t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
changed,the spirit remainedthe same."sConsequently,
two weeksafter her electionwhen the feastof Sister
the SuperiorCeneralamiably
Maillouxwas celebrated,
appliedto ai,
remarked
that on thisday,the titleof assistant
the Sisters.5
When on October17, FatherLacombevisitedthe Grey
Nuns they were happyto learnthat the diplomaticand
religiousmissionentrustedto him two yearsearlierby the
He had soughtto
bishopsof the West,had beensuccessful.
destinedto protect
obtain Ukranianreligiousmissionaries
and Ruthenians
dispersed
Greeks
the faithof the Ukranians,
in
Therewere 25,000 the dioceseof
in the vastTerritories.
alone.TheeminentOblatehadgoneto Vienna
St.Boniface
order
in 1900 accompaniedby Sistersof the Franciscan
who servedas interpreterc.He was receivedin audienceby
the desireto go to the
the PrimeMinisterand expressed
paidhis travellingexpenses
and
Ukraine.The Government
FatherLacombewaswelcomedby the Bishopof Ukraine
who promisedto help his compatriots,On his returnto
a 5 r . M a i l l o u xw a s t h e S u p e r i o a
r t N o t r e - D a m eH o s p i t a lT. h e
Administrators
expressedtheir regretsat her departurebut were
comfortedat the thought of the honor which befell her. As for
B i s h o pL a n g e v i n ,h e e x p e r i e n c € dg r e a t p r i d e i n t h e f a c t t h a t
of St.
Mother Hamel and SisterDugas,two former missionaries
Boniface,had been,udgedworthyto be chosenby the Capitulars.
s Message
address€d
to the Srs.Oct.23, 1902 by the Dir. of the
Collegeof Mtl.
6 C i r c .m e n s .1 9 O 2 - O p
3 ., 1 7 1 .
292
was grantedan audienceby the
Vienna,the missionary
during
which he wasthanked"for
EmperorFrancis
loseph
pleadingthe causeof the
by
is
showing
he
the support
empire.All meansmustbe takenso that thosepeopledo
not losethe faith,"saidthe Emperor.T
Therewas a delay of two yearsbefore the promise
could be realizedbut then the dauntlessOblatewas
delightedto announceto the Sistersthat "four Basilian
priestandfour
priestsand one brotheraswellasa diocesan
Sistersareon their way to the missions"'8
in Francewould bring
The calamitouspersecution
about the other arrivals.Thusthe PoorClaressettledin
in
Valleyfieldand the Sistersof Notre- Damede l'Esp6rance
visit
from
received
a
Nuns
themselves
The
Grey
Monireal.e
exiled personson April 27. FatherLecorrereturningfrom
Francehadbroughtwith him two youngladieswho wished
to embracereligiouslife. Havingcome to visit his niece,
SisterLecorrg he expressedhis astonishmentthat she did
not show more interestto the young ladies.lt was then
t h a t t h e G r e y N u n r e c o g n i z e di n o n e o f t h e m t h e
of an older sister.As for the second,she
resemblance
lt
was
howevera youngersisterwho was only
hesitated.
nine yearsold when Eug6niehad left home sevenyears
previously.
One can imaginethat only tearscould express
the ioy of meetingonceagain.lo
Anothermoving incidenthappenedin Calgaryon
October19. The Fillesde l6suswhoseeightyconventsin
7 Fr. Lacombe'saccountof Apr. 10, 1902, reProducedin circ.
m e n s .1 9 0 2 - 0 3p, p . 7 1 - 7 5 .
8 Fr. Lacombeobtainedfrom Sir Shaughnessy,
Pres.of C.P.R.a
m
i
s s i o n a r i efsr o m
o
f
t
h
e
s
e
f
o
r
t
r
a
v
e
l
s
r
e
b
a
t
e
t
h
e
considerable
Montrealto the far Northwest.
e C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 2 - 0 3p, . 8 1 .
r o t b i d . ,p . 8 0 .
293
Francehad closed,had acceptedBishopLegal'sinvitation
to assumehousekeeping
dutiesat the bishop'sresidencein
St. Albertand of the Oblaterectoryin Edmonton.Sister
of the group,wasthe elder
Mariede St.Elz6ar,
the Superior
sisterof SisterProno,a GreyNun who had been recruited
in Calgary."She
in Brittanyand had becomea missionary
thought that she had said a final farewellto her five
religious
whensheleft Brittanyin 1895;and nowshe
sisters
her
wouldagainseeoneof heroldersisters."
Sheexpressed
joy in a letterto SisterWard."l am all the more pleased
becauseI had neverfor a momentexpectedto seeany of
my relatives
in Canada(...) BishopLegalwill be in Calgary
on lune | 9 to meetthem"rr. The Fillesde l6sus,on their
lt was
arrivalin Montreal,went to the Sistersof Providence.
there that they receivedMother Hamel'sinvitationto visit
the Mother House.SisterMarieSt. Elz6arwas movedwhen
she saw the conventwhere her sisterAlice had been
initiatedto religious
life.
lf unexpectedmeetingsbrought joy which was shared
by all the GreyNuns,it is alsotrue that trialswere likewise
sharedby all membersof the community.Towardthe end
of December1902, it waslearnedthat the schoolat Kenora
h a d n a r r o w l ye s c a p e da f i r e a s h a d t h e O r p h e l i n a t
l, I 903 when the
de Montr6alon February
Catholique
shelvesand all their contentshad beenreducedto ashes.In
both cases,the protectionwas attributedto Mother
d'Youville.
with the woes of the
The Crey Nuns sympathized
tried by an epidemic.All
northernmissionof Providence
the childrenwere afflictedfirst by measles,then by scarlet
fever followed by diptheriaand dysentery.l2As for the
which
Athabaska
station,they praisedDivineProvidence
r r l b i d . ,p p . 1 6 4 - ' 1 6 5 .
r2 5r. Beaudinto the MotherHouse,Nov. 21, 1902.
294
had so admirablyprovidedfor the needsby a plentifulcrop
of potatoesalong with an abundanceof fish which had
beencaughtwithoutdifficulty.l3
I n M o n t r e a l ,t h e r e w a s a s t r i k ea t t h e s t r e e tc a r
companyin earlylanuarywhen the nationalpridelaover
hockeywasat it5 height.The GreyNunsheardabout it but
their daily programwas not alteredthereby.This was not
Bruch6si
16 whenArchbishop
camein
the caseon February
personto inform the communityabout the new directive
concerningthe electionof the GeneralCouncil.HisCrace
wasin Romeat the tim€of the Chapterof 1902.
I wouldhaveestablished
HadI oresided
at the elections,
Archbishop.
Aftertwo or
now,
said
the
whatI amestablishing
Ceneral
musthave
a
Superior
threetermsof administration,
(...)
lt
is
important
and
experience
muchknowledge
acquired
position
the
place
where
she
can
exercise
her
in
a
then to
possible.
that
what
led
me
to
suggest
This
is
influence
most
resign.I couldnot imposethissinceshe
MotherFiliatrault
(...)
hadbeenelectedbytheChapter
t h e w i s d o mo f t h i s
M o t h e r F i l i a t r a u lut n d e r s t o o d
suggestionand in all freedomshe resignedher positionas
shewill be responsible
General.
third Assistant
"Henceforth
will
reside
in Longueuil(.'.) lt
and
for the YouvilleVicariate
is I who suggestedthis resignation,I alone,and I assume
for it," declaredthe Archbishop.rs
the full responsibility
M o t h e r F i l i a t r a u l t o o k u p h e r n e w p o s i t i o nt h e
following day and three days later,the vacancywas filled
r3 sr. McDougallto the MotherHouse,Dec.23,1902.
r 4 R u m i l l yO, . C . ,V . 1 0 , p p . 2 0 5a n d 2 0 6 .
ls Words reoroducedin a letter from Mother Ham€lto the Srs.
dated Feb.20, 1903,ArchbishopBruch6sialsoannouncedthat he
h a d b e c o m et h e e c c l e s i a s t i csaul p e r i o ro f t h e G r e y N u n 5 ,t h u s
replacingFr. LouisColin, p.s.s.,who had died Nov' 28, 1902. Ft.
CharlesLecoqreplacedthe latteras Sup.of the seminary.
295
at
whenthe CouncilchoseSisterAnnaPich€,then Superior
the schoolin Salem.Thefaith shownby MotherFiliatrault
was equalledonly by the humilitywith which the new
fusistantacceptedthe promotion.Thoughshewassmallin
of soul.
size,shewasmagnanimous
with the
MotherHamel,eagerto be betteracquainted
gr€at
for
the
city
vicariate,
out
set
conventsof the Boston
absentfrom the Mother
27. Shewastherefore
on February
BishopDonatoSbaretti,the
Housewhen His Excellency,
new ApostolicDelegate,visitedon March1 1. Likehis
predecessor,
he was amazedat the diversityof ministries
andwaspromptedto sayin falteringFrench:
Cod who is universa
Yourvocationmakesyou resemble
haveonly
usually
Othercommunities
truth andgoodness.
is an honoranda gloryto society,
onework.YourInstitution
to the Churchand to Cod.l6
S i s t e rM a i l l o u xd i d t h e h o n o r so f t h e h o u s ew i t h t h e
her.
whichcharacterized
distinction
patronalfeast
Threedayslater,the SuperiorCeneral's
(Ste.Mathilde)was celebratedat the schoolin Salem.
While all the Sistersof the Mother Housewere there in
spirit,only SistersSte.AngEleand Boisvertmissionaries
from the far north,were delegatedby SisterMaillouxto
a
The Sistersof Salemexperienced
attend the festivities.
greatloy which would howeverdemanda ransom'
MotherGeneralreturnedfrom the UnitedStateson the
five noviceshad
morningof April 17. Duringher absence,
dedicatedthemselvesirrevocablyto Cod and severa
postulants
had donnedthe new blackand white habit
adoptedat the last Chapter.rTUnfortunatel,death had
t 5 C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 2 - 0 3p, . 3 1 0 .
17Thisnew uniformwasworn for the first time on Dec.18, 1902.
296
and Lavall6e-StChapleau
alsobroughtravagesinceSisters
latter
beingonly
the
Octavehad beencalledbackto God,
twenty-twoyearsold.
despitethe
Thelnstitutehowevernumbered635 Sisters
deathsand the CeneralCouncilconsentedto
orecocious
new
missionin the landof the greatwhitesilence
createa
on the bank of GreatSlaveLake.Sister
at FortResolution
B o i s v e rw
t h o e x p e c t e dt o r e t u r n t o t h e c o n v e n ti n
would haveonlya briefstaytheresinceto her
Providence
of foundingthe Hospiceof St. losephnear
the
duty
befell
oneof the largestbodiesof freshwaterin the world.Bishop
lsidoreClut had been residingat LesserSlaveLakefor
at the
consecration
episcopal
years.He had received
several
at
the
mission
15,'1867
August
on
Bishop
Faraud
of
hands
wherethe first CreyNuns,
of the Nativityat LakeAthabaska
region,had stoppedfor a few
en routeto the Mackenzie
oays.
BishopClut was not presentat the arrivalof these
ashe haddiedon luly 9 at the ageof seventymissionaries
one after forty-sixyearsof apostolicwork in the most
remotear€aof Canada.
of all and onewhichaff€cted
Thegreatestbereavement
PopeLeo Xlll
the entireChurch,was that of His Holiness
Archbishop
who died on luly 20 at the age of ninety-four.
wishedto signalthe eventand at four o'clockin
Bruch6si
the afternoon,the bellstolled from everyste€plein the
wasdeckedin mourningonly three
locality.The Cathedral
The
weeksafter it had takenon a festiveatmosphere.
in
monument
of
a
unveiling
been
the
had
then
occasion
Philippe
was
The
sculptor
Bourg€t.
memoryof Bishop
granitewasthe work
of Canadian
Hebertwhilethe pedestal
Pich6.
of Georges
In the courseof a visitto the CreyNunson August9,
FatherClapin,Superiorof the CanadianCollegein Rome,
297
underlinedthat "the Popemay die but the papacylives
on." Hespokein highpraiseof CardinalSarto,the patriarch
of Venicewho on August4 had beenelectedasPiusX. The
GreyNunsdid not yet knowthat thiselectionwouldbring
about an innovationrequiringhelp from the Trappist
of Montrea
Monksat Oka.On August16, the Archbishop
would
Vespers
ruledthat henceforth,
"the high Massand
everySundayin the chapel.Plainchantmust
be celebrated
b e a d o p t e d f o r t h e s e a c c o r d i n gt o t h e m e t h o d o f
The new Pontiff'spredilectionfor Gregorian
Solesmes".
thosewho
chant was knownand he heartilyencouraged
attemptedto reformliturgicalmusic.
The SuperiorGeneralthereforeappealedto Father
Cuillaumefrom the TrappistMonasteryand he cameto
teachthe Grey Nuns "to praywith beauty."The followers
well rewardedfor
of Mother dYouvilledeemedthemselves
when their monastery
the servicesrenderedto the Trappists
had beendestroyedby fire in the previousyear.
The Trappistswere not the only oneswho considered
indebtedto the Crey Nuns.SinceAugust31,
themselves
they had hostedfour Sistenof Ste.Chr6tiennewho had
beenexpelledfrom Franceand had crossedthe Atlanticat
the requestof a priestfrom the United States.Unableto
speakany English,it was impossiblefor them to meet
requirements.lt was then that the GeneralCouncilof the
CreyNunsdecided,with the approvalof BishopWlliamsof
Boston,to concedeto them the schoolin Salemwhere
teachingwasconductedin French.The Sistersin exilewere
overjoyedand could find no words to expresstheir
12 and
gratitude.Theyleftthe MotherHouseon December
a w a r eo f t h e d i f f e r e n c ei n t e a c h i n gm e t h o d s ,t h e y
requestedthe helpof SisterDarchewho left on lanuary2 to
g o a n d s h a r ew i t h t h e m h e r l o n g e x p e r i e n c eT. h i s
communitywas savedfrom extinctionand would flourish
298
soil.TheGreyNunswerethe fint to reloiceat
on American
theirgoodfortune.
HOSPICEST.JOSEPH,FORTRESOLUTION
North West Territoriet 1903.
The Vicariateof the North West Territorieswas
subdividedin the fall of 1901. BishopGrouardremained
the titular of the Athabaskaregionwhile the Bishopof
Andramyte,BishopGabrielBreynat,assumedthe direction
o f t h e M a c k e n z i ea r e a . T h e y o u t h f u l B i s h o pw a s
in the chapelat St- Alberton April 6 of the
consecrated
year
by BishopGrouardwho hadordainedhim at
following
Libgeelevenyearsearlier.The consecratingbishopwas
by two veterans,namelyBishopClut and Bishop
ass'rsted
Pascalwhile ArchbishopLangevinof St. Bonifacepresided
BishopsDontenwilland Legalwere
at the celebration.
presentaswell asten membersof the Clergy.ls
The Bishop-electseemedcrushedbeneaththe burden
being placedupon him while everyonein the con-gregation
hadln mind BishopGrandin,who becauseof extreme
had beenunableto participatein the event.
weakness,
Though the young Bishopwas overwhelmedby the
honor which had befallenhim, he resolvedto promotethe
causeof these"the most difficultmissionsin the whole
world" where he had alreadybeen working for several
had
years.He knew on what conditionshis predecessors
when
1859,
Nuns.
In
of
the
Grey
cooperation
bbtainedthe
ArchbishopTachdhad requesteda few Sistersto found
he could not even
conventiat St,Albertand lle-ir-la-Crosse,
had
promiseto providetheir livelihood.Mother Deschamps
with
fast
along
shall
our
sisters
case,
that
ihen replied:"ln
r E C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 2 - 0 3p, . 7 4 .
l e D r o u i n5
, r .C . o . c . ,V . 2 , p . 1 0 3 .
299
the Oblatesand shallbeg God to help both".reThisfirst
step on the path of heroismwas to be followedby many
othersand it wasasa sequelto this unforgettableresponse
that the missionsof Providenceand Chipewyanhad been
openedin 1867 and1874 respectively.
BishopBreynathavingstoppedin Montrealon hisway
visitedthe MotherHouseof the GreyNunson
to France,
lanuary23 and obtainedfrom Mother Hamelthe promise
to sendother CreyNunsto this remotepart of the earth.lt
w a s h e w h o a n n o u n c e dt h e n e w st o t h e c o m m u n i t y
assembled.
Hecommented:
I havevisitedthe missions
of the Yukon.Everywhere
foundmuchabnegation
andgoodwill; but the channels
of
communication
with the civilizedcountriesbeingmuch
easier,the sacrifices
do not comparewith thoseof
missionaries
in theextreme
north.20
I t w a s d e c i d e dt h a t t h e n e w m i s s i o nw o ul d b e
established
at Fort Resolution
so it was inferredthat the
Sistersnamedwould haveto be personsdeterminedto
acceptany sacrifice.Mother HamelselectedSisterBoisvert
who had come to Providence
in 1882.Consequently
she
was well awareof the difficultieswhich awaitedher,
especiallyof the fact that the difficultiesforeseenhavea
way of being replacedby the unimaginable.Shewasgiven
two young Sistersprofessedon March 13, 1903, namely,
SistersMcQuillanand Gdn6reuxand two precioushelpe6,
SistersHonorineand Ernestine.
The group left Montrealon Monda, April 20 and
arrivedin Resolutionin mid-lune.lt had beenthought that
t h e s u m m e rs e a s o na s w e l l a s t h e s h i p s p l y i n g t h e
Mackenziewould greatlyfacilitatethe voyage.Sister
Boisverthad prudentlyavoidedsetting a preciseitinerary.
20Circ.mens.1902-03,p.271.
300
Fortunatelyso, for the St. Alphonsedelayedby the wind,
a l s o h a d t o s t r u g g l ew i t h f l o a t i n g i c e w h i c h f i n a l l y
imprisonedit. The Sistershad to spendthe night aboard
the shipwhile the shoreappearedso closethey could have
at eleveno'clockin the morningof lune
steppedoff. Finally,
19, they landedbeforea crowd of inquisitiveNativeswho
had gatheredthere.A nativewoman eyedthe newcomers
from headto foot and declaredin a doctoraltone: "Their
despite
dresswould be prettierif it werered." Nevertheless,
with
were
welcomed
the colorof their dress,the Sisters
loy.
However,FathersDupireand Mansozcould not conceal
t h e i r e m b a r r a s s m e nTth. e m i s s i o n a r i ehsa d n o t b e e n
expectedthis year.The letterannouncingtheir coming
reachedits destinationone month after their arrival.
only a rooflessframeworkcould be seennear
Consequently
the newcomersof the
the mission.Liketheir predecessors
and
adapt
to circumstances
learned
to
twentiethcentury
This
the attic of the Oblates'housebecametheir refuge'
refugewhich wassix feet high in the centrewas only four
it wasthe placewhere the meat,
feet at the sides.Besides,
p
r o v i s i o n sw e r e s t o r e d ,w h i l e
f
i
s
h
a
n
d
o
t
h
e
r
dried
it theirdomain'lt wason
and miceconsidered
mosouitoes
spreadout on
their kneesthat each night the foundresses
the knottedfloor the blanketsfor their beds.Theywere
soonovertakenby soundsleep.One night, their slumber
was interruptedby the strangesoundof rattlingof sleigh
bellscloseby. They thought of reprisalson the part of the
mice, but SisterErnestinebravelyinvestigatingthe corner
from which the soundwas emergingdiscovereda cord
fastenedto a harnessto which bellswere attached.An
anonymoushand had been pullingthe cord. Thiswas a
falsealarm probablyplayfullycausedby their hostsand so
philosophically,
they went backto sleep.
tn the end, despitethe progressof the new century,the
at Resolutionexperiencedthe samedifficulties
foundresses
had exceptthat they were the obiect
as their pr€decessors
301
of MissTierney'sbounty.MissTierne, who was a boarder
at the MotherHouse,seemedbent on imitatingMrs.Tiffin's
generosity.Shesent to Resolution
a box containingarticles
and vestments
for the liturgy.2lOn;uly 24, the Sisters
movedinto theirhouseasyet unfinished
but the spacewas
occupiedonly graduallnas eachareawas completed.
Blankets
were hung as partitionsand a laddercloseby gave
hope that soon the secondstoreywould havea proper
floor.
In the meantime,the schoolwas opened.Threegirls
and two boyswere taken in, given a bath and clearedof
v e r m i n . T h i s p r o c e d u r ew a s t h e s o l e c o n d i t i o nf o r
admission.One little boy wasoffendedand fled nakedfrom
this unfriendlyplacewhich took all the clothesoff on€'s
back.Hewassoonreturnedby an OblateBrother,
In September,
twenty-fivechildrenregistered.Theyhad
no notionof discioline
and the circumstances
did not make
it any easierfor the mud-wallingkept fallingto the floor
leavingopen gapsthroughwhich the childrencould see
whatwasgoingon outside.lf the childrenof the wilderness
thought that the distractionswould lastforever,they were
mistaken,As a born educator,SisterMcQuillanlost no time
in capturingtheirinterestandsoonthe childrenin hercare
wereeagerto learn.
In Resolution
as well, hungerwas experienced
and
BishopBreynathad to appealto the 'parishione6'.Never
beforehad this procedurebeenused,asthe Amerindians
of
theseregionsbelievedthey were doing the missionaries
a
favor by placingtheir childrenin school.This time, the
2 l M i s s T i e r n e yw a s h a p p y t o s u p p l y n a t u r a lf l o w € r sf o r t h e
Mother HousechaDelon feastdays,Shehad th€ smallmonstrance
deckedwith famiiy iewels and iupplied the organ with electric
bellows.On the day her lady- companionenteredthe novitiate,
she celebrat€dthe event by donatinga goldenciboriummounted
with two diamonds.Miss lohnsonenteredon Nov. 21, 1903 but
left the following Oct.
302
p r o c e d u r ew a s s u c c e s s f u lP
. a r e n t sb r o u g h t t h e i r
the dailymenu'This
which
became
eleven
elk
contribution:
t
m o n o t o n yw a s d i f f i c u l tt o a d i u s t o a n d d e s p i t eh e r
generosity,
SisterG6n6reuxadmitteddefeatand returned
to herhomeland.
and in 1925
Despiteall odds,the schoolprogressed
to found another
when SisterMcQuillanleft Resolution
fourgenerations'
convent,sheclaimedshehadevangelized
Shewent to Aklavik,the BrownBearcountry,fifty miles
from the BeaufortSea."ln the soulsof thesechildren,I
c o u l d r e c o g n i z et h e C h r i s t i a ni n f l u e n c ew h i c h l h a d
attemptedt6 impartto theirparentsor grand-parents."22
shesharedthe honorof a
Alongwith her companions
by DoctorBourgetto SisterSte.
testimonialaddressed
22,'1924.
