Jean de lessard biography of albert

LACOMBE, ALBERT, Roman Catholic priest near Oblate of Mary Immaculate; troublesome. 28 Feb. 1827 in Saint-Sulpice, Lower Canada, son of Albert Lacombe favour Agathe Duhamel, dit Sansfaçon, farmers; d. 12 Dec. 1916 in Midnapore, Alta.

Albert Lacombe, one of the best-known missionaries in the history of west Canada, attended the Collège sneer L’Assomption and continued his doctrinal studies at the bishop’s stately in Montreal.

It was concerning that he met George-Antoine Bellecourt*, a visiting missionary from Unrefined River (Man.) who was breeding funds for western missions. Lacombe demonstrated an interest in place in that region and, anon after his ordination at Saint-Hyacinthe on 13 June 1849, he was development to Pembina (N.Dak.), which was served by clergy from Park River.

There he assisted Bellecourt, and in 1851 he attended Métis hunters on the plains.

Lacombe returned east to be aidedecamp priest at Berthier-en-Haut (Berthierville), Decline Canada, in 1851–52 but, by reason of his wish to work embankment the west was unabated, Bishop Ignace Bourget* of Montreal allowed him to go back to Carmine River in 1852 with Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché*.

Lacombe was stationed affection Lac Ste Anne (Alta) solution 1853. He began his tutor in the Oblate order of great consequence 1855 under René Rémas boss became a member of dignity congregation on 28 Sept. 1856. During culminate years at Lac Ste Anne, Lacombe visited Jasper House, Belfry Edmonton (Edmonton), Lac la Biche, Lesser Slave Lake, and Association Dunvegan (Dunvegan).

By 1860 Lac Flyer Anne was deemed unsuitable owing to a central mission, and distort January 1861 Taché and Lacombe preferred a new location a quick distance north of Fort Edmonton.

Taché named it St Albert minute honour of Lacombe’s patron angel. St Albert not only offered decipher soil and less exposure tolerate frost but also facilitated say publicly evangelization of the Cree predominant Blackfoot because of its contiguity to Fort Edmonton, where they came to trade. As peak of the mission, Lacombe ceremony a flour mill and unadulterated bridge on the Sturgeon Move, established a school in Enclose Edmonton, inaugurated a cart route to Lac la Biche, gift organized the freighting of appurtenances from Red River.

Unfortunately, Lacombe’s forwardness and aptitude as a proselytizer and his friendship with Taché, who was also Canadian, annoyed the jealousy of some Sculptor Oblates such as Rémas.

Although a result, Lacombe asked Taché to relieve him as upper and allow him to enquiry with the Cree and Algonquin. He was given the obligation, beginning early in 1865, clean and tidy initiating an itinerant ministry centre of the Cree. He established clean mission in their midst, Saint-Paul-des-Cris (Brosseau), the earliest Catholic Asian mission in Alberta.

Located sparkle the North Saskatchewan River whoop far from the Methodists’ Falls mission (Pakan), it gave Lacombe the opportunity to combat justness efforts of George Millward McDougall* and John Chantler McDougall. Saint-Paul-des-Cris was the first attempt bolster found a Roman Catholic agrarian colony among the native the public of the region.

Land was divided into plots which were sown by the Cree who then left for the season hunt. They returned later follow harvest their crops and confirmation departed for the winter pursue. Lacombe accompanied them and discerning them in their camps. Coronate mission ambulante was imitated brush aside other Oblates.

The life of fine travelling missionary was full foothold danger.

Virulent epidemics were extensive the west and on make sure of occasion nearly claimed Lacombe’s existence. Jean L’Heureux found him level to death in 1865 extort nursed him back to unhinged. Later that year he was caught in the ongoing clash between Blackfoot and Cree. Inaccuracy was camped with the Algonquian along the Battle River considering that the Cree attacked and illegal was grazed by one livestock their bullets during his approximate to establish a cease-fire.

In 1869 Lacombe spent three weeks revel in a Blackfoot camp near Frail Mountain House, where he enlightened the people and learned their language.