Eug6nie
on February
lf the whitepeoplecan circulateherewithoutfearof
if theycancounton helpfrom
ambushfromthe Indians,
it is
safeanywhere,
thesepeople,if theirpropertyis relatively
and
dueto the faithbroughtto the Nativesby the bishops
priestmissionaries.
for the instruction
He revealedhis great appreciation
dispensedby the Sisters.
for the veryvisible
you andyourpersonnel
I congratulate
your
direction.lt must
progress
madeby the childrenunder
your
efforts
beingcrowned
be botha ioy anda prideto see
withsuccess.
lanuary2, 1932 markedthe passingof SisterHonorine
so much good. Two
who very quietlyhad accomplished
returnedto
yearsfater,on lune 22, 1934,SisterErnestine
at the
in
infirmary
years
the
of
suffering
two
6od after
MotherHouse.
22 A5GM. doss. Sr. McQuillan.
303
The seedsown by the foundresses
had produceda
hundredfold.Therewas now a prosperous
conventin
Resolution
and in February
1939,a hospitalwasbuiltwhich
woufdbe enlargedin'1947andagainin 1953.
Whenin 1942,a companyof 1,218 Americansoldiers,
for the mostpartblacks,
cameto builda highwayto Alaska
alongthe Mackenzie,
they wereamazedto find a hospital
functioningin sucha forbiddingland.The newcomers
would haveothersurprises.
Theirultra-modern
apparatus,
planes,hydro-planes
caterpillars,
bull-dozers,
and bombers
couldnot replacethe needfor barges.Thesechampions
of
speedwereforcedto fall in step.
BishopTrocellier
eloquently
summarized
the workof the
missionaries
in Resolution
in I 952
at the fiftiethanniversary
year
whichwascelebrated
one
early.
In comingto the North,the CreyNun missionaries
undertook
the mostdifficultworkeverand theywrotea
glorious
pageof ChurchHistory.23
- 1904-1905On December10, 1903,twelvenew memberswere
their vows.
addedto the institutewhen they pronounced
Thisnumberhadbeenexceeded
onlyoncein the courseof
'|,887,
historywhen on February2,
thirteennoviceshad
irrevocably
dedicatedthemselves
to God.
Mother Hameldecidedto transformthe community
room into a parlorfor the occasionof professionday. The
newly professedwere amazedwhile the older Sisterswere
greatlypleasedrememberingthat formerlyit had beenthus
on daysof profession
or vesturing.24
23 Mitchelf,st. E.,o.c., p. 220.
24 Forrnerly,breakfastwas also servedto the parentsof the newly
professed.This customwas abolishedin 1858 as candidateshad
oecomemore numerous,
304
novicesalsodonnedthe grey habitand
Twenty-sev€n
e v e r y o n ew a s p l e a s e dt h a t o u r v a r i o u sw o r k s w e r e
a t t r a c t i n ge n t h u s i a s t yi co u n g l a d i e se a g e rt o s e r v ea
banner.z)
beautifulcauseunderthe Youvillian
At the beginningof thiscenturydestinedto be so filled
therewerevariouseventswhich resulted
with disturbances,
in favorablepublicityfor the GreyNuns.Earlyin December
to readin "La Presse",
wassurprised
1903,SisterMcKenna
Shelearnedthat at the request
an articleentitled:Youville.
the p-ostalarea
the postmaster,
of Mr. losephDeschatelets,
Mother
knownas Bouqiewasto be changedto Youville.26
Hamelthen addressedto the postmastera letter of
appreciationaccompaniedby a biographyof Mother
d'Youville.
Therewere many activitieson the SuperiorCeneral's
of AsileSt.
agendafor 1904, for the fiftieth anniversary
losephin Montrealwas being plannedas well as that of
AsileYouvilleat St. Benoit.Both institutionshad been
and her memoryremained
foundedby MotherDeschamps
very much alivethere.As for the Conventof Bethlehem
foundedin Montrealin 1868 during Mother Slocombe's
term of office,it had financialdifficulties,but the situation
appearedto be improving.The St. Vincentde PaulSociety
organizedfund-raisingactivitieswith benefitsbeing almost
t o t a l l ya p p l i e dt o m a i n t a i n i n gt h e w o r k , t h i s a t t h e
instigationof the first vice-president!1 l-8. A. Martin,
Exampledraws
benefactorof the missionat Athabaska.2T
2 sT h e r ew e r e t w e l v ed e a t h si n 1 9 0 3 5 o t h i s p r o f e s s i o g
nr o u p
only filled the gaps.
2 6T h e a r e a w a s b o u n d e d o n t h e s o u t h b y t h e c i t y l i m i t s o f
Montrealand of St. Louis,on the eastby Villeranon the north b)
the Saultand on the west by Ahuntsic.
27circ. mens.1902-o4,p.889. lt had at first beenstiPulated
that
r e c e i D t sw o u l d b e d i v i d e d b e t w e e nt h € C o n v e n t a n d t h e 5 t .
Vincentde PaulSocietywhich claimedonly $100.00to defraythe
exDenses.
administrative
305
peoplealongso the CatholicSchoolBoarddecidedto give
1.
to September
an annualgrant of $300.00retroactive
1903.28
The SuperiorGeneralplannedalsoto visitofficiallythe
Toledomissions
but this proiecthadto be delayedbecause
Then
of two heartattackswhich calledfor Drudence.2e
that
A
telegram
on
5,
announced
tragedystruck.
lanuary
the schoolat Qu'Appellehad beendestroyedby fire.This
schoolbelongedto the vicariateunderherchargeand she
had followedits progresswith tirelessinterest.News
receivedtowardsthe end of the previousyear from Sister
Goulethad allowedher to believethat all waswell in this
hadsaid"shewaslivingin heaven".
mission
asthe Superior
it. Ourschoolis a pile
destroyed
Nowfire hadcompletely
ruins,wroteSister
Coulet.lf the fire had
of smoldering
Thefollowing
occurred
at night,we wouldall haveperished.
weshallcontinue
thework,butit willbewith
daysheadded:
greatdifficulty.I do not knowwherewewill go but we must
find a place.
MotherHameldid not delayto expressher sympathy
by telegramto the Sistersso far away;then she suggested
residingat the MotherHousethat theysend
to the Sisters
so sorelytried.The
their bestclothesto the missionaries
missionaries
wereusingthe chapelpewsasbeds"to which
mattresses
and pillowshaveiust beenadded,"so that the
her gratitudeto the Superior
expressed
correspondent
Ceneralby beggingher
to pursuethe
not to worryaboutus.We aredetermined
work,comewhat may.The Sistersdeemthemselves
2 8 M r . A . C h a t i g n yt o M o t h e rH a m e lF
, e b .1 1 , 1 9 0 4 .
2e Sr.Ward,2nd Asst.Gen.would be delegatedfor this visit.
5UO
fortunateto havethe useof the parishchurchuntilthe old
cobblershopisreadyfor occupation.30
Firedid not bring devastationonly to the West.On
'19,
"fire brokeout in our own neighborhoodand
lanuary
in a shorttime, Ste.Cun6gonde
Churchwas reducedto a
pileof ruins".Whilereconstruction
wasgoingon, the Crey
parish
Nuns'institutionin the
servedas the parishchurch.
Obviously
Six hundredpersonscould be accommodated.
this occurrencebrought about great commotionand
fatigue as classroomshad to be moved to the basement.
in
The Sistershoped to be as generousas the missionaries
the West.
However,not all was grief for newscame from Rome
the Causewhichhadiustentereda new phase.
concerning
in order to evaluatethe
were established
Proceedings
of
virtues.Underthe presidency
heroicityof the candidate's
for
this
of Montreal,a tribunalwas set up
the Archbishop
purposeto which the followingwere calledto testif: Grey
Nunsof Montreal,Ottawa,Quebecand Nicoletaswell asa
Sisterof the Congregationof Notre Dameand Ladylett€.3'
The sessionsof this tribunal began on February22
lastinguntil mid-Apriland manyyearsmorefor they ended
in Romeonly in 1955.The scarcityof Motherd'Youville's
writings and the two world wars constitutedserious
For the time
obstaclesto the progressof the Cause.32
hope
that soonthe
being,no onedoubtedit. Wth the firm
30 Letterof lan. 30, 1904.
3 l L a d yl e t t 6 h a d b e e n r e c e i v e di n a u d i e n c eb y P o p e P i u sX
'1903.
In Rom€,she had also met Fr. Hertzog.
toward the end of
t h e P o s t u l a t o rw h o , s p e a k i n go f t h e P r o c e e d i n g so f M o t h e r
d ' Y o u v i l l et,o l d h e r : " T h i s i s o n e o f t h e m o s t b € a u t i f u lC a u s e s
beforethe Court of Rome.'
32 In order to compensatefor the scarcityof her writings, the
Court of Romewould call for a historicalstudy in 1931.The study
of Rites.
wasapprovedin 1950 by the SacredCongregation
307
Marguerite,
Mother
Foundress
couldbe invokedas Blessed
Westwhereshewouldvisit
Hamelsetout for the Canadian
officially
the housesmostdifficultto reach.
Forfearthat the visitwould be delayedas a resultthe
Sistersof St. Bonifacehad exercisedgreat discretion
t h e m .T h e
c o n c e r n i n gt h e d a n g e r sw h i c h t h r e a t e n e d
SuperiorGeneralarrivedduringthe flood crisiswhichwas
in 1882.TheSisters
similarto that whichshehadwitnessed
had to go by canoefrom the ProvincialHouseto the
hospitalwhere after the ground floor,the first floor hac
becomethe refugefor the livestock.33
The stoD-overin St. Bonifacewas extendedas it was
here that the elderlyand sick Sistershad retired.In the
Cusson,Ste.Th6rdse
infirmary,Mother Hamelmet Sisters
The
latter
was
related
to
Motherd'Youville3a
and Connolly.
she hac
and had beena valiantworkerwhoseapostolate
to the Red
admiredwhen she herselfhad beenmissioned
Riverin I 869.
and St.
The boardingschoolsat Ste-Anne-des-Ch6nes
Norbertalsowerevisitedby the SuperiorCeneral.ln the
latterparishthe visitingSuperiorsaw MonsignorNorbert
Ritchot,the devotedpastor,whoserole in the 1870'sshe
recalled.3s
3 3S r . R o y t o t h e M o t h e r H o u s eA p r . 2 5 , ' 1 9 O 4T. h i s m e s s a g e
calledto the mind of seniorSistersthe floodsat Pointe-;-Callieres
movingcattleto the choir-loftof
which long ago had necessitated
thechapel.
34Grandfather
Connollyhad marriedMissGamelin-Maugras,the
s e c o n dg e n e r a t i o nn i e c eo f M o t h e r d ' Y o u v i l l e .5 r . C o n n o l l y ' s
motherwasof the Creetribe,a daughterof a greatchiefesteemed
by the whites.5r. Connollydied on Oct. 7, 1869.
3s Mgr. Ritchot sentto Ottawaduringthe Rieluprisingof 1870,
where he
was arrestedand imprisonedat the episcopalresidence
had been staying.Mgr. Ritchotdied at the local conventof the
c r e y N u n so n M a r .1 6 , 1 9 0 5 .
308
Mother Hamelsaw the progressmade in all areas,
In | 90436the Clercsde St.Viateurhad
in schools.
especially
settledin Makinac,in the regionof LakeDauphin,whilethe
in 1902 by Bishop
high schoolfoundedin St. Boniface
promise
of success.The house-chape
Langevingave
attachedto the schoolbecamethe cradleof a newreligious
of the Sacreo
community,that of the OblateMissionaries
On March23, Misses
Heartand of Mary lmmaculate.3T
of St. Bonifaceand lda Lafricainof
Alma Laurendeau
M o n t r e a lh a d r e c e i v e dt h e h o l y h a b i t a n d d e d i c a t e d
in
especially
to educationas qualifiedteachers,
themselves
poorparishes.3E
May 30 markedthe departureof the SuperiorCenera
for Calgary,Edmontonand St. Albert,the provincialbase
f o r t h e m i s s i o n so f t h e f u t u r e p r o v i n c eo f A l b e r t a .
theresince1863,
the institutionestablished
Concerning
SisterRoy,her secretary,wrote praisesundoubtedly
Generalherself.
by the Superior
expressed
Thisinstitutionis certainlyoneof our finest,both by the
lt offers
asbythesiteit occupies'
numberof childrenit seNes
the childrenthe immenseadvantageof learninghow to
cultivatethe land so that they can then becomeresponsible
The schoolis under governmentcontrol
Christiansettlers.3e
of the teachen,inspectorsreportthat
and to the satisfaction
it is well managedand that progressis more noticeablehere
Thoughthesegentlemenare non-Catholic,
than elsewhere.
they decidedthat all the teachersof the district should
herefor the annualconvention.
assemble
36 Morice, o.c., V. 3, p. 4'18.
37
l e a n ,M . o . c . , p p . 1 5 5 - ' 1 5 6 .
38 Morice, Vie de Mgr. Langevin,pp.218-219.
39 Massive immigration was occurring in the Canadian West. In
S e p t . 1 9 0 4 , 8 0 0 F r e n c h C a n a d i a n sa r r i v e d . I n 1 9 0 6 , t h e r e w e r e
47,000immigrants.
309
A f t e r h a v i n g g i v e n a b u n d a n t c o u n s e l l i n ga n d
encouragement
to the missionaries,
the SuperiorGenera
and her secretaryundertookthe returnjourneystoppingat
Kenoraand finallyarrivingin Montrealon luly 2, afteran
absence
of two anda halfmonths.ao
D u r i n gt h i s l a p s eo f t i m e , t h e M o t h e rH o u s eh a d
changedparishes.
Fromthe confinesof the parishof St.
to that of St.
Josephof Richmond,it was re-assigned
le
Majeur,
Titular
Another
of
the
cathedral.4l
lacques
provinceof Ville-Marie,
missionwasaddedto the canonical
a f o u n d a t i o na u t h o r i z e db y t h e G e n e r aC
l o u n c i l .S t .
Anthony'sorphanagewould proveto be Mother Hamel's
work of predilection.Shededicatedto it the final yearsof
her activelife and after havingoccupiedthe highest
positionof authorityin the Congregation,
she humbly
servedthe poor in that mission.
Mother Hamelwas concernedabout perpetuatingby
her wordsand especiallyher examples,the virtuesformerly
practicedby the Mother of the Poor.To this end she
endeavoredto restorethe old customs.Circumstances
were
well suited to recallMother d'Youville'sdevotion to Mary
during this year in which the fiftieth anniversary
of the
d o g m a o f t h e l m m a c u l a t eC o n c e p t i o nw a s b e i n g
celebrated.
Whilethe chapeland hallwayswere being
deckedwith flowersand streamers,
the SuperiorGeneral
sentfor "two statuesof the VirginMary which had beenin
the old Mother Houseand were now in the mansardsand
had them refreshed".Oneof them,
fourfeetsixinchesin heightwassetin a place
measuring
of honorin the lobbyof the GuyStreetentrance
with the
a0 MotherHamelhad to conformto the itineraryarrangedby her
assistant
and was unableto go to Qu'Appelle,the missiontried by
fire and which moreoverwas in no stateto receiveher.
4 r C i r c .m e n s ,1 9 0 4 - 0 6p, . 7 3 .
310
METHEIR
ESTABLISHED
THEYHAVE
followinginscriptions:
fivefeetwas
Thesecondstatuemeasuring
CUARDIAN.
placed
in thesecretariate.
culminating
The yearendedin this festiveatmosphere
joy.
in
Perrier,
notary
the
Causeof
Father
in an unexpected
Mother d'Youville,announcedthat authenticityof the
remainswould haveto be verified.Questions
Foundress'
immediatelyarose:Shallwe be allowedto attend the
asked.The replywasthat
openingof the tomb?the Sisters
would
secretaries
only membersof the Tribunaland several
b e a d m i t t e d .A l l w e r e d i s a p p o i n t e db; u t b e h o l d ,o n
23, the notarychangedhis mind and agreed
December
could
of the Tribunal,
the Sisters
that betweentwo sessions
at eleveno'clock
file beforethe opencoffin.Consequently,
in the morning,all the Crey Nunsof neighboringhouses
a n d t h e i r c o m p a n i o n os f t h e M o t h e rH o u s ec a m et o
c o n t e m o l a t et h e b e l o v e d r e m a i n s .T h e c h r o n i c l e r
concluded:
whowerehereon ianuary17' 1884
Thoseof our Sisters
wereplacedwithinthe brickwall,have
whentheseremains
noticedno changeexceptthat the wax coveringthe
a smallopening
slightlyandreveals
hasyellowed
forehead
from the crypt,FatherPerrier
(...) Afterour departure
depositedin the coffin a cylindercontainingthe officia.
declarationrelativeto the authenticityof the Remains.The
coffinwasagainsealedand placedwithin the wall. Thereour
Motherwill continueto restuntil the time when
Venerable
the Churchwill proclaimher Blessed.a2
1904
ST.ANTOINE,MONTREAL,
HOSPICE
for the GreyNunsdid not
the chronicler
Decidedly,
theirreport
Shedeplored
newsmen.
concurwiththe
always
4 2C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 4 - 0 5p, p . 3 0 7 - 3 0 E .
311
that of SisterGaudry'sgolden
of an intimatecelebration;
jubileein 1901. On May 3 of 1904,shewrote:
haslearned
that
Ceneral,
SisterMailloux,our Assistant
of Charityhasiustbeen
to LaPresse
a newInstitute
according
Lapointe,
foundedby Sisters
Montgolfier,
Jolyand Chartier.
to thinkof
to our Community
TheseSisters
aretoo attached
acceptthe hardlaborand
but theygenerously
separation
which
of anenterprise
by theexpansion
fatiguenecessitated
hasledto thesettingupof a newhouse.43
Thiswas in fact the case.HospiceSt. Antoinewas no
Charles
of HospiceSt.
morenor lessthan the continuation
'1877.
In
in the barraclaon the water-frontin
established
house
of
Denisthe
Seotember1879 it had movedto
Vigerwhichin 1894wasdoomedto giveway to
Beniamin
"largeandsplendidhotels."4
Forty-nineof the residentsfrom the hospicewere
transferredto the MotherHouseon GuyStreet.
The Sistershowever,were not resignedto leavingthis
a r e a w h e r e t h e y h a d b e e n s e r v i n gs o w e l l . S i s t e r s
transferred
to Notre Dame
Montgolfierand Duchesneault
Hospitaland continuedtheir ministryof visitingthe poor
and the sickuntil December1895when the soup kitchen
Street.lt wastherethat soup
openedon Champs-de-Mars
meal
were
servedto itinerantswhile
as well as the main
by
clothingcouldbe obtainedfrom the depot maintained
Theinitiativebecameverypopularduringthese
the Sisters.
d i f f i c u l ty e a r sa n d a t t h e o u t s e to f 1 9 0 3 , i t b e c a m e
Father
imperative
that HospiceSt. Charlesbe re-activated.
to utilize
obtainedthe authorization
O. H6bert,a Sulpician,
for this purpose"the block of buildingsbetweenthe
4 3 t b i d . ,p p . 9 4 - 9 5
44 Unless otherwise indicated, the details concerning this work
are taken from the brochure entitled: Cent ans d'histoire.
312
Streets,St. Pauland rue des
Frioonneand Bonsecours
On October12. the work beganto adapt
Commissaires."
The sevenStores
two of thesehousesto the new enterprise,
weretakenovergraduallyuntil the lastleaseexpired'The
tenants,merchantsof gardenproduce,had not been
Threeloadsof
particularconcerningdetailsof cleanliness.
had to be removedin orderto empty
spoilingvegetables
the premises.as
F i n a l l yo, n M a y 3 , 1 9 0 4 ,t h e t r a n s f e or f t h e S o u p
Kitchento Hospice5t. Antoinetook place.The group
consisted
of ten elderlymen, six womenand four girls
ranging in age from twelve to fifteenyears.A schoolwas
alsoopenedtherefor the needychildrenof the area.
by the Sulpician
The work wassupportedfinancially
priestsand the St-Vincent-de-Paul
Societywhile the Sisters
workedthere with great zeal.Among all the others,one
wouldleavethe indeliblememoryof a Sisterof Charitywho
undaunted,soughtout personswho were abandonedor
isolatedin foul hovels,in make-shift
whom shediscovered
of abandonedhouses.Shewas
ruins
evenin the
shelters,
known as Canada'sSisterRosalie,then later designated
a namewhichwas
simplyby the nameof SisterBonneau,
be
by the factthatthisplacewouldeventually
immortalized
for
the
exists
This
institution
Bonneau.
Accueil
known as
and vagrantsto whom help is offered
itinerants
homeless,
without any attemptto restrictthem. However,these
personsareofferedthe possibilityof rehabilitationbasedon
of their
and the safeguard
respectof their personhood
anonymity.
deThe Sulpicianpriests,membersof the St-Vincentclergy,
diocesan
PaulSociety,Crey Nuns,Franciscans,
professionals,
membersof other Christiandenominations,
to the supportof
allcontributed
and benefactors
volunteers
4s Circ. mens.1904-06,pp. 92-94.
313
this work to ensureits survivalcreatedpreciselyto assistan
wouldbe justifiedaslong
lts existence
itinerantpopulation.
as therewere itinerants,vagrantsand peoplewithout an
identityor a havenbut who arepartof the humancaravan.
foundationshad
ln the courseof the recentdecades,
thereforethat there
beennumerous.lt was not surprising
Lastyear the golden
were now anniversaries
to celebrate.
jubileesof HospiceSt-Joseph
in Montrealand Hospice
in
Benoit
were
Youville St.
celebrated.
In 1905,the eventsenta;ledthe Goldenlubileeof the
of the new St.
orphanagein Toledoand the inauguration
Hospital
whichhadbeenentirelyrebuilt.
Boniface
Theformerhospita
of itskindin Manitoba.
It isthelargest
which
in appearance
alongside
thenewstructure
washumble
high.a6
2OO
fr. by42lt. andwasfivestoreys
measured
ArchbishopLangevinwho on May 3 attendedthe
of his uncle BishopRacicotin
episcopalconsecration
Montreal,returnedto the Westbringingwith him a gift
General:
a statueof the SacredHeart.On
from the Superior
wrote
from
the hospital,"We gavethe
lune 5 the Superior
most respectfulwelcometo the Royalpatient(...)The work
is progressingactively(...) The nursesreceivedtheir
on October15, the archbishop
diplomaslastnight."Finally,
the 'idealhospital'in
clergy,blessed
attendedby numerous
whichtherewerealready280 patients.SisterMailloux,the
AssistantCeneral,participatedin the celebrationand
r e t u r n e dt o M o n t r e a lv i a T o l e d oi n o r d e r t o a t t e n d
there.
celebrations
wasnot presentfor the return
SisterMaillouxtherefore,
from lle-ila-Crosseon October24.
from exileof the Sisters
T e n S i s t e r sa r r i v e di n 5 t . E o n i f a c eh, a v i n g r e c e i v e d
a 6C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 4 - 0 6o, . 6 3 5 .
3't4
from Mother Hamelto abandonthe mission
instructions
and privations.
afterforty-fiveyearsof dedication,sacrifices
TheSuperior
Ceneralexplained:
y ill be
T h e g o o dw o r k b e g u nb y o u r c o m m u n i t w
of St.losephwho
the Sisters
by FrenchSisters,
continued
added:
TheSuperior
fromtheircountry.
havebeenexpelled
willcostyougreateffortand
knowthatthisactof submission
butCod'swillhasbeenmanifested.4T
sacrifice
did in fact arrivewith tearfuleyes.
The ten missionaries
Several
of them had spentin this missionthirteen,hrventyseven,thirty-twoand thirty-fouryearsof their life. lt had
takentwo week to travelthe distancefrom lle-i-la-Crosse
to St. Bonifacepartly by wagon, partly by boat; but
furthermore,they had had to resistthe pleadingsof the
who wantedthemto stay.TheGreyNunshad
Montagnais
there.lt would
a greatworkof evangelization
accomplished
of the toil and sacrifices
reouirea bookto unveilthe secrets
Ps.126 reads:
heioicallyenduredby thesemissionaries.as
"Thosewho wept as they went out carryingthe seedwill
come backsingingfor ioy, as they bring in the harvest."
who knewwel
Suchwasnot the casefor thesemissionaries
Forthe time
yet
be
accomplished.
muchto
that therewas
being, they did not know that there would be better days
aheadfor them and they acceptedother postingsin the
of Manitoba.
Province
4 7A f i r s t r e c a l lh a d o c c u r r e di n 1 9 0 2 a n d w a s t h e n r e v e r s e d
b e c a u s et h e s i t u a t i o ns e e m e dt o h a v e i m p r o v e db u t r e P e a t e d
f l o o d i n gh a v i n gu n s e t t l e dt h e h o u s e ,i t w a s i u d g e d P r u d e n tt o
w i t h d r a wt h e S i s t e r sI.n 1 9 0 7 t h e i r r e p l a c e ros c c u P i e dt h e n e w
conventbuilt by the Brothers.
4 8A r t i c l ew h i c h a o D e a r e di n " L e s C l o c h e sd e S t - B o n i f a c e ' ,
for the authorto list
signedby an Oblatepriest.lt was impossible
etc.
ePidemics,
all the trials:fire, drought,food shortages,
315
fn Toledo,there was great ioy on October24, the
fiftiethanniversary
of the arrivalof the first contingentof
GreyNuns.The two wingsaddedto St.VincenfsHospita
had beenblessed
on luly 25. The SuperiorGeneralhad
d e l e g a t e dS i s t e r sM c K e n n aa n d S t . M a t h i a s . aTeh e
by the CreyNunshad been
marvelous
work accomplished
highlypraised.
hassprungup the
Fromthe veryhumblebeginnings
for the
Except
institution
knownasSt.Vincent's.
solendid
hospitalin Cincinnati,
this is the largestand the most
of Ohio.so
in thewholeState
completely
equipped
The lubileecelebrationfor the Orphanagehowever,was
by the presence
postponed
till fall.Thisfeastwasenhanced
and MonsignorBoff,one
BishopHortsman
of HisExcellency
de Salesparish.The
of the first pastorsof the St. Frangois
decor,the singingand musicall contributedto the dignity
The sermondeliveredby FatherMoran
of the celebration.
journey
from Montrealto
of the foundresses
retold the
and he
Toledo,stressing
theircourageandspiritof sacrifice
at a
of charity.The guestsassembled
calledthem heroines
b a n q u e tf o l l o w i n gw h i c h t h e s t o r yo f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n
unfoldedin an op€rettaperformedby the orphans.The
memoryof SisterHickeywas evoked.Shewas the only
survivingSisterfrom the first group but -wasunableto
due to ill health.)rOn the other
attendthe celebrations
ae Mother HamelvisitedToledofor the first time May 26 to lune
1 7 , 1 9 O 5 . S h e h a d l e a r n e d a b o u t t h e d i f f i c u l t i e sw h i c h
c h a r a c t e r i z e tdh e b e g i n n i n go f t h e m i s s i o n 'T h e s e c r e t a r y
conveyedher thought when on May 3l shewrote: "Accordingto
a p p e a r a n c e st h
, e t i m e o f s r u g g l e h a s p a s s e df o r o u r S i s t e r s .
M o t h e r D e s c h a m p sm u s t b e w a t c h i n g o v e r h e r w o r k o f
oredilection."
s0 Article which appearedin La Presseand was reproducedin
Circ.mens.1904-06,pp. 579-580.
5l 5r. Hickeywas celebratingthe goldenlubileeof her religious
profession
that year.
316
h a n d , E l i z aH o l m e s ,t h e d e v o t e dt e r t i a r y w h o h a d
. h ew a s
s ,a s p r e s e n t S
a c c o m D a n i etdh e f o u n d r e s s e w
jubilantat seeingthe progress
and amazedat receiving
had
been
a humbleone, yet so
suchdeference.Her role
precious.
tertiaryand to
Elizahad wishedto remaina Franciscan
of the
assuchwithoutioiningthe Association
devoteherself
LittleAuxiliarySisterswho in this year were incorporated
with the CreyNunsentitlingthem to the samerightsand
privileges.
On April 6, they donnedthe grey habitand
vowsasdid the choirSisters.s2
madefemporary
l n a l l t h e h o u s e so f t h e G r e yN u n s ,t h e c a n o n i c a l
of the tusociationwas greetedwith joy.
establishment
Theseworthy helperswho had sharedthe laborsof the
GreyNunswerewarmlywelcomedinto the samereligious
contributionto the
family.Theyhad madesucha precious
with
wherethesewere exercised
diversework especially
the greatestdifficulty,notablyin the North WestTerritories'
CreyNunslearnedwith equalioy
Concerning
the latter,the
had occurredin this memorable
that other annexations
year.Two newprovinces
hadjoinedConfederation.
Asfor Alberta,it isamusingto readthe accountof Sister
Superior
to MotherHamel:
Dandurand,
the Provincial
o k n o wa b o u t h e
I t h i n k y o u w o u l db e i n t e r e s t et d
occurringat thistime in your Northcountry.First,
changes
you mustknowthatwith the remnants
of theTerritories,they
whichisthethirdin sizein Canada.
havemadeusa province
the
1. Edmonton,
Theinauguration
tookplaceon September
youngcapital.outdiditself.Eightthousand
dollarshadbeen
5 2U n t i l t h e n , a n o v i c em a d e p e r p e t u avl o w s a t p r o f e s s i o n .
H e n c e f o r t hv, o w s w o u l d b e r e n e w e da n n u a l l yf o r f i v e y e a r s
p r o v i d i n ge a c h c a n d i d a t €w i t h a m P l et i m e f o r r e f l e c t i o nA.
variationwas introducedin the uniform of the auxiliarySisters.A
white bandaboutthe facewould replacethe blackone'
317
votedto hosttheguests,
andto decorate
andlightthestreets
withelectricity.s3
Neitherthe writernor the recipienthad any ideaof the
resourcesthis remnantof the Territorieswould later
provide.Meanwhile,
the Sisters
weregladto belongto the
samecountrydespitethe fact that the distanceremained
the samebut allowedmorefrequentvisiting.
However,the feastpar excellence
which delightedal.
the CreyNunsin 1905wasthe firstalumnireunionof the
former pupilsof the Crey Nunsat the Mother Houseon
lune27. Theseformerpupilswereevidentlynot thosewho
had attendedtheir elementary
schools.but ratherpoor
studentsor thosewith a fragilehealthwho couldnot adapt
program.Thisassistance
to an advanced
datedbackto the
daysof 1750when Motherd'Youville
had assumed
a large
Dartof PierreMenard'stravelcostsand tuition when he was
studyingphilosophyin preparationfor the priesthood.sa
Havingreturnedto Canadaon June4, 1764,FatherM6nard
becamepastorat Chamblywherehe died in 1792.ssfhe
followersof the Foundress
hadcontinuedthiswork andfor
years,
145
they had fosteredrecruitmentof the clergy by
providingstudentswith boardand roomat the conventon
a volunteerbasisor by assuming
a partof the costof their
studies.
FatherD6sir6Chevrier,
had organizedthis
a Sulpician,
meetingand had contactedseventy-five
former students
still in the metropolisor vicinity,invitingthem to this
"familyfeast"asMotherHamelhadcalledit whenshewas
told of the project.Thirly-fourformer studentsresponded
affirmatively.
The othersapologizedasthey were prevented
5l Letter dated Oct. 5, 1905.
5a The absence of a bishop in Canada and the uncertainty as to
when the vacancy would be filled had prompted this initiative of
Mother d'Youville "to savethe Church in Canada".
ss The body exhumed in '1868was found perfectly preserved.
3t8
All
by the dutiesof their ministryor other obligations.
as
well
as
their
desire
to
contribute
regrets
their
expressed
towardsthe offeringof a sum for the promotionof the
Cause.
T h e f e a s tb e g a nw i t h t h e E u c h a r i s t iCc e l e b r a t i o n
by Fatherlohn Forbes,
the Superior
followedby an address
of the White Fathersin Quebec.s6He recalledyester-years
to the variouschapelsat the
when the studentshad access
and
Mother Houseor had attendedreligiousprofessions
that amongthe 105 studentswho
funerals.He disclosed
h a d c o m e h e r es i n c e1 8 3 9 ,f o r t y - o n eh a d d e d i c a t e d
to God, and of this number,thirty were still
themselves
Thespeaker
washappyto call himself,alongwith
living.57
in thisfeas! 'the spiritualgrandsonof
the otherparticipants
woman'.Afterthe banquetthe guests
the greatCanadian
in the
walkedthroughthe gardenand then assembled
Communityroomwheretheysawthe followinginscription:
"Yoursonsshallcomefrom afar."Then Doctor Dosith6e
Martel,the seniorof the group expressedthe gratitudeof
those who, having receiveddifferentgifts, had turned to
o t h e r c a r e e r s :d o c t o r s , i u d g e s , l a w y e r s ,n o t a r i e s ,
pharmacists,
iournalists,public officialsand merchants.
Todaythesepersonsservesocietyin an honorablemanner
as a resultof havingspenta few yean at the conventand
benefittedfrom the examplesof the Sisters.
DoctorMartel recalledthe memoryof the ment house
on McGill Streetwherethey had stayedand where he had
come to know the two Forgetboys, Canon Tr6panier,
Riel.He madeit
Deschamps
and the unfortunate
Alexandre
the "extraordinary
a duty to mention Mother Deschamps,
woman, the truly strongwoman who through a quarter
centuryhad led the communitywith such wisdom and
s5The two Forbesbrotherswould one day becomebishops.
s 7 c i r c . m e n s .19 0 4 - 0 5 p
, . 519.
319
that sincethe arrivalof the Crey
He proclaimed
success".
Nunsin Chamblyin 1869,"l continueto be the obiectof
that he was
He did not mentionhowever,
theirsolicitude".
and
his careto
generously
his
knowledge
alsodispensing
w
i
t
h
o
u
t
e
x
p
e
c t i n ga n y
h
o
s
p
i
c
e
t h e S i s t e r sa t t h e
remuneration.
addressec
FatherLecoq,the Superiorat the Seminary,
the finalmessage.
he
of the iesuitsandof the Sulpicians,
Youwerestudents
andtheyfed yourmindwhilethe Crey
saidin substance,
Nunsweremothersto you.Theyearsthatyou spentin their
influence
on yourlives.lf you
a lasting
haveproduced
house
theyalsoarethanKulto you.
owethe CreyNunsgratitude,
positions
in which
Youarea creditto themin the various
hasplacedyou.Beproudof whatyou have
Providence
for the goodyou are
fromthemand be blessed
received
accomplishing.
wasof
Oneof thesestudents,by the nameof Speeman,
from his homelandto
Germanorigin,and had escaped
in the NewWorld.Welcomeo
to the priesthood
seekaccess
onlya few months.Because
at the GreyNuns,he remained
he couldnot adaptto the climateof Montreal,he accepted
the offer to pursuehis studiesin St. Boniface.Froma
and statedthat
distance,he loinedin today'scelebration
thanksto the kindnessof the Sisters,he would be ordained
on June29 of the followingyear.Returningto Europea
short time later,he stoppedin Montrealto assurethe
Sistersthat he was leavingwith a heartfull of gratitude
t o w a r d t h e c o m m u n i t y .T h u s a n o t h e rp r i e s tw o u l d
henceforthapproachthe altar of God, the ioy of his youth
d'Youvillehad understood
becausein the pastMarguerite
herroleasdaughterof the Church.
320
- MONTREAL
THE SCHOOLOF HOME ECONOMICS
1905
yearstherehadbeenquestionin Montrealof
Forseveral
in Belgium,
specialized
schools,suchas existedespecially
with the main goal of trainingyoung ladiesin ^"Christian
piety and in the skillsof home management".sU
The idea
a p p e a l e dt o t h e G r e y N u n s w h o h a d a l w a y sb e e n
concernedabout preparingyoung ladiesfor their future
responsibilities.
Unbrokentradition proved that Mother
in her time
d'Youville
had herselftakenthe meansavailable
of preparing
the orphansunderhercareto providefor their
TheSt, Mathieuwing had beenaddedto
own subsistence.
for the orphans.
the MotherHouseexclusively
With the passingof time, Mother Hameldecidedin
a homeeconomics
schoolwhich
March1905 to establish
would includea schoolcurriculumequivalentto that of
regularschoolsaswell asa programof homeeconomics.
SistersSt. Hilaireand Champouxinauguratedtheir
apostolateon March22. To SisterPich6,the third Assistant
General,befellthe responsibility
of arrangingthe program
so that the allotmentof teachingtime would be fairly
of both goals.Soonatt
appropriatedto the achievement
wasworkingout to the satisfaction
of the teachersand their
pupils.
and additionsto
Craduallythe teachingstaffincreased
the programincludedmusic,voiceculture,elocution,ad,
etc. In one word, the schoolwas training "exceptional
women" who, out in the world, would constitutethe best
publicityfor the school.lt becamenecessary
to expandand
studentsfrom the outsidewere admittedas boarders.The
Sistersexperiencedlegitimatepride when they held an
s8 circ. mens. 1895-98,p. 555. The chroniclerwas relatingthe
wordsof Mgr. B€ginaddressed
to the sisterson lan. 5, 1898.
321
with a displayof craftsand a
annualconcertassociated
from the Deoartment
of Education.
distribution
of diolomas
The standardswere raisedand the schoolbecame
a f f i l i a t e dw i t h t h e u n i v e r s i t yT. h e y o u n g l a d i e sw h o
obtaineddegreeswould in turn hold teachingpositionsin
similarinstitutions.
The home economicschoolopenedin 1905 woulo
becomea recruitmentcentrefor the Grey Nuns.The
studentsobservedtheir teacherswho performedtheir
Admiringtheir serenity,they
dutieswith competence.
life,far from stiflingtalents,rather
discovered
that religious
enhancedthem and conferredon thos€who sharedthem
on
a profoundinfluence
willingly,the privilege
of exercising
emerginggenerations.
MONTREAL,
1905
rHoPrrALsT-PAUrThe matter of treatingcontagiouscaseshad for many
Hospital.
In
yearsbeenof primaryconcernfor Notre-Dame
had obtained
Lachapelle
1894, DoctorEdmondPersillierthat a civic hospitalwould be
from municipalauthorities
established
on MoreauStreet.lt was a temporaryhospital
aswe haveseen.59
one with the
In 1901,the City madetwo agreements:
MontrealCeneralHospitaland the otherwith NotreDame.
As a resulttwo hospitalswere erected.The Alexandra
communitywhile St. Paul
Hospitalservedthe anglophone
was to servethe heavilypopulatedFrenchareaof the City.
Sir RodolpheForgetbecamethe benefactorof the new
land at a cost of
hospitalby purchasing
the necessary
Parc
Lafontaine.60
Streetfacing
on Sherbrooke
$30,000.00
se Bull,Celebrations
s ,l y 3 1 ,
at N. DameHosp.,M i s sD e s l a u r i e rl u
1 9 7 9 , p . 7 . T h e r e l a t i o n s h i po f t h e S t . C a m i l l eH o s o .w a s
highlighted therein.
322
Planswerehastilydraftedand the chroniclerof the Crey
Nuns jokinglynoted: "Expertarchitectshave not yet
an idealplan.A GreyNun has
in conceiving
succeeded
decidedto cometo their help."At the time of the great
SisterSte.C6cilemade
banquetservedannuallyto patients,
. h er e c e i v e d
a c a k er e p r e s e n t i nSg t . P a u l ' sH o s p i t a lS
decidedto
Theadministrators
from everyone.
compliments
to SisterMailloux,the Assistant
offer the masterDiece
General.6l
finallysucceeded
Marchandand Hackell,
Thearchitects
in April 1904,
plan
to
all
and
in presentinga
acceptable
began.lt was completedby the end of lune
construction
1905.The institutionwasofficiallyopenedon October29,
and on that day it wasblessedby ArchbishopPaulBruch€si,
the costof the building
hencethe nameSt. Paul.However,
was fifty percenthigherthan estimated.This resultedin
for it wasunderstood
great perplexityfor the administrators
that St. Paulwould be part of the future Notre-Dame
Hospital.The existingstructurewas a victim of aging.
Despiteusingcosmeticson 'the old lady', accordingto the
prescriptionof one of the doctors,the crack in the walls
r e v e a l e di t s a g e w h i l e t h e w a i t i n g l i s t p r o v e d t h e
of itsaccommodation.
inadequacy
'1 '1905,
Hospita
the n€w St-Paul's
On December ,
openedits threewings to contagiouscases.Doctorl. A.
Leduc,a young intern aged twenty-fivebecamethe
the management
medicaldirector.TheGreyNunsassumed
and on that day, the first patientwas admitted.This nonCatholicyoung man was afflictedwith scarletfever.62
Despitepreventivemeasuresadvocatedby authorities,
notably the quarantiningof homeswhere there was
contagion,epidemicscontinuedto be rampant.Because
60 Benoit, Dr. E.P.,Hist. N. DameHosp.,pp. 20- 21.
6r circ. mens. 19o2-o3, p p . 2 2 1 - 2 2 2 .
323
other hospitalsrefusedto admit this categoryof patients,
St.Paul'sbecamepopular.
wereon staffand
By fanuary1, 1906fourteenSisters
thatyearwith
479
were
admitted
much
to
do,
as
cases
had
Fourhundredand fiftydiptheria,scarletfever,or measles.
sevenrecoveredand twenty-twodeathswererecorded,
wassetat onedollarperday
Thecostof hospitalization
so the young hospitalcould hardlymeet its budget.The
financialdifficultiesalmost
resultwas that Notre-Dame's
broughtaboutits ruin.
Bruch6si
appealed
to the charityof
In 1910,Archbishop
people
himself
by donatinga
the
and set the example
t h o u s a n dd o l l a r sT
. h e n e c e s s a raym o u n tw a s s l o w i n
cominghoweverand it wasonly in 1913 that the NotreDameproiectcould be pursued.Againmatterswould be
by the outbreakof the FirstWorldWarand it
complicated
was only in | 933 that the mother institutionerectedin
"1924on Sherbrooke
Street,could remodelSt. Paul'sand
for by then medicalscience
services
contingent
establish
epidemics.
in controlling
disastrous
hadsucceeded
years,St. Paul'shospita,
In the courseof twenty-eight
of Montrea.
thousands
meanwhilehad accommodated
numberhadrecovered.
citizens
of whoman impressive
- 1905 By lanuary1, the Instituteof the GreyNuns had 698
r e g u l a rS i s t e r sa n d 2 0 5 a u x i l i a r yS i s t e r sw h i l e 1 2 5
candidateswere preparingfor their future careerin the
novitiatesof the West as well as at the Mother House.
Meanwhile,
at the MotherHousetherewere710 prot6g€s:
old folks,orphans,childrenborn out of wedlockand
good
boarders,so that work was not lacking.Everyone's
62Circ.mens.1904-06,pp. 672-673.
324
will was requiredin order to participatein the proper
suchan array
functioningof the largeinstitutionsheltering
at the
serving
the auxiliarySisters
of worls. Consequently,
Collegeof Montrealwerewithdrawn"in conformitywith
specified.63
the chronicler
the spiritof the Constitutions",
MotherHamelaswe haveseen,had visitedthe houses
as SuperiorGeneral.The
of the Westsinceher accession
missions
of the North West
visit
the
time had now cometo
Territories.The Sistersof thesedistantregionsalreadyhad
her sympathyfor she rememberedthe yearslived in 5t'
a postwhich was still primitiveat the time she
Boniface,
whichhad alteredher
arrivedtherein 1869.Thedifficulties
h e a l t h w e r e v e r y m i n o r c o m p a r e dt o t h o s e w h i c h
complicatedthe work of heroicwomen in the far North.
that she could
The SuperiorGeneralhad to acknowledge
and offer
her
appreciation
not go personallyto express
SisterWardwasdelegated
counsellingand so her Assistant,
of
to go in her stead.Shehadbeenone of the foundresses
the first missionin that area,the Conventat Providence.
SisterWard had thought it an illusionwhen she had
from the Northin |892. Havingarrivedthere
beenrecalled
in 1867,she had beenconvincedthat she would live out
her lifeand be buriedthere.Sheagainthoughtshewasthe
objectof an illusionwhen she was entrustedwith the
mandateof visitor.But the illusionwas dispelledwhen on
April |8, she boardedthe train for St. Boniface,then to 5t.