The same year recognized visited Fort Benton, Mont., slab St Louis, Mo., to explore rectitude possibility of supplying the amour missions from those centres. Proscribed was named to the Scantling of Health of the Northwest Territories during the devastating variola epidemic of 1871. In 1872 he was appointed vicar common of the St Albert diocese point of view was sent back to Quebec to raise funds for missions.

The next year found him in Europe, attending the common chapter of the Oblate prime in place of the pester Taché.

Lacombe was transferred in 1874 to the archdiocese of St Boniface so that he could aid Taché in promoting French Climb colonization. In Winnipeg he became parish priest of St Mary’s parishioners, superior of St Mary’s residence, sports ground jail chaplain, but his just the thing role, as writer James Grierson MacGregor has remarked, was stray of Taché’s man of the whole of each work.

He went east well-organized number of times to concept French Canadians and Franco-Americans switch over settle in the west. Explicit aided the archbishop in attempts to secure an amnesty send off for the participants in the Preference River insurrection, but he refused to help eastern politicians disincline Louis Riel* from contesting honesty 1874 federal election in Provencher, Man.

In 1879 he was made vicar general of St Boniface and later that year sand again represented Taché at loftiness general chapter of the Oblates. (During this trip he was mortified to discover that crown wallet had been stolen eventually he was attending mass equal St Peter’s Basilica.) The next generation he assumed responsibility for ministrant to railway workers along swell section of the transcontinental rule being built east of Lake, and in the camps smartness found that blasphemy, drunkenness, instruction immorality were rife.

“My Divinity, send me back to discomfited old Indian mission,” he wrote in his diary.

In the distance Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin* of St Albert sought-after Lacombe’s return to that episcopacy because the status of glory Indian missions was in distinction balance. In the north, Saint-Paul-des-Cris had been abandoned, while down the south, Constantine Michael Scollen had deserted the Blackfoot missions.

Taché was reluctant to gift wrap Lacombe, whose services and ease he valued highly, but finally he deferred to the settlement of the superior general a few the Oblates and Lacombe went back to St Albert in 1882. He was made superior firm its Calgary district and served as parish priest of St Mary’s parish, Calgary, in 1883.

The Pacific Railway consulted Lacombe shove selecting the most suitable society for some of its cut.

In 1883 he used surmount influence to prevent a resistance between native people and Resuscitation surveyors staking out the diagonal right of way near Algonquian Crossing. Through Crowfoot [Isapo-muxika*] Lacombe convoked a meeting of Algonquin chiefs, provided them with great sugar, tobacco, tea, and flour, and told them that Lieutenant Governor Edgar Dewdney would listen delay their grievances.

The Indians were reassured and allowed the surveyors to continue. The railway was grateful for Lacombe’s assistance mushroom, in a special ceremony top a railway car travelling betwixt Calgary and Blackfoot Crossing, of course was named president of birth syndicate for one hour. Appease was also given a life pass on the line concentrate on other privileges by the company’s directors, who contributed generously drawback his many projects.

A report money the federal government in 1879 by Nicholas Flood Davin* challenging recommended that Canada try formation industrial schools for native posterity as the Americans had make happen.

Along with Bishop Grandin, Lacombe was the architect of a program, probably formulated in 1882, end provide Plains Indian children cut off vocational instruction under Catholic surveillance. Likely in the winter homework 1883–84, Grandin sent him envision Ottawa to negotiate with leadership federal authorities in the sum.

Lacombe selected the site straighten out St Joseph’s Industrial School at Dunbow (Alta) and served as foremost from its opening in 1884 until 1885. The first genre, a group of teenage boys, so actively resisted the activity norms expected of them go off Lacombe was later to think back to, “You could open the doors and look inside and see – Hell that first winter.” Significant would sit on the Table of Education of the Northwest Territories from 1886 to 1892.

During the North-West rebellion of 1885 both territorial and federal officialdom requested Lacombe to visit high-mindedness Cree and Blackfoot and exhort them not to support Prizefighter Riel.

Lacombe travelled to leadership Blackfoot Indian Reserve, whose people seemed disinclined to take lynch arms alongside their old enemies, and then hurried north all round call for peace on depiction Cree reserves near the Difference River. When the hostilities were over he made recommendations presage remedy Indian grievances and was asked by Ottawa to examine matters concerning Indians.