Albert.Sheleft there on May 11 with SisterSt. Cr6goireto
go to Landingwhere they would board a boat sailing
towardthe Mackenzie.
The lourneywould lastfive and a half monthsand
would be a triumphanttour for the former teacherwho
heardher pupilsof long ago admit to her "l owe you my
53 Circ. mens. 1904-06,p. 899. The Sistersof the Holy Family,
foundedin 1874,replacedthe AuxiliarySisters.
325
happiness."
Emotionwas at its peakwhen she reached
Providence
whereall residents
had gatheredon the shore
to greet her.Shewishedto shareher impressions
of this
with SisterLapointe,her formercompanion
experience
who this yearwas celebrating
her goldenjubilee.From
C h i p e w y a ns h e w r o t e h e r a t o u c h i n gl e t t e rr e c a l l i n g
memories
of bygonedays:
I am writingfromAthabaska,
which
the littlecommunity
- at whatprice!- in 1874.Codalonecanreward
youfounded
you.Our Sisters
yourworkkeepa
who arecontinuing
gratefulmemoryof you. I am speaking
of Athabaska
but
whatcouldI not sayaboutourdearProvidence.
Thankyou
for havingbeensucha goodmotherandon thisglorious
day.please
acceptmycongratulations
andbestwishes.6a
ln additionto this lettertherewasanotherfrom Pierre
Mercredi,a former pupil who alsotold the jubilarianhis
Thishomagewas
admirationand that of hisfellow-pupils.
As sheleft the North land,
sentalongwith an otterskin.65
SisterWard was overcomewith grief for she knew from
experience
the overwhelming
solitudewhichwasthe daily
lot of the missionaries
in this remoteland.On her return
she againstoppedin St. Albertwhere the schoolwas
continuingto progressand to earnthe highestpraisesof
the inspectors.
SisterWard did not seethe little conventlit up with
what wascalled"Sichegaz" (gaslight).A few weeksafter
her departure,the correspondent
from St.Albertwrote:
Thebrightrayscomingdirectlyfrom the North-West
are
not the northernlights.Thisluminousradiance
surrounding
whichemitsa
our monastery
is produced
by "gaslight"
6 4L e t t e ro f l u n e 1 4 , 1 9 0 6 . 5 r . L a p o i n t ew a s n o w w o r k i n g a t
Hosp.St. Antoinein Montreal.
65 Letterdatedlune 13.
326
profusion
rays.Theapparatus
wasinstalled
in
of luminous
November.
Thevisitorof northernmissions
arrivedin Montrealon
for the
were in progress
October3 while preparations
goldenlubileeof
celebration
of the SuperiorGeneral's
religiouslife. Festivities
beganin the afternoonof October
from the Sister
and delegates
15 when many missionaries
C o m m u n i t i e sc a m e t o g e t h e r . T h e y e x t o l l e d t h e
of this "valiantwomanwhosecareerhad
accomDlishments
filledwith goodworls," and who since
beenso abundantly
and approvedtwo
1902, had foundedfour new missions
Ontarioand
proiectsnow being developedin Fort Frances,
Saskatchewan.
in Saskatoon,
Mother Hameldid not hesitateto look forwardwhile
still manifestinggreat respectfor the past, Like her
predecessors,
she insistedon preservingpreciousobiects
Thus
whichdatedbackto the earlydaysof the community.
death,
the bell dated1771,theyearof Motherd'Youville's
receivedits third mountingafter 135 yearsof use.Mother
Hamel parted regretfullywith a note that had been
autographedby Mother d'Youvillein favor of Mr. David
RossMcCordwho had insistedon obtainingthis favor,
"Thuswe arecontributingto a nationalproiect,"explained
the Superior.6T
The rosarybeadsof SisterM6ziEresand of Mother
Beaubienwhich had been inheritedby SistersChevrefils
In earlytimes,
werealsopreserved.
and Youvillerespectively
the customwas that the Superiorgave a rosaryto each
noviceon her professionday. SisterYouvillehad received
As for the lifehersfrom Mother Beaubien,her half-sister.
6 6c i r c . m e n s .1 9 0 6 - 0 8 ,p . 2 2 5 . U n f o r t u n a t e l yt h
, e "gaslight
could not serveas fuel; the cold would register-35o."W€ do not
feel the furnaces,"wrote Sr. Dandurand.On the followingday she
added:"the weatheris milder.We arethawingout comPletely!"
67circ. mens.1904-06, pp. 934-935.
327
s i z es t a t u e sr e p r e s e n t i nSgt . F r a n c i so f A s s i sai n d S t '
eitherby the Huronsor
Anthonyand had beensculptured
t h e A l g o n q u i n sa n d g i v e n t o t h e G r e y N u n s b y t h e
MotherHameldeemedsheoughtto returnthem
Recollets,
the statue
Accordingto SisterLabrdche,
Franciscans.
to the
fallen
from his
of St.Anthonylookedlike"a saintwho had
earlierfervor".Thefirst chroniclerof the Crey Nunsnever
her humor.SisterWard
missedan occasionof manifesting
expectedespecially
letters
so
eagerly
the
long
remembered
Alas.
great
white silence.
when shewas in the landof the
again.
the dearvisitingSisterneversaw SisterLabreche
Deceased
on May21, shehadbeenlaidto reston theslope
of the moundat Chateauguay.
replacedthe woodencrosses
Smallmarbleheadstones
of the weather.od
the
whichhad not withstood inclemency
Eachone borethe nameof the Sisterand the datesof her
birthanddeath.
The year had been markedby severaldeaths,notably
to
that of SisterCurranwho had helpedMonsignorRamsay
The
write the Englishbiographyof Motherd'Youville.
23 and his helper,four days
authorhad died on February
of
in the chronicles
werehighlighted
later.Thesedepartures
the communityand wereacceptedin the lightof christian
hooe,
'1906
b r o u g h tj o y f o r t h e w h o l e
T h e y e a r - e n do I
portrait
of
the unforgettableMother
An
oil
community.
wasdonatedby the Sistersof St.Anne.Mother
Deschamps
had beena womanwith nobleambitionsand
Deschamps
for the
at soul,shehadbeenresponsible
beinga missionary
Nun
Congregation.
of
the
Grey
expansion
apostolic
68 lbid., p. 883, marble tombstones installedin SePt.
328
SCHOOL,FORTFRANCES,
ST.-MARGUERITE
oNTARIO. 1905
cameto the small
In 1731when Mr. de la V6rendrye
he
did
not
foreseethat he
River
begins,
rapidwhereRainy
was leadingthe way that would one day be followedb;
women walkingin the footstepsof his niece,Marguerite
Marguerite's
Dufrostde Lajemmerais,
Christophe
d'Youville.
youngestbrotherwasa memberof his groupof explorers
of Fort5t. Charles
in the establishment
and hadcontributed
on thisspot.
Thisfort haddisappeared
by the timethe firstCreyNun
missionaries
had travelledthroughtherein 1844 on their
Littledid they realizethat they were
way to St. Boniface.
settinga new landmarkin historynor could they foresee
that otherCreyNunswouldfollowwho, thoughinvitedin
'I
905,wouldarriveonlyon March22 of the followingyear.
BishopLangevinhad evokedtheseeventsof historyin
orderto moveMotherHameland hercouncilto pursuehis
planof establishing
an IndianSchoolhere.6e
capable
of
find otherSisters
TheCreyNunscouldeasily
but suchwasnot
for Whites;
replacing
themin theirschools
Theirgiftedness
wereconcerned.
thecasewherethe Indians
madethemdifficult
to replace.T0
asmissionaries
and
Provincial,
the Assistant
EmilieLajoie-Caron,
Sisters
hadthe honorof openingthe schooland
Marguerite-Marie
HermineGirardand du Pr6cieux-Sang
on May 6, Sisters
w e r e a s s i g n e ds, o o n t o b e f o l l o w e db y S i s t e rA l b i n a
Soonthirly-two
Coyette.Thewhite househadfour storeys.
Thepioneers
tribewerewelcomed.
childrenof the Saulteux
5 eC u i c h o n , S r . M . , o . c . , p p . 6 1 - 5 3 . T h e I n d i a n s c h o o l o f S t .
B o n i f a c eh a d c l o s e d b e c a u s eo f t h e i n f l u x o f w h i t e s . I n 1 9 0 5 t h e
school at Fort Francesreplacedit.
7 0 T e s s i e rA, . , o . c . , p . 2 O 9
329
helperin the personof Mrs.Wright
found an unexpected
the wife of the agentat the Fort.Mrs.Wrightsparedno
effortto lightenthe burdenof thefoundresses.
progressand the
The pupilssoonshowedremarkable
little'pagans'whostoodalongthe fenceand observec
of alsobeingadmittedthem.soonbeggedfor the privilege
This was a great ioy for the Sisterswho felt rewardedfor
t h e i r s a c r i f i c e sa n d w h o b a n i s h e d b o r e d o m b y
of nature.
the beauties
contemplating
Thesiteof the schoolwasuniqueandfrom it onecould
seeRainyLakewhosecolorsblendedwith the blueskyand
a
the greentrees.However,the Sisterssoonexperienced
noted
certainirony. "Wood is not lackingbut water is"
the Provincial.
"The levelof the lakehas
MotherDespins,
it.
gone down so muchthat the pipingno longerreaches
in
barrels."7l
Watermustbe hauled
and acceptedand
had beenforeseen
Thesedifficulties
for theyadaptedto the
the Sisters'work
did not leopardize
situationwillingly.One day,they undertookto carefor a
poor'squaw'whowasvery ill and whom they broughtto
the school.Thepatientfeignedto be in a deepsleepwhen
the Sisters
spoketo her of Cod; however,shewoke up'in
shedied.72
to be baptized,
extremis'andafteraccepting
The crossabovethe schoolsignifiedthat it wasa haven
of salvationand an eld€rlySaulteuxbroughthis adopted
son to die thereon lanuary10, 1940without in the least
suspectingthat this would causegreat commotion.The
numberof pupilshaddoubledand now a dormitoryhadto
the patient./5
in orderto accommodate
be transformed
A new schoolwould,in the courseof time, house105
were then set up in a separate
boarders.Classrooms
7r Circ.mens.1906-08,p.232.
72 Sr.Girardto the MotherHouse,,an. 25, 1909.
330
buildingso that, as in the remoteNorth and in the far
West,the Sisterscould pursuetheir task of Christian
teaching,the sourceof truecivilization.
ST.PAUUSHOSPITAL,SASKATOON,
1906
SASKATCHEWAN,
of
of a hospitalin theyoungProvince
Theestablishment
There
place
in
usual
way.
the
take
did not
Saskatchewan
lts territorywas
were hardly2,000 peoplein Saskatoon.
by extendingits limitsalongthe northernbranch
increased
gaveit the status
Thisincrease
River.74
Saskatchewan
of the
of a city.
On September25, 1906,SistersGuayand Phaneuf
came to the young city in order to canvasfor funds to
m a i n t a i nt h e m i s s i o n si n S t . B o n i f a c ew h i c h w e r e i n
desperateneed.The two GreyNunswent to the rectoryto
they cameto a house
seeklodging.To theirgreatsurprise,
Fourpatients
into
a
hospital.
which had beentransformed
relectedby theirfamilieshadbeentakenin by FatherPaill6,
in this region.The Oblatein turn, manifested
a missionary
h i s s u r p r i s es a y i n g :" A r e y o u c o m i n gt o c a r ef o r o u r
p a t i e n t s ? "T h e S i s t e r se x p l a i n e dt h e i r g o a l b u t t h e
his request:"Giveus a handat least
presented
missionary
untilwe canfind somenurses."75
The Sisterswho had beenawayfrom their provincial
for six weeksrequestedsometime to reflect.
headouarters
Theythen went to the localhotelwherethey were given
a certainMr.
Whilethey were deliberating,
hospitality.
Cahillcameto explainhissituation.Mrs.Cahill,hismother,
who was gravelyill, requiredconstantcare.This lat€st
73 Sr. Ste-Christineto Mother Gallant, lan. 2'l, '1940.
7 4 M o r i c e ,o . c . , p p . ' 1 3 7 - 1 3 8 .
7s These details and those which follow are taken from the file of
St. Paul'sHosp. preservedat ASCM.
331
went immediately
requestclosedthe debateand the Sisters
to the sickwoman.SisterPhaneufbecameher nursewhile
SisterGuaytook over the improvisedhospitalassistedby a
young ladywho, though piousand dedicated,was in no
way competentfor her new task'
F o u r d a y s e l a p s e da n d t h e n u m b e r o f p a t i e n t s
increased.
On October2, Dr. Stewart,awareof the precious
help providedby the Sisters,beggedthem to extendtheir
stay.Theyrepliedthat in orderto do so, they would require
The doctorthen
from their Superior'
soecialauthorization
Despins
to
Mother
his requestby telegram
addressed
(Provincial
and on the following
Superiorin St. Boniface)
day, receivedan affirmativeresponse.In the meantime,the
roseto requesta permanent
wholepopulation
of Saskatoon
hospitaldirectedby the Sisters.
F a t h e r sP a i l l 6a n d V a c h o nt h e n a r r a n g e df o r t h e
and Mr' Cahill,
ProvincialSuoeriorto visit Saskatoon
delightedwith his mother'srecovery,coveredher travelling
expenses.Mother Despinssupportedthe requestmadeto
Mother Hamelbut the latter,after studyingall aspectsof
the situationfelt she could not endorsethe request.The
communityhad recentlyrefusedother missionproiects.
by the
The Saskatoonpopulationwas not disheartened
apparentfailure.Fourcitizenswith FatherVachonat their
head,appearedat the MotherHouseon lanuaryl0 in an
attemptto obtaina reversalof the decision.lt waswell that
they did for on Januaryl9 the proiectwasaccepted.
Through the courseof these deliberationsthe two
on a volunteerbasis.
Sisterscontinuedtheir nursingservices
decked
the parishchurch
Christmas,
they
On the eve of
and the faithfulcamefrom forty and evensixty milesaway
to attend the midnight Mass.The peoplefelt that the t\ /o
GreyNunsin the depth of their heartwere prayingthat the
delegationwould be successful.
332
was proclaimedon the 19th
Newsof the acceptance
General,
and two dayslater,SisterMailloux,the Assistant
left Montrealwith SisterBlakelydestinedto becomethe
who was
fourth oillarof the foundation,SisterSt. Dosith6e
was
then in St.
named Suoeriorfor the new hospital
andwouldjoin the two travellers'
Boniface
The new foundationbore the usual stamp of
u n e x p e c t e di n c i d e n t s .E i g h t e e nh o u r so f r a i l t r a v e l
The Sistersleft there
from St. Boniface.
seoaratedSaskatoon
at
on lanuary23 in weatherrecorded fifty-fourdegrees
belowzero.An engine'overcomeby the cold' stalledon
the railsand two other engineswere requiredto move it
while, on the road alongsidethe train, a collisionhad
occurred.To makea long story short the contingent
reachedits destinationafterfive daysand six nights'All the
'casualnurses'were
at the
clergyof the placeand the two
rectory
as
to
the
They
were
brought
meet
them.
stationto
h
a
d
a
l
r
e
a
d
y
b
e
e
n
D o c t o rW i l l o u g h b y ' sh o u s ew h i c h
purchasedto serveas the first hospitalcould not yet be
occupied.The owner had beendriven out of town by the
on the otherhand,were happythat they
cold.The Sisters
were not obligedto providefuel, for it wasboth costlyand
began.The
rare.Assoonasthe coldspellbroke,canvassing
showedtheir gratitudeby giving
good peopleof Saskatoon
generously.
Admirationovercameany religiouspreiudice.
By March 19, the hospital,dominatingthe town from
Hill,wasopened.Alreadyplanswerebeingdrawn
Pleasant
uo for an addition. SisterFernand,who had worked in
for the taskbut the originalplanhad
Toledo,wasdelegated
to be shelvedin favor of a temporarystructurewhich was
openedin lune. lt was soon filled with patientsafflicted
victims'As
aswellasaccident
with typhoidand pneumonia
the typhoid epidemicwas ragingwith fury, somehad to be
placedin the unfinishedattic. Eventhe Sisterswere
by
accompanied
stricken.SisterCarroll,the new Provincial,
333
were urgedto come.They
SisterMcKenna,the treasurer,
found the patiention the road to recoverybut deplored
r e n e r a l 'o
s r d e rn o t t o a d m i t a n y m o r e
t h e S u p e r i oC
patients.Providence
intervenedand no pati€ntrequestec
stood.Onceit was lifted,
while the interdiction
admission
patientscamein numbers.
T h i sw a s n o t t h e e n d o f h a r d s h i p fso r t h e S i s t e r s
for three
1918,theyweresnowbound
In February
however.
"We were in
days,without electricpoweror telephones.
fact in a stateof siege"wrote SisterDandurant,"and
furthermore,
our supplieswere runninglow"; but when a
drove into the stepsof the hospital,
doctor accidentally
makinga break-through,the blockadewas demolished.
of Divine
recognized
this as an intervention
The Sisters
Providence.
of 5,000threeyearsearlierhad
By | 910,the population
lt
grown to 25,000and a new buildingbecamenecessary.
was openedin 1913. Two yearslater,more spacewas
s e r et h e m s e l v e s
n e e d e d I. n 1 9 1 8 t h e n u r s i n gS i s t e rw
one
of them,Sister
and
influenza
epidemic
afflictedby the
St.L6once,
died.
'1924,
ln
a new hospitalwas built a few hundredfeet
from the originalbuilding.To this structure,two wings
would laterbe added;one to the east,anotherto the
wouldopena nursingschool
the Sisters
north.In Saskatoon
Montrealand the United
asthey had donein 5t. Boniface,
'accidentally'
States.The hospitalwhich cameinto being
duringan epidemicin 1906wouldfor manymore long
and neighboring
years,servethe populationof Saskatoon
areas.
334
CHAPTERX
1907-1910
Mother Hamelwas in the fifth year of her mandate.
Duringher term, five new workshad come into being.At
one of
the beginningof 1907 therewere other requests,
while another
response
whichwould obtainan affirmative
w a s p u t o n h o l d . T h e a u t h o ro f t h e l a t t e r r e q u e s t ,
, ew
M o n s i g n o rO ' G r a d y ,t h e p a s t o ro f 5 t . P e t e r ' s N
defeat.
On
New
would
not
acknowledge
Brunswick,
lersey,
the contrary,he promisedto makerepeatedattemptsuntil
hisrequestwouldeventually
be granted.l
Thecommunityat thistime numbered711 choirSisters
Their life spanshoweddefinite
and 207 auxiliarySisters.
improvementso that eachyear,the golden iubileeand
couldbe celebrated.
evendiamondlubileeof a few Sisters
wereusuallyfollowed,if not by
However,thesecelebrations
completeretirementf rom activelife, at leastby a lesser
degreeof activityin the work of the community.In short,
I C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 6 - 0 8p, . 4 1 3 .
335
thiswasthe twilightbeforethe dawnof eternityand these
awaitedthe hourof theircall.
serenely
Seniors
Thistime hadcomefor SisterPerrin,the tiny Sisterwho
greatthingsbut whosepreferredwork
had accomplished
had been Notre-DameHospitalwhich she had helpedto
establish.She had followedits progressand later had
Sister
sharedthe financialconcernsof the administrators.
outcomeof these
Perrinwould not see the successful
at 8:30 a.m. on Friday,
for she died peacefully
difficulties
of sympathywhich camefrom
February22.2fhe messages
in
from the variousCongregations
the Sistercommunities,
Hospital,
highlylaudedthe
the City and from Notre-Dame
courageof this true Crey Nun who had servedfaithfully
which had been
and withoutflinchingin the assignments
of the Quebec
co-foundress
entrustedto her. Successively
Ontario,pharmacist
branch,of the schoolin Sandwich,
at Notreas an inventor,first Superior
holdinga certificate
first
Provincia
Dame Hospital,AssistantGeneraland
area,SisterPerrinhad wel
Superiorof the Ville-Marie
deservedth€ esteemof the community.
Doctor Benoitexpressedthe appreciationof NotreDameHospital.The highesthomagewas awardedto her
by the Ladies'Auxiliary:"lt wasshewho taughtus to love
the sick and to servethem." lf it had beenthe customto
allow an epitaphon her marbletombstone,SisterPerrin
would certainlynot havedesiredany other,but only two
d a t e sw e r e a l l o w e d :t h o s e o f h e r b i r t h a n d d e a t h .
Meanwhile,to perpetuatethe memoryof the Sisters
, o t h e rH a m e lh a d a
d e c e a s e sdi n c et h e f o u n d a t i o nM
1907bearingalltheirnames.
catalogue
setup in February
2 The chronicler stressed t h a t S r . P e r r i nd i e d p r e c i s e l y
at the
s a m e t i m e a n d o n t h e s a m e day as Sr. Elizabeth,her niece,who
died in 1879.
336
I n t h e c o u r s eo f h e r l i f e , S i s t e rP e r r i nh a d o f t e n
to pray for her
ascendedthe mound in Chdteauguay
had
Now
her
turn
come to rest
companions.
deceased
from Montrealwas
the distance
there.In the winterseason
coveredby train as 'The New YorkCentral'passedthrough
C h 6 t e a u g u a yI n. t h e s u m m e rt i m e , t w o s h i p ss e r v e d
would then
The residentSisters
Montreal- Ch6teauguay.
meetthe coffinas it arrivedat the wharf and accompanyit
to the chapelfor the singingof the Liberabeforethe
filed toward the mound.In winter however,the
orocession
the old mill datingfrom
procession
stoppedat Bethlehem,
1587 and convertedinto a funeralchapelin 1855.The
remainedhereuntil spring
Sisters
bodiesof the deceased
whenburialagainbecamepossible.
SisterPerrinwas probablynot laid in stateat the usua
had takenover
placebecause
11, carpenters
sinceFebruary
the corridorsof Holy Crossand St. losephwhere great
hammeringwas going on as the floorsof pine wood,
alreadyworn out werebeing replacedby maplewood from
St. Benoit.102 treesselectedamong thosewhich were
beginningto dry suppliedtwo thousandboardfeet of
the flooringwouldbe completedalsoon
lumber.Gradually
the otherstoreys.3
partof the MotherHousecompletedonlyin
Theearliest
1871 now showedthe wear of time. Maior repairswere
plannedfor the main kitchenand a third elevatorwas
installed.In the courseof this work "a seriouscrack" was
the rebuildingof the exteriorwa"
discoverednecessitating
which causedthis woik to be completedonly in 1908.4
Fortunately,such was not the casefor the "Red Cross"
erectedon the cornerof Guy and DorchesterStreetsin
1871, renewedin 1883 and alreadygoing to ruin. On
3 Circ.mens.1906-08,p.244.
a tbid.,pp. 695-697.
337
September25 it was replacedby another,an exactreplica,
w h i c h r e c a l l e dt o p a s s e r s - bay g r u e s o m ea c t : t h e
Bastien
assassination
of leanFabreand hiswife Marie-Anne
Coyerdit B6lisle.
on lune6, 1752.sby lean-Baptiste
Thefarm on the cornerof Guyand St.CatherineStreets
the mayor,came
led neighbors
to complain.Mr. H.A.Ekers,
in personto examineon the spot,the groundsfor these
complaints.After verifyingthat everythingwas in good
condition,the magistratehoweverfelt constrainedto yield
to the complaintsof neighborsand he advisedSisterSt.
l6r6me, the farm manager,to move the herd of cattle
notes:
Th€chronicler
elsewhere.
250similarfarmsin thecity.Thecrbche
Therearehowever
on milkwhichmustbeobtained
alonehas1l8 smallbabies
would
Transportation
conditions.
underthe bestpossible
thequalityof themilk.6
affectnegatively
The Sistersdefendedtheir case"while the cowschewed
t h e i r c u d a n d s l e p tp e a c e f u l liyn t h e i r q u a r t e r s "t,h e
the
chronicleradded;but it was realizedthat eventually,
neighborswould win their point. Therefore,on luly 19,
MotherHamelboughtthe larm of Mr. W. Taitwhichwas
locatedin St.Laurentoarish./
The SuperiorCeneral,while attendingto the proper
functioningof the variousworks,alsohad to preparethe
G e n e r a lC h a p t e rf o r t h e e n d o f h e r m a n d a t ew a s
approaching.Despitethis, she took interestin eventson
the outside.At the time of the great catastrophewhen the
s The crosshad originallybeenerectedacrossfrom the entrance
to the chapel.The sistersmoved it to its presentplacein lE7].
(Circ.mens.1881-83, p. 572)
6 Circ.mens.1906-08,p.239.
7 The old farm at Pte.st. Charleshavingbeensold,the Proceeds
wereappliedto the purchase
of the new property.
338
structureof the Quebecbridgecollapsedinto the St.
to the relieffund
Lawrence,
she contributedgenerously
while the Sistersattendedthe funeralof the thirty-three
victimsfrom Caughnawaga.s
to the Chapterarrived
delegates
In mid-September.
from the Westand from the UnitedStatesand on Thursday
'|
Calm
9, the solemnretreatbeganfor the 137 participants.
a n d s i l e n c er e i g n e dt h r o u g h o u tt h e h o u s eu n t i l t h e
28 at whichtime MotherHamel
morningof September
declaredthe retreatendedand gaveeachSistera copy of
to follow
the CustomBook,a collectionof prescriptions
customsinspiredby former practicesbut adaptedto
circumstances.
Dresent
On the morningof October7, the Chapterwasbegun
presiding.
elected
The delegates
Bruch6si
with Archbishop
the new GeneralCouncilconstitutedas follows:Mother
Pich€,Dionneand WardasAssistants
Filiatrault
with Sisters
as Director
her responsibility
and SisterDugasmaintaining
of Formation.
With an easedenotinga life-longpracticeof humility,
her placein the rankand file while
MotherHamelassumed
Mother Filiatraultwho in 1903 had resignedas Assistant
t yh o s e
C e n e r a lo, n c e a g a i na c c e p t e da r e s p o n s i b i l i w
shouldered.
burdenshehadtwicebefore
"lt cannotbe doubtedthat the membersof Councilare
definitelychosenby Cod", statedthe chroniclerand she
alsoaddedthe praiseof ArchbishopBruch6siconcerning
MotherHamel."l am in duty bound to thank her for the
good shehasdoneto the Clergyof my dioceseand to the
poorduringheradministration."
E C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 6 - 0 8p, . 3 7 7 .
339
SASKATCHEWAN,
THEREGINAHOSPITAL,
REGINA,
1907
Reginais the Latinwordfor queen.Thetown wasgiven
t h i s n a m e b y E d g a rD e w d n e yi n h o n o r o f h e r R o y a l
Highness
QueenVictoria.On December3, 1881,ehe had
and in I 883,
Governor
of the Territories
becomeLieutenant
choseReginaas the capitalof that regionevenbefore
TheMountedPolice
hadbecomea province.
Saskatchewan
nearbyand a few smallbuildings
had their headquarters
were established
there.The
indicatedthat missionaries
Catholicminoritywasmostlyof Cermanorigin.
'17,''
905, BishopPascalblessedthe
On December
90 ft. by 50 ft.,
churcherectedby FatherSuffa.Measuring
it appeared
adequate
but soonit hadto be enlargedasthe
rapidly.
smalltown wasdeveloping
to St.Albert
BishopGrandintravelling
from St.Boniface
p
a
s
s
e
d
H
e
had been
t
o
w
n
.
i n 1 8 8 3 ,h a d
t h r o u g ht h e
amazedthen at the rapiditywith which he had beenable
to coverthe 800 milesin two weeksincludinga stop at
Sincethat
"the littlerag town", the futurecity of Regina.l0
was
Langevin
time, thingshad improvedand Archbishop
now planningto builda hospitalthere.He deemedit wise
was acceptedbeforeagain
to wait till that of Saskatoon
solicitingthe collaboration
of the Grey Nuns.He was
weredisposedto
surprisedwhen he learnedthat the Sisters
The relativeproximityof
developthe two simultaneously.
had certainlyinfluencedthe decision
Reginato Saskatoon
for the Sisters
realized
that this would allowthe personnel
give
one anothera hand in time of
of both missionsto
neeo.
e Morice,Hist.abr6g€eOuestcan.p. 107
l o B r e t o nM
, g r .G r a n d i np, . 2 8 1 .
140
On May 2, 1907, SisterDuffin,selectedfor the taskin
view of her experience,left the Mother Housein the
companyof SisterSt. Cyr,en routefor Saskatchewan.
would ioin them
SistersDaoust,Wagnerand Lechasseur
on May23 and lived
theirdestination
shortly.Theyreached
temporarilyin the old rectoryblessedby BishopTach6in
1884.r1 Forthe time being,the hospitalwouldbe setup in
the old church.But Doctorlohnstonedecidedto sellthe
The
which he had built and furnished.
littlesanatorium
Sistersbought it on lune 7. Theyoccupiedit on lune 26
and FatherSuffacelebratedthe first Massin the chapel
which bore the title ReginaCoeli.lt was thus that the
would privatelydesignatethe hospitalas the nonSisters
Catholicmaiorityof the populationdid not view favorably
One of the most prominent
the comingof the Sisters.
placg
former
leaderof the FreeMasons"
of the
surgeons
"a
unleashedall his energyto preventthe successof their
enterprise.l2
The Sisterswere alreadyat work at the sanatorium
which had beenacquiredwith patientsalreadyhospitalized
in it. Furthermore,SistersDuffinand St. Cyr nu6ed a Mrs.
who wasstrickenwith a terminalillnes and who
McCusker
lived closeby the hospital.The woman was movedby the
d e d i c a t i o no f h e r n u r s e sf o r s h e k n e w t h e y w e r e
overburdenedwith work. "Salariesbeing extravagantly
high," hired help could not be obtainedand persons
willing to do houseworkwerevery rar€.Mrs. Mccuskeralso
noticed that handiworlsmade by the Sisters:namelythe
did not yield the
saleof badgesand evencanvassing,
r e s u l t sh o p e df o r . T h e n s h e d e c i d e dt o g i v e t h e m a
beautifuldressof blacklaceboughtin Venicefor t800.00.
"Youcan easilysell ticketsfor five or ten dollarsand the
l l G u i c h o nS, r .o . c . ,p p . 5 4 - 5 5 .
l2 The chronicler,out of concernfor charity,did not name the
famousdoctor.
341
revenuewill be for your work", she suggestedto Sister
Duffin.l3
Fortunately,
Mrs. McCuskerwas not the only person
who was interestedin the young hospitaland the Sisters
folk offeredthem produceof
weretouchedwhengenerous
theirfarm.
T h e S i s t e r ss u f f e r e da n o t h e ri n c o n v e n i e n c et h: e
so
mosouitoes
whichweresaidto be the sizeof .......birds,
viciouswas their sting. Both the Sistersand the patients
fearedthey would be eatenalive"and anotherkind lady,
whichSisterDuffinfeigneo
despiteherhusbandthesitation
not to notice.generouslyofferedscreensfor the doorsand
windows."
Mosquitostingswereminorcomparedto the effectsof
the subtleand tenaciousoppositionwhichwas constantly
patientsflockedto
felt. Regardless
of this, poverly-stricken
t h e y o u n g i n s t i t u t i o na n d o n O c t o b e r1 , t h e S i s t e r s
recordedwith regret,"We must refusepatientsfor lackof
that they
space".In short,the situationwasso precarious
wonderedif the projectwould survive.Furthermore,Sister
had to undergothe amputation
Daoust,one of the nurses,
do not usuallycome
of an infectedthumb. Misfortunes
singly.In earlylanuaryof 1908,in bitterlycoldweather,the
furnacebrokedown and five dayselapsedbeforerepairs
w e r e c o m p l e t e d .F o r t u n a t e l yt ,h e r e w e r e n o t m a n )
patients.Theywere movedinto a smallroom where there
was a stove which had to be fed constantly.SisterDuffin
senther companions
to the Qu'Appellemissionwhile she
and SisterMcKenna,
remained
on duty with SisterL6onidas
the bursarwho wasvisitingthe newhospital.ra
r 3 C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 5 - 0 8p, p . 3 2 7 - 3 2 8 .
r 4 t b i d . ,p p . 5 5 8 - 5 5 9 .
342
The heatingsystemhad hardlybeenrepairedwhen an
epidemicbrokeout and it wasthen that peopleobserved
how availablethe Crey Nunswere.They refusedno one
and treatedeachcasewith such dedicationthat they
arousedamazementat first and then admiration.As a
result.SisterDuffin receiveda letter dated April22, 1908
informingherthat
at last
resolved
the Municipal
Councilhadunanimously
to the
made
grant
be
meeting,thata
of $1,000.00
evening's
provide
put
to
forth
hospitalin appreciation
of the effort
duringa difficultsituationwhenthe Victoria
hospitalization
Hospital
wasfilledto capacity.ls
alloweda comparisonbeflveenthe
The circumstances
two institutionswhich had the samegoal and it became
evidentthat the little Reginahospitalhad won publicfavor.
MotherFiliatraultobservedthis during her Octobervisit.
The hospitalis full. Thedoctors,who aregood nonto it and go to the Victoria
Catholics,
bringtheirpatients
hospitalonlywhentheycannotfind a bed at the Regina
havebeenhiredandtheirseNiceis
Sixlaynurses
Hospital(,..)
heroic.Theonein chargeon nightduty mustwaituntilone
getsup sothatshemayoccupyherbed.
of the Sisters
The doctorsinsistedon meetingthe SuperiorCenera',
as did the Ladies'Auxiliarywho gave a report of the.ir
activitiesduring the eighteenmonthsof their existence.l6
In short, the matter at hand was the needfor expansion.
to delegateSisterMcKenna,
ThisinspiredMotherFiliatrault
the bursar,to examinethe feasibilityof the proiect.The
officialvisitorrecommendedthat thereshouldbe no delay.
The hospitalhad an excellentreputationthank to Sister
Duffinwho had led the way and who sincethen had been
l5 Letterof Mr. l. KelsoHunter,City Clerk,to 5r. Duffin.
l6 5r. Desnoyers,
at the MotherHouse,Nov. 5, 190E.
secretary,
343
Whenthe MunicipalCouncil
replaced
by SisterDandurand.
of eitherlosingthe Sistersor
wasfacedwith the perspective
were
of grantinglandfor a new building,the "rate-payers
in favorof the grant" and for their part,the
unanimously
promisedto buildthe hospitalwithintwo years.This
Sisters
victory,for it was one indeed,annulledthe "evil efforts"of
Hehimselfwouldadmit:
adversary,
a notorious
I did all in my powerto oppose
At Councilandelsewhere
so
havesucceeded,
allthis,the Sisters
the proiectanddespite
thanI am,I
I saidto myself:Sincethesewomenarestronger
shallgetontheirside.lT
T h e S i s t e r sh a s t e n e dt o d r a w u p p l a n sa n d S i s t e r
D a n d u r a n dt,h e S u p e r i ow
r a s p r e p a r i n gt o g o t o t h e
MotherHouseto submitthemfor approvalwhenshehada
'|910.
by
Shewassucceeded
strokeand diedon lanuary4,
SisterPag6in 1911, the yearin whichBishopOlivier-Elz6ar
M a t h i e u b e c a m et h e h e a d o f t h e n € w d i o c e s e ,a
his
detachmentfrom that of St. Boniface.He established
A Romanprelate,he had bee-n
episcopal
seein Regina.
in Quebec,hisplaceof birth.rE
rectorof the LavalUniversity
The first non-Oblatebishopin the West,he arrivedin the
capitalon November11, 1911. He wasgivena triumphal
procession,
a powerfulband,
welcomewith a candle-light
decoratedstreetsand buildings.Nothingwassparedand
the newsmen,though non-Catholiqreportedthe eventto
everyone'ssatisfaction.lt was not surprisingthereforethat
the new Bishop was sympathetictoward the
hospital.Fortunately,
it had beenmissedon the path of the
destructive
tornadothat sweptthroughthe areaon lune
1 7C i r c . m e n s .1 9 2 2 - 2 3 ,p p . 3 1 9 - 3 2 0 .T h e f i r s t s u r g e o ni n t h e
r e g i o n a d m i t t e d t h i s t o F a t h e rV e r d i e r ,V i e b a n a n d L a b e l l e ,
visitingReginain September1923. tt. Verdier,then the
Sulpicians
Sup. Gen. of the Sulpicians,was later promoted to the rank of
cardinal.
r E M o r i c eo, . c . , v . 4 , p . 1 o 7 .
344
had beengreatand the deathtoll
30, 1912.Devastation
high.
wasblessed
andthe
October5, the hospital
On Sunday,
for therewere fifteenof
was increased
nursingpersonnel
them by the yearend. Thiswasonly a beginning,for the
Reginahospitalwould continueto grow as would the
Schoolof Nursing.Whenthe time camein 1939for the
a clinicfor cancer
Governmentto establish
Saskatchewan
hospital.Two
would
fall
on
the
Regina
research.
its choice
yearslater the nursingschool,which alreadyhad two
further.
wings,neededto be expanded
of the institution
ln "1957,whenthe fiftiethanniversary
w a s b e i n gc e l e b r a t e dD, r . D . S .J o h n s t o n et h, e f o r m e r
proprietoo
r f t h e s m a l ls a n a t o r i u m
w h e r et h e R e g i n a
in
to participate
hospitalwas born, camefrom Vancouver
t h e c e l e b r a t i o nT
. h o u g h h e w a s n o n - C a t h o l i c h, e
proclaimedover the microphoneand beforetelevision
cameras,
"lf the CreyNuns'hospitalin Reginahassurvived.
it isthanksto the soirituallifeof the Sisters."rv
Dr. lohnstone'stestimonialstrengthenedin the Crey
N u n s t h e c o n v i c t i o nt h e y h a d a c q u i r e de a r l yi n t h e i r
religiouslife:"Whoeverwoulddo Cod'swork mustremain
institution
closeto Him". The vigor of their fifty-year-old
countless
give
for
the
inspiredthem to
thanksto God
who werethe ones
acceptedby their predecesson
sacrifices
for thevitalityof the institution.
trulyresponsible
THE ST.CHARLESFARM,VILLEST.LAURENI,1907
Whenthe GreyNunshad beenforcedto complywith
their farm,
the order to find anotherolaceto establish
purchased
226 acresof landat C6te-deMotherHamelhad
farm
Liesse.
Fromthe beginning,thiswascalledSt.Charles
re Sr.;.Laporteto the MotherHouse,lune 24-28,1957.
345
Mr.W.
of the Sulpicians.
in honorof FatherLecoq,Superior
Tait, the former proprietor,consentedto manageit. He
where,in early
livedin a housecloseto the mainresidence
and Mrs.Braultcameto live.
May 1908, SisterCl6mentine
eagerto
a diamondjubilarian,
Later,SisterMontgolfier,
join
them.
sharein communitywork,would
wereedifiedby the fine workdone by
Thefarm Sisters
He not onlydirectedthe workersbut
the formerproprietor.
gavea hand at the varioustask like a simpleemployee.
gentlemanand his familyare most
"This non-Catholic
respectfultoward the community,"wrote the chronicler
80 tons of
and she added,"The crop hasbeenexcellent:
hay,about 1800 bushelsof grain,907 saclaof potatoes."
As for the cows,they appearedperfectlyadaptedto their
s e r e p r o v i d i n ga
n e w e n v i r o n m e nat n d t h e c h i c k e n w
plentifuldailyyieldof eggs.
'1909,
the farm Sisters
fn the courseof the winter ot
classwho
of the phllosophy
werevisitedby the seminarians
that theybe served
in announcing
theirvisithad requested
a glassof milk for their iourneyhad beenon foot. The
and
bursargrantedmorethan the studentshad requested
they wereservedmilk chocolatgapplesand oranges.On
May 24, the chapelwasblessed.Masswould henceforthbe
celebratedthere twice weekly.The Sisterswere overioyed,
who till then hadto traveltwo
especially
SisterMontgolfier
milesbackand forth to attendMass.Thisjoy wassharedby
the Sistersof other missionswho offeredvestmentsand
variousitemsfor the liturgy.
Thefarm soonbecamea picnicplacefor the studentsof
the home-economics
schoolwho gavea hand at picking
potatoes
whiletheyenioyedthe freshairandsunshine.
On March12,
the housebecameorganized.
Gradually,
910, SisterThuot was namedSuperiorand the farm
and restfor the sick
becamea placeof convalescence
'l
346
while it alsoservedfor thosewho weredestinedto
Sisters
St.Albertand St.
at Chateauguay,
becomefarm managers
Boniface.2o
would becomefamousat the St.
One Sisterespecially
Camachewas
Charlesfarm. ln1940, SisterRose-Aim6e
m
g
o
l
d
f
o
r
a
g
r
i
c
u
l
t
u
r
a
l eritby the
m
e
d
a
l
a
awarded
Gamache
speaking
To
hear
Sister
Provincial
Covernment.
aboutthe earthwasto meditateon the careof Providence
in supplyingthe needsof mankind."Thiswonderfulfeeder
of humanityis greatlyignored",shewould say."We thrive
on what it producesand we neglectto admireit and to
thank the Lord who madeit so rich and so productive".
With thesefew words,SisterGamachelifted up to Cod,
on heron the day
Creatorof the earth,the honorbestowed
the medal.
shereceived
the proiect
Underthe directionof thiscompetentSister,
develooed.
To the originalhouse,a wing wasaddedin 1939which
could accommodatetwenty-twoSisters.Alas,however,on
November2, 1946,about4 a.m.,fire brokeout in the
hayloftand spreadwith the rapidityof lightning.Thework
of firemenfrom Montrealand VilleSt. Laurentwas limited
Two heiferswerelost,but 160 milk
by low waterpressure.
in the stableand
cowsweresavedand wouldbe sheltered
go to Senator
w
o
u
l
d
p
i
g
s
t
y
w
h
i
l
e
t
h
e
o
v
e
r
f
l
o
w
the
former property.Thiscreatedan inconvenience
Raymond's
miles
as the propertywasat a distanceof three-and-a-half
from Liesse.
T h i s e v e n t d i d n o t m o d e r a t eS i s t e rG a m a c h e ' s
what the flames
in rebuilding
for shesucceeded
enthusiasm
lady
was forcedto
farm
However
this
had destroyed.
20 Since'1908,the Youvillefarm, situated4 milesawayfrom the
5t. Bonifaceprovincialhouse,had beenunderthe careof a farmelFromDec.1911 it wasmanagedby two Sisters.
347
were
abandonthis work for on luly 26,'1951 the Sisters
in favorof
advisedthat the farm was beingexpropriated
Throughthe year that
the CanadianNationalRailway.
f o l l o w e d ,S i s t e rG a m a c h es u p e r v i s e tdh e m o v i n go f
livestock
and farm equipmentto the farm at Chiteauguay.
Only Cod knewwhat went on in the heartof this genuine
farmerassheleftthe olacewhereshehadworkedfor more
of nature,from
than thirtyyears.Fromher contemplation
t h e s p e c t a c l eo f g r a i n d y i n g i n o r d e r t o p r o d u c ea
hundredfold.SisterGamachedrew strengthto bear this
trial. Moreover,she would neverceaseto proclaimher
admirationfor the soilwhich restedunderthe snow came
to life againwith the April showersand, with the heat of
the summersun, againproduceda goldenharvest.In
imitationof St. FrancisAssisitowardwhom she had a
specialdevotion,SisterCamachepraisedGod for Sister
Earthfrom which mankinddrawsits subsistence.
HOSPITAL,NEW BRUNSWICK,NEW
ST.PETER'S
U.s.A.,1907
|ERSEY,
MonsignorO'Grady,pastorof St. Peter'sParishin New
Brunswickhad visitedthe Mother Houseof the GreyNuns
with the orderwhichreignedthere,the
in 1881. lmpressed
lwill
youngpriesthadsaidto himself:"Thesearethe Sisters
get somedayto setup and maintaina hospital."
Twenty-fiveyearshad elapsed,but the determinationof
the priesthad not lessened.In the courseof the winter of
1 9 0 7 , h e w r o t e r e p e a t e d l yt o t h e S u p e r i o rG e n e r a
requestingGreyNunsfor the founding of a hospitalin his
parish.Eachtime, Mother Hamelhad answeredthat the
proiectwas impossibledue to the scarcityof Sisters.The
pastorpersisted.He calledupon the interventionof one of
hisfriends'alreadyknownamongus,' saidthe chronicler,
and both declaredthat they would continuetheir entreaties
348
until they obtainedan affirmativereply.2lThe forthcoming
CeneralChaptersuspendedthe considerationof the
requestsbut they were resumedwhen the new Council
the GreyNunsfinally
took office.Beforesuchperseverance,
yielded,admittingthat therewerestillsomepeoplecapable
o f i m i t a t i n gt h e p e r s i s t e n coef t h e b i b l i c a lm a n w h o
compelledhisfriendto givehim breadin the middleof the
night.22
General,
set
On November4, SisterPich6,the Assistant
McKenna
and
Sister
St-Ren€
for
with
Sister
out
the States
who was convalescing
and had agreedto try out her
MonsignorO'Crady,who
strengthin a new environment.
h a d r e a c h e dt h e f u l f i l l m e n to f h i s h o p e s ,c o u l d n o t
adequatelyexpresshis ioy. The Agreementwas soon
c o n c l u d e d w h e r e b y t h e G r e y N u n s a s s u m e dt h e
of a diocesanproiect.SisterDolanwas
administration
summonedby telegramon her returnfrom St. Boniface.