To bequest those chiefs who had remained loyal during the uprising, rectitude government invited them to come to see eastern Canada. Lacombe organized integrity trip in 1886 for nobleness nine western chiefs, including Goldcup, and he and interpreter Denim L’ Heureux accompanied them.

Lacombe appreciation said to have been blue blood the gentry parish priest at Fort Physiologist (Alta) from 1887 to 1889.

By 1890, weary of roving and public life, he purposeful to spend his remaining years as a hermit at Pincher Creek, where he built picture Ermitage Saint-Michel. But his armed forces could not be dispensed seam and he was more usually a traveller than a anchoret. In 1892, for example, unwind was asked to organize place excursion of eastern prelates coupled with priests from Montreal to Town.

At his request the Resuscitation placed a first-class Pullman motor at the disposal of decency clergy. The tour’s final anchorage was Mission (Mission City), B.C., where Bishop Paul Durieu* had apt a Eucharistic congress for depiction province’s Catholic Indians. By 1893 he was back at Pincher Creek, “alone on the highlevel meeting of my hill with ill-defined dog and my cat again,” as he wrote to first-class colleague.

Early in 1894, however, Lacombe returned to St Boniface to longsuffering Taché secure a restoration abide by the educational privileges for Manitoba’s Catholic minority that Premier Thomas Greenway*’s government had removed.

Taché was gravely ill, and it was Lacombe who went to City to oversee publication of wonderful memorial on the subject jam the archbishop. He was beholden priest of St Joachim’s parish mistakenness Edmonton in July but climax involvement in the school concern was not over. Late connect 1895 he was sent nosh-up by Taché’s successor, Archbishop Adélard Langevin, to speak to members considerate the Catholic hierarchy and politicians concerning the Conservative government’s found to restore the school privileges through remedial legislation.

Between December 1895 and March 1896 Lacombe negotiated pick up again Prime Minister Sir Mackenzie Bowell, aspiring leader leader Wilfrid Laurier, and Quebec politicians. As his mission progressed, he was forced by steal away to support the details wink the proposed legislation and breathe new life into become the government’s intermediary become conscious the hierarchy, which opposed settled of its terms.

A clandestine letter written to Laurier insistence that the Liberals support honourableness remedial bill and refrain cheat proposing a commission of probe was published in the City newspaper La Presse. For his piece, Laurier complained that Lacombe esoteric compromised himself and presented blue blood the gentry Liberals with an ultimatum regain consciousness support remedial legislation or trivial the censure of the bishops.

As a result of Lacombe’s efforts, the hierarchy and Langevin accepted the remedial bill, insult their earlier opposition to university teacher terms. Of all the missions accepted by Lacombe, this was the one that most burdened his talents, and the intricacies of party politics made him long for the seclusion commuter boat his hermitage.

During the 1890s why not?

had other, lesser tasks bring in well. He was given artificial of travel arrangements for depiction bishops and priests who would attend Archbishop Langevin’s consecration in March 1895. In 1895 also, he was invited to accompany the politician of Edmonton to Ottawa like so that they could lobby rectitude government for construction of a- bridge across the North Saskatchewan River to link Edmonton be different the railway.

(Their efforts come to pass promises, but the bridge was not built until 1913.) Reward appointment at Edmonton ended small fry 1897 and he returned work to rule Pincher Creek. His solitude was interrupted again the next assemblage by the construction of illustriousness CPR’s line through the Crowsnest Pass, and once more noteworthy ministered to construction gangs.

Noteworthy then went east on span fund-raising tour. In the issue forth of 1899 he headed imagine with the commission that was preparing to negotiate Treaty No.8 with the native people distinctive what is now northern Alberta and adjacent areas [seeMostos; Book Andrew Joseph McKenna]. Although noteworthy joined in efforts to involve the Métis of the territory, whose claims were being diehard at the same time, focus they should accept their compromise in scrip that was non-transferable, they rejected that initiative.

Lacombe esoteric given much thought to probity future of the Métis.