Herswould be the duty of settingthe prolectin motion
both on
with the help of SistersSt-l6r6meand St-Ondsime
loanfor a while.
By mid-December,twenty-fivepatientshad registered
As Monsignor
and therewere almostas many conversions.
O'Cradyhad hoped,the sight of the Sisters'dedicationhad
encouragedseveralpatients"to set their spiritualaffairsin
order."
During May 1908, SistersFennelland Ste. Fortunate
w e n t t o V i c t o r i aH o s p i t a li n M o n t r e a lt o s t u d y t h e
in order to adaptthe
organization
of the variousservices
ideasat St. Petert. They were courteouslywelcomedand
2r The chroniclerdid not namethis friend.we do not know if it
was Mgr. Bruch6sior Fr. J.-H.Millette,the pastorat 5t. Louisde
Conzaguein Nashua.We would opt for the latterwho in 1907 had
completedthe building of a hospitalwhich he also €ntrustedto
the GreyNuns.
22circ. mens.1906-1908, pp. 413-414.
349
of the Roya
the Crey Nunsin turn invitedthe authorities
VictoriaHosoitalto the MotherHouse.The Superintendent
acceptedand broughtwith him threewomen recently
and
Thevisitorswereboth astounded
arrivedfrom Eurooe.
e d i f i e dw i t h w h a t t h e y s a w a n d t h e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t
in doinga littlegoodit is onlyat
concluded:
"lf we succeed
the cost of moneybut with you Sisters,it is at the cost of
sacrifices."
I n N e w B r u n s w i c kt,h e S i s t e r sw o u l d e n c o u n t e r
obviously
thesewerenot of the samekindasthe
sacrifices;
of the far North;
privations
experienced
by the missionaries
meantheavywork
nevertheless,
the smallnumberof Sisters
l o a d sa n d t h e e f f e c t a p p e a r e di n t h e h e a l t ho f t h e
In thisgreatcountrywith sucha cosmopolitan
missionaries.
'1909,
population,
Thus,on March22,
sadeventsoccurred.
M o n s i g n o rO ' G r a d yh a d t o a t t e n da H u n g a r i a nm a n
to be hangedfor murderinghis niece.Despite
sentenced
Monsignorwishedto accompanyhim to
his sensitiveness,
notedthe chronicler.23
the scaffold,
The little St. Peter'sHospitalwould developand, in
time, a nursingschoolwould be addedand without any
noisypublicity,it would providein the field of nursingal
the good which its founder,MonsignorO'Cradyof happy
memoryhadhopedfor.
_ 1908 _
M o t h e r F i l i a t r a u l tc o u r a g e o u s l yr e s u m e d h e r
l n d p u 1 5 u e dt h e
r e s p o n s i b i l i tays S u p e r i o rG e n e r a a
predecessor.
Thus,she saw the New
initiativesof her
Hosoitalcometo life in the previousfall and in
Brunswick
December,shortly before Christmas,she saw St. Patrick's
Orphanagemovedto Outremont.Severalyearspreviously
a
the Parishboardof the lrishpopulationhad purchased
2 3C i r c .m e n s .' t9 0 9 - 11 , p . 11 5 .
3s0
forty-acrelot for this purpose.Despitethe diligenceof
S i s t e rS t . l a c q u e s t, h e g r e y s t o n e h o u s ew a s a s y e t
u n f i n i s h e da n d t h e w o r k e r sw e r e s t i l l c o m p l e t i n g
Accessto the residencelocatedin open
installations.
was
easy
becauseof streetcars.The children
country
joyed
freshair,sunshine
andsolitudefor the buildingwas
en
surroundedby four orchardsof fruit treesand beautiful
yardswheretheycouldplay.
In May 1908, the institutionwas visitedby Cardinal
Logue,the Archbishopof Armaghand Primateof all of
l r e l a n d .l t w a s a g l o r i o u sd a y f o r t h e n e w h o m e , a
memorable
daywhichwouldbe recordedin the chronicles.
It would alsobe one of SisterSt. lacques'finaljoysfor on
lune 19, she was admittedto the infirmaryafter a time
Hospitalwheredoctorshad declared
spentin Notre-Dame
hercaseterminal.24
was completedin 1907 in Toledo.
Anotherorphanage
Havingbecomediocesan,
the institutionhad alsochanged
whilethe
Orphanage
name.lt wasnow calledSt.Anthony's
name St. Vincentwas reservedfor the hospital.Mother
FiliatraultdelegatedSisterWard, her Assistantto the
inauguralceremonywhich bore the stamp of American
prodigality.
A largequantityof naturalflowersand plants
was receivedand despiteunpleasantweathera procession
with bannersand bandsescortedBishop
of 1,500members
on the morningof October27.
Hortzmanof Cleveland
went to Toledoin February
TheSuperior
Generalherself
at which time shewas literallybesiegedby the Bishop,the
clergyand the populationrequestingmore Sisterssince
there was now questionof opening a day nurseryin a
Mother Filiatraultfelt
cottageadiacentto the hospital.25
compelledto yield to the requeston conditionthat in the
2 1s h ed i e do n D e c .1 , 1 9 0 8 .
2s Circ. mens.1906-08,p. 339.
351
could
to the Sisterhood
city of Toledoitself,new candidates
b e f o u n d . D o c t o r D o n n e l l ye s t a b l i s h e hd i m s e l fa s a
promoterof vocations.26
hadno soonerreturnedfrom Toledowhen
TheSuperior
she receiveda letterfrom Dr. J. P.Rottotstatingthat due to
service.
ill health,he could no longerprovideprofessional
"He had replacedDoctorSchmidton November9, |880,
a n d w e h a v e b e e n p l e a s e dw i t h h i s g o o d c a r e " t h e
chroniclerstated.The SuperiorCeneralfully agreedand
of hercommunity
to the doctorthe appreciation
expressed
losea doctorwhoserespectability
who wouldregretfully
havebeenits supportthroughtwenty-eight
and knowledge
and a devoted
vearsandwho wasfor hera counsellor
tnend."
DoctorC. DamienMasson,DoctorRottot'sassistant,
authorityon
him on March17 and he assumed
succeeded
Patrickt
day.
st.
Severaldeathshad touchedthe Crey Nunssincethe
F. Danieland R' Rousseau
beginningof the year.Fathers.
The first had beenthe founderand
weie both Sulpicians.
the secondhad founded
directorof the AuxiliarySisters;
HospiceSt. Charlesand had beenchaplainat the Mother
Housefrom 1887to 1890.
were received.
preciousSouvenirs
From Chdteauguay
plantedon
been
had
which
a
crucifix
One wasthe nailof
work
of
Labrosse
the moundin | 832.Thiscrucifixwasthe
Churchand before
at Notre-Dame
and hadbeenvenerated
had prayed.Theotherwasa small
whichMotherd'Youville
and on which
woodencrosspaintedby MotherSlocombe
lesusas
thefollowingcouldbe read:"Godaloneaswitness,
2 5 t b i d . ,p . 5 3 5 .
27 Letter of Mar. 1 6, 1908.
3s2
Thenin
model,Maryfor supportand I alwaysassacrifice".
early May, Mr. Arthur Delislesent to the Sistersthe
genealogy
of leanDelisle
of hisfamily.Hewasthe grandson
physician
who, on the
the distinguished
de la Cailleterie,
night of December23, 1771, had seena luminouscross
abovethe GeneralHospital,"an incidentwhich the Sisters
entry into
as a signof MotherdYouville's
had interpreted
glory".
of
the past
This
document
and
these
ob.iects
eternal
found their way to their appropriateplacein the hall of
souvenirs,
learnedof the suddendeathof
On May 13, the Sisters
the dioceseto which our
BishopHortzmanof Cleveland,
two missionsin Toledobelonged.The SuperiorGeneral
recommendedto the prayersof the Sistersthis worthy
shepherdwho many times had lent the Grey Nuns a
helpinghand.
T h e S u p e r i ow
r h o w a s i n d u t y b o u n dt o v i s i tt h e
missionsat leastonce during her term of officewent to
Bostonon May 20. Beforeher departure,she and her
Councilhad decidedto suspendthe proiectof women
boarderson the secondfloor of the centralwing leadingto
St. Mathieu Str€et.Thesenew apartmentsafter certain
would be assignedto the seniorSisters
modifications,
whosenumberswereincreasing.
On luly 4, Mother Filiatraultreturnedfrom Lawrence
where she had attendedthe blessingof the altar by
A r c h b i s h o pW i l l i a mO ' C o n n e l ol f B o s t o n ,t h e f u t u r e
c a r d i n a l .S h e w a s i u s t i n t i m e t o o v e r s e et h e f i n a
preparations
for the seniorate.
Sheknewthat the change
would affect the elderlySistersfor this was an innovation
and she wishedto be there to facilitatetheir adaptationto
new ouarterswhich consistedof twelveroomswith access
to the chapelbalcony,a dining room,a communityroom
and a porch.Untilthen,they sharedcommondormitories.
3s3
Theywould be betteroff in this new departmentbut they
hadnot realized
thisasyet.
had takenpossession
of their
The day afterthe Seniors
new domain,there occurreda deeplymoving event,
w o r t h y o f b e i n g h i g h l i g h t e d .T h e S i s t e r so f t h e
wereleavingold Montrealto
of Notre-Dame
Congregation
Street.
Mother
House
on Sherbrooke
move to their new
SisterSt.Alexiswasthe blood
One of theirbelovedseniors,
sisterof SisterYouville,the eldestmemberof the Crey
the desireto see her
Nuns.28SisterSt. Alexisexpressed
eldersister.Shecould not howevercomedown from the
she
settledin the seniorate,
carriage.
As for SisterYouville,
could not go to the parloreither.The casewassettledby
openingthe gardengatesallowingthe carriageto enter
wascarriedto it on a chair.According
while SisterYouville
encounterwas most touching.SisterSt.
to onlookers,the
Alexiswept a little while SisterYouville,blessedwith a
her age.
her concerning
memory,re-assured
remarkable
yet
I
am
eightyshe
said,
"and
eightythree,"
"Youare not
six."The interviewendedwith an appointmentto meetin
neaven.
The end of luly was markedby the comingof another
distinguishedguest, Doctor Cluss,a professorat the
U n i v e r s i t yi n V i e n n a .M r . E k e r s t, h e f o r m e r m a y o r ,
Mr.
personally
introducedDoctorClussand his colleague,
wereledthroughthe
Thesegentlemen
Strongman.
Charles
main departmentsand werevery pleasedto havevisited
2EMisses2o6 Beaubienand her twin sister,H6lEne,born on ,une
of Mother Beaubien,Sup. Gen. of the
15, 1822,were half-sisters
Grey Nuns 1833-1843.Accordingto custom,they had to change
t h e i r n a m e s .M i s sz o € b e c a m ek n o w na s S r . N o r m a n ta n d M i s s
H 6 l E n ea s S r . Y o u v i l l e5. r . S t . A l e x i so f t h e C . N . D .w a s t h e i r
youngestsister.Sr. Normanthad died on Jan.25,1894.
2eCirc.mens.1906-08.o. 679.
354
this CeneralHospitalof the CreyNunsof whichthey hao
heardin Cermanyand in Belgium.2e
in
BishooCrouardneededno letterof recommendation
order to be welcomedat the Grey Nuns.This illustrious
m i s s i o n a r yw a s a l o n g t i m e f r i e n d , a n d w a s n o w
prematurely
worn out by apostoliclabor.Uponlearningof
the comingof the GreyNuns,the young Oblatewho had
cometo the far Northearlyin hiscareerhadexclaimed:
lsthisnot tempting6od?Willtheybe ableto survivethe
We mencan
terriblewinterswithoutbreador anything?
we
ButSisters!--when
makeit by killinga hareor a muskrat.
to eatingtheirhiredhelp!3o
reduced
haveseenexploiers
Since1867,BishopGrouardhad seenat work these
On
womenwho had earnedhis esteemand appreciation.
proverbial
his
despite
this day August31, the Bishop,
serenity,was deeplymovedas he sharedwith the Sistersat
the MotherHousethe trialshe hadendured.Twoconfrdres,
Br6mondand Brohanhaddrownedat the rapidsof
Fathers
of the Bishop
FortSmith;two dayslater,the old residence
for the
which had becomea storehouse
of Athabaska
by fire.What the Bishopdid
had beendestroyed
missions,
not say but what the Sistersfrom the North would revea.
he
wasthat on learningof the deathof his two confrEres,
had exclaimed:"Dear God, why did you not take me
and
instead?"3r
Sincethistragedy,he hadbecomeresigned
reservedfor him by
continuedto valuethe consolations
visitwasa happyeventand the
Theinspector's
Providence.
pupilsof the schoolat Chipewyanperformedmarvelously
well. The inspectorhimselfhighlypraisedthe talentfor
ef S i s t e r
i m p r o v i s a t i o an p p a r e n ti n t h e p e r f o r m a n c o
impromptu
composition
pupils.
They
wrote
an
McDougall's
3 0D u c h a u s s o F
s ,p . 6 0 - 6 1 .
s € r o i q u ep
i sr,. ,F e m m eH
3l Letterof Sr.Dufault,datedlune 20, 190E.
355
to say,
whichcharmedboth him and the visitors.Needless
pride
on
legitimate
experienced
General
the Superior
her
proclaim
merit
of
the
hearinga personin authority
lt wasnot to them,howeverthat she
belovedmissionaries.
would go on the morningof September7, but to those
i n t h e f o u r t e e nh o u s e so f t h e S t . B o n i f a c e
dispersed
v i c a r i a t eS
. h ew o u l d s t o p l o n g e ra t t h e m o r e r e c e n t
and Regina.She
Saskatoon
foundations:Fort Frances,
of the cathedralin St. Boniface
would attendthe blessing
on October4, but could not reachKenoraas the ice did
sufficient
security.
not guarantee
Returningon December15 after a circuitwhich had
lastedthree monthsand eight days,the SuperiorCenera.
21, she
waswelcomedbackwith greatioy. On December
then in Rome.
Bruch6si
receiveda letterfrom Archbishop
her concerningthe belovedCause.
He was reassuring
FatherHertzoghad informedFatherFiliatrault,the vicepostulatorin Montrealof a deficiency
in the procedureof
'ordinary
who had testifiedhad not
trial'.The persons
the
In case
had
to be corrected.
This
named.
shortcoming
been
had
to be
burial
of
of the deathof any witness,a certificate
of Montrealwrote:
TheArchbishop
supplied.32
will proceed
Thedifficultyhasbeensolvedandthe Cause
in thiscause
Allthosewhoareinvolved
on its regularcourse.
to it. Theyfind it beautifuland do not
aresympathetic
itssuccess.
ouestion
Eagerto sharethis ioy with all the Sisters,Mother
them in the communityroom on
Filiatraultassembled
21
read
them the letterwhichrevivedtheir
December and
hopesand inspiredthem to imitatemore closel, their
Motherwhom they wereeagerto seehonored
Venerable
bv the Church.
32Circ. mens.1906-08,p. 750.
3s6
HOSPITAI-NASHUA,NEW
THE ST-IOSEPH'S
HAMPSHIRE,U.S.A.,1908
of the
A refusalwas not easyin faceof the persistence
Both
in Nashua.
the Earley
pastorat St.Louisde Gonzague
brothersand the GreyNunsbecameawareof this.During
the winter ol 1907, the latterwere literallybesiegedby
FatherMillettewho wishedthem to take chargeof the
on the propertyowned
hospitalhe was buildingprecisely
by the Earleybrothers.The latterhad inheriteda vastestate
of six acreson a hill commandinga view of the whole
theirfatherhadcomefrom lrelandin
town. MichaelEarley,
great
faminewhich afflictedhis country.
1845,fleeingthe
He prosperedby the sweatof his brow and becamea
defenderof the faith by sustainingthe courageof his
Catholiccountrymenbeing persecutedby the fanatical
Mr. Earleyhad
Consequently,
elementsof New Hampshire.
provento be a powerfulsupportfor the pastorat St. Louis
d e C o n z a g u e .l t w a s p r o b a b l et h a t M i c h a e lE a r l e y
contributedfinanciallyto the foundingof the Nashua
for he
Hedid not witnessits openinghowever,
Orphanage.
died on March28, 1901at the age of one hundredyears
old man had provenby
The respected
and six months.33
he had
his own life that work doesnot kill. Furthermore,
presentiment
often mentionedto his sonsthat he had a
on his
that somethinggreatwouldone day be established
property.lt was preciselythis disclosure
which led the heirs
to move their residenceto "the acre of land they had
reservedfor themselves"in orderto allow the buildingof a
hospital.
FatherMillettebeganbuildingwhile
\Mthouthesitation,
entreatthe GreyNunsfor he was
continuingto earnestly
determinedthat it was they who shouldadministerthe
that his
in this modernhospital.Realizing
variousservices
3 3T h eo r p h a n a goep e n e do n A p r .9 , l 9 0 l .
357
own repeatedrequestswould not obtain an affirmative
reply,FatherMilletteappealedto ArchbishopBruch€si
for
help and the latterfavoredthe foundation.The Superior
Suoerior
of the future
Generalthen namedSisterMasseleau
establishment
while residingat the orphanage
on Main
went
Street.Eachday, Sister
to KinsleyStreet"where a
equippedwith
superbbuildingwas underconstruction
everymodernconvenience".The pastorhad takencareto
havethe plandrawnup so that the chapelwould occupy
the spacewhere Mr. Earley'sroom had been.The heirs
were very sensitiveto this for they would live out their old
age clos€to the sanctuarywhich held such precious
memories.
went to the Mother
In earlyApril, SisterMasseleau
Housefor her annualretreat.Duringher absence,Father
a
Millettealong with BishopCuertin,of Manchester,
staunchfriend of the Crey Nuns,set the date of the
was
blessingof the hospitalfor April 30. SisterMasseleau
given SisterComeauas a companionand on Wednesday
April 22, both went to the chapelwhere the Superior
Ceneralrecitedthe prayersof the itineraryand entrusted
the foundation"to our belovedMotherd'Youville".
wasopened.lt hada capacityof
On May 1, the hospital
s e v e n t yb e d s a n d c o u l d c o m p a r e w i t h a n y o t h e r
establishment
of its kind accordingto SisterMarie-de-lawho
Pr6sentation arrivedon May 12. Shewasthe purveyor
and as her wide experiencein the hospitalfield facilitated
her task,she wasgiven the careof the chapelas well. The
soilwassuitablefor the cultivationof flowersfor the altar.A
non-Catholicdoctor noticedthe sacristan's
concernand
was pleasedto bring her beautifulrosesfrom time to time.
He evenwent to the chaoelto seehow artisticallvhisflorar
tribute had beendisplayed.3a
3a Biographyof 5r. M.-de-la-PrEsentation,the sisterof Sr. M.
written in 1877.
Collettewho wasthe authorof the first chronicles
358
told of the
ln a letterto the MotherHouse,the sacristan
w
h
e
n Mother
p
l
e
a
s
a
n
t
2
1
,
s u r p r i s eo n M a y
Sisters'
Malard,
the
Filiatraultarrivedin the companyof Mother
ProvincialSuperiorof the Bostonvicariate.At this time,
therewere twenty patients.Elevenotherswere expected
and here as elsewhere,the popularityof St. loseph's
Hospitah
l a d s p r e a da b r o a ds o t h a t i t s o o n b e c a m e
therewas
necessary
to requestmore workers.Eventually,
questionof expansion,
of a schoolof
of the establishment
centrewhichthe public
nursingand of buildinga day-care
wouldreferto asa littlemarvel.3s
The pioneersof this institutionfrequentlyheardFather
at havinginsistedon
Millette expresshis satisfaction
the memoryof
obtainingCreyNuns.Also,he oftenrecalled
Mr. Earley,the humbleworkerand devoutCatholicwho
conducthad
had comefrom lrelandand whoseexemplary
inspiredhissonsto giveup theirlandfor a meansum thus
the memoryof theirbelovedfather.
immortalizing
- 1909 T h e S u p e r i oC
r e n e r a l ' ps r o g r a mf o r t h e n e w y e a r
appearedextremelyheavy;moreover,experiencehad
taughtherto expectthe unexpected.
of the
The year 1909 markedthe fiftieth anniversary
Therewas alsoa
foundationof the Hospicein Varennes.
for
scheduled
meetingof the Councilof CanadianBishops
Mother
a flow of visitorsto the
consequently
September;
Housewas expected.Therewere plansto renovatethe
interiorof the chapelas it had not been refreshedsince
1 8 7 8 .C h d t e a u g u awyo u l d b e e x p a n d e db y u s i n gt h e
'yellowhangar'formerlyknownas the dove-house
which
was locatednear the manor.lts secondfloor would be
3 sA n n .1 9 3 8 - 3 9D
, .6 8 7 .
359
who
transformedinto sleepingquartersfor the Sisters
rest.36
needed
of the Sisters
the services
In the vicariate
of St.Boniface,
of Bishops
r
e
m
a
i
n
s
w
h
e
n
t
h
e
would be required
Faraudand Tach6would be exhumedand
Provencher,
to the crypt of the cathedral.The body of
transferred
ArchbishopTach6,who had died fifteenyearspreviously,
was found to be intact.lt was clothedwith episcopa
vestments
and the solemnfuneralserviceand transfertook
placeon lune22.37
As for the canonicalprovinceof Alberta,it would
of the arrivalof the Crey
observethe fiftieth anniversary
of this
Nuns at LacSte-Annein 1859.The celebration
with
the
diamond
coincide
would be madeto
anniversary
jubileeof the priesthoodof the illustrious
FatherLacombe
yearsof age and whosegait was heavl
now eighty-seven
but whosezealhad shownno decline.MotherCarroll,the
Provincial
Superiorwas delegatedto visit the northern
Landingin midand would embarkat Athabaska
missions
of Chipewyanin
Shefound the conventpersonnel
1une.38
o f t h e d e a t ho f S i s t e rB r u n e l l eo n
m o u r n i n gb e c a u s e
10, 1908,a lossverykeenlyfelt.Thiscompanion
December
of the conventin Providence
who had beenco-foundress
and
of Chipewyan
haddedicatedmanyyearsto the mission
of all.3e
hadearnedthe affection
3 6C i r c . m e n s .I 9 0 9 - 1 1 ,p p . 7 E , 1 5 3 . I n 1 9 0 8 ,t h e s i d e w a l k
aroundthe MotherHousewasalsocompleted'
37The disinterment
took placeon Mar.22.
38As of 1908,the Sistersin chargeof the variousprovinceswere
addressedas Mothers.The customwas extendeda little later to
includeall the membersof the Generalcouncil.
3e Newsof this deathwas receivedat the Mother Houseon lan.
'I
co-foundress
6, 1909.Anotherheroicwoman,5r. Michel-des-Sts.,
would die on Nov. 23 of the same
of the conventin Providence
year.
360
For her part, Mother Filiatraultproposedto go to
Albertato carry out the officialvisitationof the various
year'svisitationhad beenlimitedto
Theprevious
convents.
province.The SuperiorCeneral
Boniface
of
St.
the houses
however,was unableto stayany longer,for underthe
a certainlevelof
appearance
of health,was concealed
attributedat the time to herdiabetic
fatigue,an exhaustion
condition."One must keepsecretwhat one suffers"she
herdisposition.
wouldsometimes
say,thusrevealing
To seekoneself,
to withdrawwithinoneselfis to waste
let us
one'stime.Letusratherlookto the divineperfections,
love our DivineMastel he hasdone so much for us.40
had to go to
In spiteof her courage,MotherFiliatrault
was
backat the
on lanuaryI5 for a rest.She
Chdteauguay
MotherHouseby lanuary25 when BishopCrouard,on his
returnfrom Europe,stoppedat the GreyNuns.He had
Congressin
been privilegedto attend the Eucharistic
consideration
Londonin 1908. He had receivedmuch
"becauseof my long white beard" he explained,but
of the frigid and distantcountryunder
because
especially
praisedthe automobilewhich had
Bishop
his charge.The
not yet appearedin the north but he was truly entranced
with the airplanewhichtravelledfive hundredmilesan
hour.41
A t t h e e n d o f l a n u a r y i t w a s l e a r n e dt h a t t h e
P r o t e c t o r a t eo f M a r y l m m a c u l a t ei n L a w r e n c eh a d
been savedfrom a fire, a favor confidently
miraculously
As if to inspirethe Sisters
attributedto Motherd'Youville.a2
the Cause
in theirdevotionto theirFoundress,
to persevere
4 0T h e n o t e sc o n c e r n i n gM o t h e rF i l i a t r a u w
l t e r e o b t a i n e df r o m
her biography.
a r C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 9 - 1 1p, p . 4 1 - 4 2 .
a2 Letterfrom Sr. 5t. Jean-Baptiste
to Mother Filiatrault,lan. 28.
1909.
361
a d v a n c e da n o t h e rs t e p . T h e C o n g r e g a t i o no f R i t e s
examinedthe validityof the diocesanactionundertakenfor
Margu€rited'Youville'43
the Causeof the Venerable
'stepforward' was
Alas,the €nthusiasmelicitedby this
soon to be replacedby a seriousconcernfor on February
21, the SuperiorGeneralwas threatenedwith a stroke.
"Good Lord, what will happento us?" exclaimedSister
the dark daysof
Panet,the annalist,as she remembered
'1897
prescribedby
rest
.44A strict diet and a complete
Doctor Massonwarded off the danger,but the doctor
remainedinflexibleconcerningthe plannedtrip to St'
Albert.lt had to be postponed.
It wasfrom her sickroom that the Superiorwould carry
for the time being.On Monday,March
out herobligations,
8, she receivedin her room,a visitfrom BishopPascalwho
chaplainto the
by FatherLemanceau,
was accompanied
Sistersof Charityof Evronand by three Sistersamong
whom was the SuperiorCeneralof this Congregation.
Thes€Sisters,invited to St. Albert by BishopPascal,were
going to visitthe placebeforesettlingthere.45
The Superiorpresidedat Councilmeetingsand the
takenprovedthat she had not lost sight of the
decisions
spiritualor materialwell-beingof her largefamily.Earlyin
the introductionof
her mandate,she had encouraged
g y m n a s t i c si n t o t h e s c h o o l p r o g r a m .T h i s w a s a n
innovationwhosevalueshe had seriouslyconsidered.
mother,she
Broughtup in the countryby a knowledgeable
physical
in
the open
exercise
from
had
benefitted
herself
air. Eagerto deal with all aspectsof training, physical,
intellectualand moral,sheorganizeda seriesof conferences
were
on the developmentof children.The conferences
43Circ.mens.1909-11,p. 74,
aaThe yearof MotherDeschamps'death
on lune 29.
4 5c i r c . m e n s .1 9 0 9 - 1 , p . 8 3 .
362
given by FatherGirot, p.s.s.,to all the Sistersat the Mother
Houseand thosefrom the surroundingmissions.The
noviceswerealsoincluded.a6
Giftedwith a beautifulvoice,as a noviceshe had
helpedon feastdaysand during her stayat the Nazareth
Institute,she had been able to developthe gift she had
received.Sheoften askedthe Sistersto sing her favorite
hvmnsfor her. When she was requestedto sing, she
invariablychosethe psalm:"l will blessthe Lord at all
caringfor the orphanshadthe art
times".Oneof the Sisters
that her little
of vocalculture.Her schoolwasso successful
choir was often calledupon, especiallyby FatherPayette,
t h e p a s t o r o f L o n g u e u i l . l zT h e S u p e r i o rG e n e r a l
theseoutingswhichdevelopedin the children
encouraged
a likingior musicand inspiredthem to put forth the effort
necesslryto becomecompetent.After an eveningon the
a
choirhadachieved
whenthe children's
feastof St.Cecilia,
the
allowed
willingly
General
Superior
the
brilliantsuccess,
group to be calledStudentsof the St- MathieuSchoolof
5 i n g ' i n ga n d t o b e i n t r o d u c e dt o t h e A r c h b i s h o po f
Montrealassuch.
The Suoeriorlovedto surprisethe Sistersof the Mother
at certaingatherings.
Houseby appearingunexpectedly
her presencewas
which
Therewere other occasionsat
required.Shemadeit a duty to be at the goldeniubileeof
five Sisters,among whom were SistersEthierand Boucher,
who had worked many yearsin the
two missionaries
Canadianwest.Thiswasalsothe caseon her nameday,the
feast of St. PraxEde.Shefollowed the whole program,
visiting the poor gatheredin the community room,
visitingnoteworthypersonsfrom
greetingall the Sisters,
the exterior,mainlymembersof the clergy'
4 6 t b i d . ,p . 1 3 3 .
17 lbid., p. 181, et Circ.,mens,1905'08,p. 132. Sr. Laframboise
was in chargeof the choir.
363
Throughthe summer,the Sistersobservedwith ioy that
and
healthhad improvedconsiderably
MotherFiliatrault's
Anna
Sister
the
fact
that
by
was
strengthened
opinion
their
General,was delegatedto Albertato
Pich6,the Assistant
which had
represent
the SuperiorGeneralat celebrations
beenplannedovermanymonths'On herreturn,shewould
visit the housesof the St. BonifaceProvince.SisterPich6
'to endurepov^erty
and
had becomea Crey Nun in order
But
want and to work in the mostdifficultmissions'.48 she
had neverseenthe Westhavingbeenassignedto American
madeit herduty to attendthe
missions.
MotherFiliatrault
HOtel-Dieu
of Montrealon September1
at the
celebrations
of the arrivalof the
the 250thanniversary
commemorating
in the
Hospitall€rs
of 5t. loseph.Sheparticipated
Religious
firstday of the triduumwhichwasan intimatecelebration
within the cloister.In fact, the eighty Sistersinvited were
allowedto enterthe cloister.The Superiorwashappyto see
that there was little differencebetweenthe living quarters
and thoseof the Crey Nuns.When a
of the Hospitallers
photographerwaspreparingto recordon film a souvenirof
thisvisit,the SuperiorCeneralwithdrewdiscreetly"through
resDectfor our VenerableMother who had neverallowed
the chronicler.ae
anyoneto paintherportrait",explained
Bishops
the Councilof Canadian
As hadbeenexpected,
d r e w d i s t i n g u i s h e dv i s i t o r st o t h e M o t h e r H o u s e .
Meanwhile,on September11, they were precededby
SistersRoyaland Duffin.The first had workedover fifty
y e a r s i n S t . B o n i f a c ea n d t h e s e c o n d h a d b e e n a
foundressof the schoolin Kenora,of the
courageous
lt is
in
orphanage Winnipegandof the hospitalin Regina.5o
were
happy
to
useless
to say that the bishopsof the West
48 Gravel,Sr.1.,MErePich€,p. 13.
4eCirc. mens.19O9-11,p. 256.
50 5r. Duffin went to replace5r. Franklinat St. Patrick's,D6om.
5t.. Outremont.
364
meettheseworthyworkerswhoselaborsbackhome had
beencrownedwith success.
F o u rd a y s l a t e r ,o n S e p t e m b e 1r 5 , i t w a s B i s h o p
a t t h e m a i n a l t a ra n d a f t e r
G r o u a r dw h o c e l e b r a t e d
t
h
e
S
i
s
t
e
r sa s s e m b l e do, f h i s g r e a t
t
o
l
d
breakfast.
the schoolsof the north.He woulc
concerning
satisfaction
He alsoannounced
liketo haveanotherat Fond-du-Lac.
PiusX hadcompliedwith his requestand
that HisHoliness
that a coadjutorhad beengrantedto him in the personof
in
FatherC6lestinloussardwho had been consecrated
5,51
on September
Vancouver
at
16, it wasBishopLegalwho presided
On September
the celebration.He did not stop at the convent,for the
thirly-fivebishopshad to go to Quebecthat sameday to
the Apostolic
attendthe Councilchairedby BishopSbaretti,
Delegate.
It is presumedthat the westernbishopswere united
request'to resurrectthe
and supportedBishopPascal's
The apostolicVicarneverlet an
missionof lle-i-la-Crosse'.
g
o
e x p r e s s i nh
g i s r e g r e ta t t h e
w
i
t
h
o
u
t
b
y
occasion
departureof the Grey Nuns. "Religiousfanaticismoften
rebelsat the sight of a priest'scassock,but bows with
respectat the sight of the grey habit of the Sistersof
C h a r i t y " . sS
z t i l l m o r e r e c e n t l yo, n S e p t e m b e3r 0 , h e
the followingrequest:
to MotherFiliatrault
addressed
t h e c o m m u n i t yl ,h a d
T o o b e yy o u a n d t o p l e a s e
God
Sisters.
yourSisters
with French
to replace
consented
of
Montreal,
seems
to be tellingusthat onlythe crey Nuns
'parexcellence'of
of
the mostdifficultmissions
theapostles
in
these
difficult
West,areableto succeed
the Canadian
s l B i s h o pJ o u s s a r di l,l w i t h a f e v e r ,w a s u n a b l et o a c c o m P a n y
BishopGrouard.
s2 Circ. mens.1906-08,pp. 396-397.
?K<
of
places.(...)
We havebeenrefused
by all the communities
go?
Sisters
Canadian
Wherecanwe
France
and of Canada.
a r eb e i n gs e n tt o C h i n aa n d A f r i c aa n dt h e y c a n n o t
theirown countrylThisthoughtis painfuland
evangelize
grievesmy heart.FatherRapetcameto tell usof hissadness
andwe
Weareall distressed
andof the fateof this mission.
your
pity
(to
you)
and
that
to implore
havedecidedto write
your
Council.
of
of the Mothers
The SuperiorGeneralreadilyaffirmed;"The poor are
the most preciousassetof the Instituteand we should
and theirtrustees".
deemit an honorto be theirguardians
Shecould not resistthis appealand on October4, she
the re-openingof the mission.
announcedto the Sisters,
Sheaddedthe commentthat this heroicact requiredfaith
We are assuredthat the schoolis
in God'sProvidence.s3
away from the dangerof
now situatedat Lac-la-Plonge
a n n u a l f l o o d i n g w h i c h h a d m o t i v a t e dt h e S i s t e r s '
withdrawal.
BishopPascalhastilysharedthe newswith Archbishop
Bruch6siwho wholeheartedlyendorsedthe proiect.Father
Rapet,who was in chargeof the mission,could hardly
containhimselfwith ioy. On October6, he tried to express
the gratitudeof his people.He consideredthat he had
cured by Mother d'Youville.
earlierbeen miraculously
Condemnedby medicalsciencein 1885. he hadrecovered
on the fifth day of a novenamadeby the Sisters.sa
Althoughit seemedthat the decisionhad restoredthe
SuperiorGeneral'sstrength,shedid not feel ableto attend
in Varennes.
of HospiceLaiemmerais
the fiftieth anniversary
and a group of
ShedelegatedSisterWard, her Assistant
in the evening.
who would singat the Benediction
Sisters
present
in
thoughtat the
was no doubt
MotherFiliatrault
'l
Hereon October 5, 1701, had
little villageof Varennes.
53 Circ.mens.1909-11,p. 287,
s 4 t b i d . ,p . 2 9 ' 1 .
366
Dufrostde la
beenborn the eldestdaughterof Christophe
painting
A
by the artist
Madamed'Youville.
lemmerais,
e p p e a r e do n t h e w h i t e w a l l o f t h e
C e o r g e sD e l f o s s a
C a t h e d r a al l o n g w i t h t h o s e o f t h e F o u n d e r so f t h e
pioneers
indicatingthat the illustrious
CanadianChurch,ss
hadnot plantedtheseedin vain.
T h e y e a r e n d e do n a n o t e o f h o p e a n d o p t i m i s m
A Sisterof Quebecwasinspiredto
in the statistics,
reflected
countthe total numberof GreyNunswho hadfollowedin
throughthe yearsfrom
the footstepsof Motherd'Youville
that 3,950women,of
1747to 1909.lt wasestablished
had worn the grey habit in
whom 1,069were deceased,
variousolacesin Canadaandthe UnitedStateswhilein the
for their
werepreparing
409 candidates
differentnovitiates,
missionof charity.s6
THE SACREDHEARTSCHOOL,BEAUVAL,LAC LA
1909.
PLONGE,SASKATCHEWAN,
sinceits
A belovedseniorSisterresidingat the seniorate
joy
of the
the
thought
immense
at
opening,experienced
least
to the
itself,at
if not to lle-i-la-Crosse
Sisters'return,
only fifty-fivekilometersfrom the
schoolat Lac-La-Plonge,
Caron,knownasSisterAgnds
originalsite.SisterMarie-Rose
t
h
e
d
i
s
t
a
n tm i s s i o ni n 1 8 6 0 . I n t h e
had co-founded
a
andof LuceFortier,
P6pinand Boucher
companyof Sisters
tertiary,she had left the MotherHouseon lune 4, had
leavingthereon luly 30 to arriveat
stoppedat St.Boniface,
lle-i-la-Crosse
on October4.r/
s5 The paintingswere installedin the Cathedralon Aug. E, 1909.
s5 one would haveto add to this numberthe five professed
who
of the
accompaniedMother d'Youvillewhen she took possession
C € n e r aHl o s D i t ai nl 1 7 4 7 .
s7 Hist.lle-a-la-crosse,
doc. C.
367
SisterAgndshad spentthirly-twoyearsat that convent
an infirmitywhichcausedherto
whereshehad contracted
limp;when she left the missionin 1892,shewasreplaced
the office
by heryoungersister,SisterLaloiewho assumed
had
obedience
Laioie
through
of superior.In 1905, Sister
St.
beenobligedto closeHospiceSt.losephand return_^to
One
Boniface,
and then in 1909,to proceedto Montreal.)u
canwell imaginethat SisterLajoiewho boreher namewell,
experienced
deepgratitudeat the thoughtthat "the Sisters'
work had not beenin vain and that the prayersof the
Montagnais
andthe Creepeoplewouldbe answered".
Otherscameto congratulatethe Crey Nuns.Among
them was FatherLacombewho declaredbeforethe whole
community:
of the Northwereunanimously
Thepriests
and bishops
your
acceptance
came.I attribute
news
of
happywhenthe
yourMothe/simproved
healthto thisactof generosity.se
Two dayslater,on November6, SistersSt. Nazaireand
St. Elis6earrivedfrom St. Bonifacewhereyearsbeforethey
had pronounced
theirvows.Theywerecomingto visitthe
Mother Housebeforeagainleavingfor exile.SisterSt.
Nazairehad formerlyspentsevenyearsat lle-i-la-Crosse,
the Capitalof Solitude,and now, she was returningas
Superior.lt was not exactlyat the sameplacefor the first
due to the dangerof
locationhad becomeuninhabitable
close.60
floods,but the secondwasreasonably
Thesetwo Sistersleft the Mother Houseon December
Beaudin,
St.Adelin.Yvonneand Alicewouldioin
15. Sisters
58 Not. biogr.Sr.Lajoie.
5 eC i r c .m e n s .I 9 0 9 - 1 1 ,p p . 3 0 4 - 3 0 5 .
5 0S r . 5 t . N a z a i r er e t u r n e dt o l a - C r o s saes 5 u p e r i o ra t t h e r e o p e n i n g o f t h e m i s s i o ni n 1 9 1 7 . S h e w o u l d b e t h e s e c o n d
whereshedied of typhoid'
foundress.
shelaterreturnedto Beauval
368
t h e m l a t e r .A c c o r d i n gt o a n e s t a b l i s h ecdu s t o m ,t h e
SuperiorGeneralled them to the chapelwhereprayersof
the itinerarywererecited,then to the communityroomfor
the kissof peace."lt wasthe finalgreetingfor manyof us,"
commented.
the chronicler
met in Prince-Albert
at 7:30
The groupof missionaries
p.m. of lanuary8. Theywerewelcomedby the Sisters
of
NotreDamede Sionand th€ nextday they went to greet
BishopPascal
whosekindness
wasof a natureto strengthen
to carryout Godt work in this isolated
theirdetermination
would leavePrince-Albert
on lanuary
country.The Sisters
and arrivals
aresubiect
12 or 13th theysaid,for departures
'
L
i
t
t
l
e
North' as northern
to the weatherin the
S a s k a t c h e w awna s d e s i g n a t e dT. h e y a r r i v e da t t h e i r
destination
at 5:30 a.m. on lanuary28. "We weretired
as
althoughall had beendoneto makeus as comfortable
possible,"
wroteSisterSt.Nazaire.
Underthe 'canvas'covers,we did not feelthe cold,but
hadto facethe inclemency
of theweather
the poorBrothers
(...)Weweregladto arriveafterhavingspentelevendays
andsixnightstravelling
bycarriage.6l
The missionaries
found th€ site beautifulevenin its
winterdecor.Theinteriorof the buildingwaslessattractive
for therewasno traceof paintand therewassuchdisorder
that only the Sisterscould find the courageto tackleit.
However,they were helpedby the pupilsof the highest
grade.Twenty-fivepupils had alreadyregisteredand
twenty-fivemore were expectedbut spacehad to be
createdby first establishing
order.
I n e a r l y M a r c h , t h e m i s s i o n a r i e lse a r n e d t h a t
henceforth,Beauvalwould belongto the Keewatinvicariate
and five monthslater,newsreachedthem that Father
6 l L e t t e ro f F e b . 1 0 , 1 9 1 0 .
369
was namedits first titular.On lune 11.
OvideCharlebois
19 11 , t h e h u m b l eC a n a d i a nO b l a t e ,w h o h a d b e e n
School.He
promotedto the episcopate,
visitedthe Beauval
praisedthe Grey Nuns highlyand sharedwith them the
hope that the Institutionwould be permanent.Littledid
they suspectat the time, that Beauvallike severalother
would receivethe baptismof fire, the impactof
missions
harshtrials,but the Sistershad alreadyacceptedthe fact
that the crosswouldbe their lot as it had beenfor the first
for only the crossgivespromiseof a bright
missionaries,
eternity.
- 1 9 1 0A typhoidepidemichad beenat its peakin Montreal
sincethe latterpart of 19Q9,and ArchbishopBruch6si
duringhisvisiton the eveningof lanuary8, congratulated
the Councilfor havingopenedthe shelteron ManceStreet
I shallalsoopen
for the afflicted."lf it becomesnecessary.
people"
unfortunate
to
the
the
cathedral
and
the churches
House
Mother
at
the
The numerousdeaths
he declared.62
of 1910 resultedfrom that contagion.
in the firstsemester
and Dasimirdiedon lanuary1, SisterBaril
Papineau
Sisters
on lanuary3, and by May8 the listof nameshadgrownto
eight.
On the morningof January8, the body of SisterL6a
Dandurandarrivedat the MotherHouse.Shehad died in
Regina,not of typhoidbut of a stroke.Mother Despinsand
SislerLauzierescortedthe remainsand the Dandurand
family gatheredaroundthe coffin to view for the last time
"the exiledvolunteer".The Sisterscontemplatedthis
and
companionwhom they had knownto be enthusiastic
of the Mother
joyful evenin timesof trial. The residents
Houseunderstoodbetter the sacrificesof the missionaries
62Circ.mens.l9O9-11,p. 436.
370
tar away,for they had likewiseexperiencedcold and
darkness;there had been a failureof water and electric
p o w e r w h i c h l a s t e dt w o d a y sa n d a l l o w e dt h e m t o
experiencewhat life was probablylike in placeswhere
waterhad to be hauledand wherecandleshad to be used
for lighting.
the heavyscheduleof
had sustained
MotherFiliatrault
withoutapparentfatiguebut shenoticed
the festiveseason
that her Assistantshowedsome signsof exhaustion.
Indeed,SisterPich6had to submitto surgeryon lanuary
17, the outcomeof which was doubtfuland the Superior
The Superiorusuallymadeher
Generalwas concerned.
to end with the renewalof
retreat
in
November
annual
vows on the 21st or in Decemberto end on the 23rd,
death.Thisyear,shethought
of the Foundress'
anniversary
her intimatetime with the Lord shouldtake placeearlier.
Congressin Montreal,setfor
Sheknewthat the Eucharistic
e a r l y S e p t e m b e rw, o u l d d i s t u r bt h e d a i l y p r o g r a m .
Furthermore,she would haveto allow a long periodof
from
to her fusistantwho was discharged
convalescence
April
18.
hospital
only
on
the
wishedto fill in a
In the meantime,Mother Filiatrault
goldeniubileeof
to
attend
the
gap. Shehad beenunable
the Varennesinstitutionlastyear.On March29, she left for
with Mother Martin,the Provincial
HospiceLajemmerais
Superiorand SisterCh6nier,her nurse.All the Sisters
i n t e r p r e t e di n t h i s l i t t l e t r i p a n i n d i c a t i o nt h a t t h e i r
'Mother's'strengthhad beenrenewed.53
In earlyApril, she had returnedto Montrealwherea
awaitedher
long letter from the Sistersin Resolution
advisingthat they were now in their new convent.The
marvelledat the comfort providedby the hotmissionaries
a i r h e a t i n gs y s t e m .l t e v e n a w a k e n e dt h e f l i e s a n d
63 lbid., p. 39'l .
37'l
of what nextsummerwill be
Thisisa foretaste
mosquitoes.
the writer.s
like,commented
birthdayof the SuperiorGeneralwas
The seventy-first
| 1, and knowingthat shewould be
April
on
celebrated
pleased,
entrustedthe majorpart of the
the Sisters
greatly
Schoolof Singing'
programto the orphansof St. Mathieu's
wouldbe offeredthe followingday
Thegift'par excellence'
would make
when six regularnovicesand one auxiliary
and four
professed
Sisters
their temporaryvows and four
commitment.oJ
wouldmaketheirperpetual
AuxiliarySisters
On April 12, the first annualretreatopenedat the
from the
Mother Housewith twenty-eightmissionaries
UnitedStatesand the Northwestincludedamongthe 229
o.m.i.wouldrecallthe
to whom FatherTourangeau,
Sisters
lif€. Mother General
privileges
religious
of
dutiesand
remainedin her office,availableto the Sisterswho wished
to consulther.The next day,shewasforcedto interruptthe
interviewshowever.in order to comfortby her presence
Lessard
and Caudrywho woulddie at a
and prayer,Sisters
for his former
twelve-hourinterval.Throughconsideration
Bruch6si
attendedthe funeral
and firstteacher,Archbishop
of performingthe
the
duty
claimed
Gaudry
and
of Sister
of the brevityof
reminders
frequent
These
finalabsolution.
life entertainedin the SuperiorGeneralthe thought that
the nine Sisters
one day it would be her turn. Besides
sincethe beginningof 1910,the deathof Father
deceased
l.-S.St. lean,p.s.s.,had alsobeenrecorded.He had been
chaplainat the MotherHouseand had died on February
21st.His biographysignedby FatherHenriCarriguet,the
was receivedon April
SuperiorCeneralof the Sulpicians,
22.
54 Letterdated,an. 3 but written by bitsand starts.
6 5C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 9 - l ' 1p, . 4 0 6 .
372
the Crey Nuns heardof the
Likeall the Montrealers,
c a l a m i t i e tsh a t c o u l d b e e x p e c t e da s a r e s u l to f t h e
appearanceof Halleyt comet. Scientistshad first predicted
day,then moved
that May 10 would be the inauspicious
were
recordedon
storms
18.
Frequent
the duedateto May
the |0th and it rainedall day on the 18th.The chronicler
reportedthat "peoplebelievedso firmly that extraordinary
would occurthat manywere surprisedif not
happenings
While on the outside,peopleexpected
disappointed".6e
on the 11th,
the SuperiorGeneralprecisely
calamities,
r e c e i v e da l e t t e rf r o m t h e P o s t u l a t o or f t h e C a u s e ,
informingher that a summaryof the apostolicprocedure
had been Drinted.lt containedmorethan sevenhundred
pagesas they had addedall the historicelementswhich
more
couldrenderthis imposingfigure(Motherd'Youville)
Thewriteradded:"l would liketo be ableto
interesting.6T
lt would be a loy for me to meet
bringyou newspersonally.
family".Theiourneywould in
you and your greatreligious
fact take place as FatherHertzogcame to the Mother
Houseon September5, but he did not meet Mother
Did the Superiorhavea premonitionof this?
Filiatrault.6s
Thereis reasonto believethat she might havefor shegave
up her plan to visit the BostonVicariatein mid-Mayand
Farmfor a restduring which
went insteadto the St-Charles
with the
time she intendedto set her correspondence
'North' in order.Sheknew that her lettersconstituteda
great comfortfor the Sisterswho wereso far away.Forthis
reason,shewrote theselettersto the misionariesherself.
During her stay at the farm, she receiveda letterfrom
hergodchild,PraxEde
SisterDiqui6rewith newsconcerning
The Indianchild had beentakenat the time of
Filiatrault.
her mother'sdeath by FatherLacombeand the Superior
65 lbid., pp. 435-436.
57 Letterof April 29,'l'910,
6ECirc.mens.1909-11
, p. 527
373
Ceneralwho was then visiting Calgary,sent her to the
conventin St-Albertwhich wasalready"filled to capacity".
At the little girl's baptism,she had been namedPraxdde
afterher godmother.The child had grown more in grace
than in health"for on May l4 shedied at the ageof fifteen
after oromisinqthat shewould rememberher benefactor
beforethe thro-neof Cod".59
Thegodchildand godmotherwereaboutto meet.The
SuperiorGeneralwas in someway forewarnedof this by a
of February
suddenmalaisesimilarto the attackof paralysis
1909. Shewas chattingwith "two good f riends,elderly
jubilariansof the Congregationof Notre Dame,when she
Calledto her bedside,the doctor
becamesemi-conscious".
in revivingher but the patientdid not delude
succeeded
herseff.As soon as she was able,on May 27, she returned
to the Mother House.Thoughher conditionwasserious,
Shesummonedher
she continuedher taskas Superior.
Councillors
to her room to inform them of the alarming
Hospitaland urgedthem
financialsituationof Notre-Dame
to prayfor a favorableoutcome.Shealsosharedwith them
the letter receivedfrom St. Bonifacegiving detailsof the
of religiouslife of
celebrationof the sixtiethanniversary
SisterLaurent.This"liftle Motherd'Youville"had become
renownedin her serviceto the poor and despiteher
years,she was still activein socialwork with
seventy-eight
high
The membersof St. Boniface's
the mostimpoverished.
societywho along with the companionsof the humble
crey Nun, had celibratedher merits.7o
the SuperiorGeneralfollowed
In spiteof her weakness,
When
she receivedword that a
events
closely.
all the
sacrilegehad been committed at St. Michel Churchin
Montreal,she prescribeda holy hour in reparation.On
5e Letterof May 17,191o.
70 Letterof sr. Ste.Th€rbse
May 21, 1910.
to 5r. Desnoyers,
374
Monday,lune 6, unableto go to the chapel,she received
Holy Communionin her room. In the afternoon,Father
Lecoq,the Superiorof the Sulpicians,
cameto pay her a
visit.On that day he was boarding"La Savoie"for Rome
and Paristo deal with important matters.lt was a visit of
adieueventhoughno onedaredmentionit.
On this sameday, Mother Filiatraultexpressed
the
desirethat the Sistersbegin a novenato obtain a cessation
of the heavyrainwhichfarmersweredeploringat seeding
time. Many believedthe evilswere due to the cometbut
the Sistersturned to prayerrecitingthe Miserereafter the
rosaryand singingthe ParceDominewith accompaniment
on the organ.
The novenawas in its third day when Doctor Masson,
h a v i n gd i a g n o s e da d i a b e t i ca b s c e s si n h i s p a t i e n t ,
"decidedto inciseit and iniectserumat the site", recorded
the chroniclerin the daily diary."lt is the remedyof the
hopeless",saidthe Superiorwho wasnot mistaken,Indeed,
her conditionworsenedso that it was necessaD/
for a nurse
t o r e m a i na t h e r b e d s i d e .O n F r i d a y1 0 , a m e d i c a .
consultationwas heldand the verdictreturnedunfavorable:
the Superior's
time was runningout. Informedof the
fact,thepatient'sreply revealedthe attitudeof her soul:
" G o d ' s h o l y w i l l b e d o n e " . T h e s a c r a m e n t sw e r e
administered
while she aloneremainedcalm and serene
surroundedby the Sisterswho were disconsolate.
Shedied
1
1
at 4:55 a.m. Saturday,
at
age
seventy-two
and in
lune
year
the forly-sixth
of her religiouslife.
T h r e e d a y s l a t e r , h e r f u n e r a l w a s p r e s i d e db y
ArchbishopBruch6siof Montrealwith ninety-twomembers
of the clergy presentwhile Sistersof everycommunit,
especially
from the Sistercommunitiesand numerous
friendsof the Institutefilledthe naveand the balconies.
375
the remainsto the
retinueaccompanied
An impressive
crypt whereshe who had beenthe twelfth, the fourteenth
and the sixteenthSuperiorGeneralof the Grey Nuns,
would be laid to rest, besideMothersSlocombeand
two outstandingwomen who had deeply
Deschamps,
influencedher and nearthe tomb of the belovedMother
d ' Y o u v i l l ew h o s e w o r t h y d a u g h t e r s h e h a d b e e n
career.
throughouthermeritorious
awardedto the memory
Amongthe manytestimonials
Father
L. T. Rodier,pastorat
woman,
that
of
of this brave
touched
U.S.A.particularly
in Williamstown,
St. Raphael's
the Crey Nuns.The pastorwasthe brotherof SisterFortier,
he had often met the
and consequently
the chronicler,
Houseon March
the
Mother
He
came
to
General.
Superior
24,'1911in the companyof his friend,Raggi,an artist.
had diedalmostten monthsago but she
MotherFiliatrault
had deploredthat her
had not beenforgotten.The Sisters
Now the kind
recorded
on
canvas.7l
had
not
been
features
painting
their
Superiorby
of
pastorofferedthe GreyNunsa
Raggi.
that I presentto the CreyNuns
It is with greatpleasure
a paintedportraitof MotherFiliatraul!he explained.She
wasa nobleand worthywomanwhich her Sistershadthree
timeschosenastheir leader.lf shehadso deservedthe trust
of her community,I am sureit will pleasethis community
t o h a v e h e r i m p e r i s h a b l em e m o r y p e r p e t u a t e do n
canvas"
.72
7r lt will be remembered
that the SuperiorCeneralhad refusedto
haveher Dicturetaken.
7 2C i r c .m e n s .1 9 0 9 - l , p p . 7 5 5 - 7 5 6 .
376
BIBLIOGRAPHY
| - souRcEs
ARCHIVES
P.Qu6
ArchivesdesSoeursGrisesde Montrdal,Pierrefonds,
ArchivesdesSoeursCrisesde Montr6al
desSrsCrisesSaint-Boniface,
Maisonprovinciale
Manitoba
ArchivesdesSoeursGrisesde Montr6al
Edmonton,
Crises,
Centrer6gionaldesSoeurs
Alberta
II - PRINTEDSOURCES
B E N O i T ,D o m , s u p . d e s C h a n o i n e sr € g u l i e r sd e
au Canada.Me de Mgr Tach6,
l'lmmacul6e-Conception
S
t
B
o
n
i f a c e2, v o l u m e s .M o n t r 6 a l ,
d
e
archev6que
1904
256,
Beauchemin, rueSaint-Paul,
Librairie
CANADA,
Royale
du Canada.
BRUCHESI,
lean: de la Soci6t6
(
C
o
u
r
o
n n 6p a r
R 6 a l i t 6 sd ' h i e r e t d ' a u l o u r d ' h u i '
et l'Acad€miedes Sciencesmorales
l'Acad6mieFranEaise
et politiques).Prix Duvernay,1949. Pr6facede Etienne
Montr€al.LesEditions
Cilsonde l'Acad6mieFrangaise,
1958.
Beauchemin
Mgr Ovide
Gaston,O.M.l,:LeP€redu Keewatin.
CARRIiRE,
2585
Charlebois,o.m.i. I 862:1933.Rayonnement.
Montr6al1962.
Letourneux,
377
Antoine:LesLa V6rendryeet le postede
CHAMPAGNE,
l'Ouest.LesPresses
de l'Universit6
Laval,Qu6bec,1968.
A .n t o i n e : N o u v e l l e 6s t u d e ss u r L e sL a
CHAMPACNE
V 6 r e n d r y ee t l e p o s t e d e l ' O u e s t .L e s P r e s s e ds e
l'Universit6
Laval,Qu6bec,I 971.
Picton: PetiteHistoiredu
CHAMPACNE,
D'Eschambault,
1971.
Voyageur.
LaSoci6t6
historique
de Saint-Boniface,
Antoine: La Famillede LouisRiel.Notes
CHAMPACNE,
| 969.
et Historiques,
C6n6alogiques
SoeurMalvina,s.g.m.:Me de la v€n6r6eMdre
COLLETTE,
ps soeurde la charit6de
lt-Descham
Hainau
Marie-lulie
(dites
lle
soeursgrises).8e,
l'H6pitalg6n6ralde Montr6al
N6e le 19 mai 1819, d6c6d6ele 29
et I 3Esup6rieure.
luin 1897.Vie augment6epar soeurAlbinaFauteux.
Archivesdes SoeursCrisesde
Textedactylographi6.
Mont16al.
de
Sr E.:LesSoeursGrises& les6v6nements
DEMOISSAC,
d'6tudeno 37,1970. La Soci6t6
1859-1
870. Sessions
catholique.
de l'Eglise
canadienne
d'histoire
s.g.m.:fH6pital g6n6raldes
DROUIN,SoeurCl6mentine,
'1853-1877.
MaisonMEre.
Soeurs
de la Charit6.Tomelll,
|
Montr6al, 943.
LesSoeurs
R.P.,o.m.i.:Femmesh6roiques.
DUCHAUSSOIS,
glaces
Polaires.
Paris,
Editions
aux
Grisescanadiennes
Spes,17 rueSoufflot6\,1927.
Provencher
et
Monseigneur
DUCAS,
AbbeG.. missionnaire:
e .o n t r € a l ,C . O .
l e s m i s s i o n sd e l a R i v i E r e - R o u gM
256 et 258 rue
Beauchemin
& Fils,Libraires-imprimeurs,
1
889.
Saint-Paul,
p.s.s.:Viede Madamed'Youville,
Etienne-Michel,
FAILLON,
de la Charit6.H6pitalg6n6ral
Ville-Marie
chezlesSoeurs
't852.
378
aux
p.s.s.:Lettresadress6e5
Etienne-Michel,
FAILLON,
g6n6ral
Soeurs
H6pital
des
Montr6al,
de
Grises
Soeurs
Montr6al,1948.
Crises.
de
MmeAlbertine:llEcoled'infirmidres
FERLAND-ANCERS,
L
, o n t 1 6 a l .1 8 9 8 - 1 9 4 8 . e s
l ' H 6 p i t a lN o t r e - D a m eM
1948.
Contrecoeur,
Editions
Donatien:de la Soci6t6Royaledu Canada.Les
FREMONI,
S e c r 6 t a i r edse R i e l .L o u i sS c h m i d t ,H e n r yl a c k s o n .
Lt6e.Montr6al
PhilippeCarnot.LesEditionsChanteclerc
1953.
: g r P r o v e n c h eert s o n t e m p s .
F R E M O N ID o n a t i e n M
Editions
de la Libert6,619 avenueMcDermot,Wnnipeg,
'1935.
C O O D , H o w a r dE . : 8 l a c kS w a m pF a r m .O h i o S t a t e
1967.
Press.
University
HOUCK,Rev.CeorgeF.,DiocesanChancellor:A Historyof
of
Catholicityin NorthernOhio and in the Dioceses
1.
Volume
31,
1
900.
December
From1749to
Cfeveland.
1903.
Press
of I.B.Savage
Cleveland,
. i s t .( L o u v a i n )1.9 5 3 .
, . S . CH
H Y N E SM, i c h a ell. P h . D . D
Originand Crowth
Historyof the Dioc€seof Cleveland.
( 1 8 4 7 - 1 9 5 2 )D. i o c e s eo f C l e v e l a n d1. 0 2 7 S u p e r i o r
Ohio.
Avenue,Cleveland,
IEAN,Marguerite,s.c.i.m.Evolutiondes communaut6s
religieuses
de Femmesau Canadade 1539 i nos iours.
.
Montr6al'1977
Fides,235 ouesl boulevardDorchester,
IORDAN,Mary: To Louisfrom your sisterwho lovesyou
Toronto1974.
SaraRiel.CriffinHouse.
Mgr Martin,O.M.l.:Etuded'dme.Mgr Ovide
IAIEUNESSE,
O.M.l.
Charlebois,
379
L E S A G EG,e r m a i n o, . m . i . : " C a p i t a l ed ' u n e s o l i t u d e
Editionsdes Etudesoblates.Avenuedes Oblats,Ottawa
1946.
M A C G R E C O Rl ,a m e s C . : F a t h e rL a c o m b e .H u r t i g
1975.
10560105 St Edmonton,
Publishers
9d
s.g.m.MerelaneSlocombe.
SoeurEstelle,
MITCHELL,
Fides,
g6n6rale
1819-1872.
desSoeurs
Grises.
sup6rieure
I 964.
Montrr5al
s.g.m.:Le Soleilbrillei minuit.
SoeurEstelle,
MITCHELL,
Limit6e1970.
Beauchemin
Librairie
a notretemps.
r.h.s.i.:Pr6sente
MOREAU,
SoeurFlorence,
'1592-'1652.
Fondatrice
de la
MEreMariede la Ferre
hospitalidres
de SaintCongr6gation
des Religieuses
Editions.
Apostolat
des
Filles
de
Saint-Paul,
Joseph.
Montr6al1964.
abr6g6ede l'Ouestcanadien.
MORICE,
A.C.o.m.i.: Histoire
Alberta
et Grand-Nord,Saint
Manitoba,Saskatchewan,
Boniface,
Man.1914.
, .m.i.
M O R I C ER
, . R .o . m . i . : V i e d e M g r L a n g e v i n o
Chezl'Auteur,SaintArchev6que
de Saint-Boniface.
Boniface,
Man.,1916.
E.B.:LouisRiel,Un hommei pendretraduitpar
OSLER,
Rossel
Vien.Editionsdu lour. 1651, rue Saint-Denis,
Montr6al,I 962.
de l'Acad6mie
PAUL-EMILE,
Soeurs.g.c.:D. bs L. Laur6ate
Bruyire
et
son
oeuvreLes
Frangaise.
Mdre Elisabeth
SoeursGrisesde la Croix,Tomel. Mouvementg6n6ral
AvenueLaurierEst,
1845-1876.Editionsde I'universit6.
Ottawa,Ont. 1945.
P.de M.: fOeuvrev6ridiquede LouisRiel,1869-70.1885.
Montr6al
EditionsAlbertLdvesque.
Figurescanadiennes.
1934.
380
P E N A R DJ, . - M . ,O . M . l . : M g r C h a r l e b o i s(, N o t e s e t
Limit6e.
Montr6al.LibrairieBeauchemin
souvenirs).
1937.
P,. A .o . m . i . :L e F r d r eA l e x i sR e y n a r do, . m . i .
PHILIPOT
Premier"ap6treinconnu"du GrandNord canadien.
(Ardiche)
rs. LablachEre
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secou
'193
t.
de Qu6bec20
Robert:Histoirede la Province
RUMILLY
1564, rue
Valiquette.
volumes.EditionsBernard
oremiers
Montr6al1940.
Saint-Denis,
Robert:Histoirede Montr6al.fome 2. 1761RUMILLY,
'|
Montr€al1970.
767. Fides.245 est, boul. Dorchester
Tome 3. 1867. Fides245 est, boulevardDorchester,
Montr6al1972.
Robert:Papineauet son temps.Tome l, 1791'
RUMILLY,
ViesCanadiennes,
. Collection
1838.Tomell, 1838-1871
| 977.
Fides,245 est,boulevardDorchester,
Soeur:Soeursde la Charit6de Qu6bec.
SAINTE-BLANCHE,
La charit6en marche.L'lnstitutdes Soeursde la Charit6
de la
de Qu6becfond6en 1849.MaisonMbredesSoeurs
I
948.
Charit€.5, rueSaint-Olivier
LesSoeursde la Charit6de Qu6bec.Mbre Mallet | 805de la Charit6de Qu6bec,
1871et l'lnstitutdes Soeurs
de la Charit6,5'
fond€en 1849.MaisonMEredesSoeurs
1
939.
rueSaint-Olivier,
Qu6bec
RIEL,Louis:lournalde prison.Ecritsdu CanadaFrangais,
Montr6al,vol. Xlll. 1962.1029,Cdtedu BeaverHal,,
Montr€al.
S O E U RCSR I S ED
S E M O N T R E A L ':H 6 p i t a9l 6 n 6 r adl e s
Soeurs
de la Charit6.Tomepremier.Montr6alI9l3.
381
L'Hdpitalg6n6raldes
DE MONTREAL:
SOEURS
CRISES
Soeursde la Charit6.tome ll - 1821a 1853.lmprimerie
de la maisonmbre.1190 rueGuy,Montr6al,1933.
Vingtann6es
TACHE,
Mgr Alex.,6v€quede Saint-Boniface.
l'Am6rique.
RueStle
Nord-Ouest
de
missions
dans
de
Vincent,no 6, 8 et 10. 1866.
TESSIER,
Abb€Albert:Versles paysd'En Haut.Editions
Fides,Montreal,1944.
WINNIPEC:3OthAnniversary
ORPHANAGE
ST-IOSEPH
by the
1900-1920.Published
Publication
comemorative
Sistersot ChariW.
382
TABLEOFCONTENTS
In Retrospect.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. 1
p.
C h a p t e or n e18 7 7- 18 8 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.5. p .
C h a p t e r t w o1 8 8 1- 1 8 8 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. .1. p .
'1884
- 1 8 8 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8. .9p .
C h a p t etrh r e e
ChapterfourlS8T-1889
. . . . p .1 3 3
C h a p t e r f i v1
e 8 9 0- 1 8 9 2 . . .
....p.'171
C h a p t esr i x1 8 9 3- 1 8 9 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.0. p1.
. l 8 9 61 8 9 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2. .3. 5
p.
C h a p t esr e v e n
C h a p t eer i g h t18 9 9- 19 0 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2p6. 7
C h a p t enr i n e19 0 3- 19 0 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2p8. 9
C h a p t e r t e n1 9 0 7- 1 9 1 0
Bibliography
.......p.335
.p.377
383
d'Youville
Marguerite
Charity
Mother
of Universal