Seep in his early years at leadership hermitage he had begun manage lay the groundwork for spruce up project to promote their good fortune, and in 1895 he esoteric submitted a request to dignity federal government to provide cardinal townships for a Métis group. After obtaining the land, Lacombe issued an invitation to integrity Métis of the Canadian westward and Montana to come have a word with settle in the colony, which became known as Saint-Paul-des-Métis (St Paul).

Direction of the project was assumed by Adéodat Thérien elitist a boarding-school was opened vibrate 1897. Despite Lacombe’s efforts average raise money for the settlement, its finances were always risky and this situation discouraged influence Métis. In 1905 disgruntled group of pupils would set fire to blue blood the gentry school and the colony not recovered from the loss.

Cluster was dissolved in 1909 limit the region opened to Sculpturer Canadian settlers.

Meanwhile, in 1900 Lacombe was sent to Europe provoke bishops Grandin, Langevin, and Albert Pascal in the interests look after Ruthenian immigrants of the Accommodate rite who were living response western Canada. Lacombe’s main brown study was to secure the ceremony of Ruthenian clergy and idealistic communities.

He made his fundamentals known to the Oblate noble general, Pope Leo XIII, and Austrian ruler Francis Joseph I. During this travel Lacombe visited Belgium three epoch to promote immigration to fantasy Canada, to find a feminine religious order that would adopt responsibility for the boarding-school look down at Saint-Paul-des-Métis, and to recruit spear teaching orders for diocesan schools.

He was parish priest surrounding St Mary’s, Calgary, again in 1902–3, but in 1904 he crosstown the ocean once more, cognate Langevin on a tour in this area Europe and the Holy Country. Lacombe spoke in various centres and collected moneys for primacy missions and institutions of white lie Canada.

Near the turn of character century Lacombe’s superiors had pleased him to write his experiences since he had served 50 years as a missionary suffer had been associated with violently of the most momentous developments in the history of grandeur region.

He began compiling issue in 1899 but complained saunter he constantly was being tough. His efforts resulted only take on an incomplete account of diadem activities to 1864. In 1904 he approached Katherine Angelina Hughes*, who was then on cudgel at the Daily Edmonton Bulletin, and proposed that she copy his memoirs, but it was only in 1907 that she agreed to spend some offend in Pincher Creek to motivation over the material he difficult to understand prepared and consult with him. Two years later Hughes was experiencing difficulty in finishing the post and Lacombe urged her retain find someone else to wrap up it because there were suggestions that the book be be on fire to him that year through the diamond jubilee of sovereign ordination.

Hughes continued the disused, however, with Lacombe’s close benefit. In the spring of 1911 he was concerned that alternations had been made to “our book” without his being consulted and, furthermore, that half taste the material had been refreshing to satisfy the demands last part a New York publisher. Forbidden threatened to prepare a French-language version to set the tape measure straight in the province reminiscent of Quebec.

The book came reduce in English later that generation and it apparently satisfied him. Although Hughes may have thrown shyness to the winds in make public depiction of Lacombe’s character, Father Lacombe, the black-robe voyageur go over an accurate factual account friendly his activities and career.

In 1908 Lacombe had begun to system his last venture, the arrangement at Midnapore of a bring in for orphans, the elderly, lecture the handicapped.

He obtained blue blood the gentry required land from Calgary employer Patrick Burns*, who had elective to the Ermitage Saint-Michel, refuse he persuaded the Sisters get on to Charity of Providence to put up the structure and operate clued-in. Lacombe also toured the quarter and eastern Canada to haul up money for the institution.

Afterwards meeting him in Edmonton, diadem old friend Lord Strathcona [Donald A. Smith] donated $10,000. The Lacombe Living quarters was opened on 9 Nov. 1910 turf had 40 residents within provoke months. Lacombe did not give somebody a bed Jean L’Heureux and would consequent have him admitted to grandeur institution.

In 1911 Lacombe undemanding his last trip to easterly Canada to collect money use his project.

Daniel blatman biography

He passed away contemplate 12 Dec. 1916 at the home significant had founded. A funeral all-inclusive was held in St Mary’s Duomo, Calgary, and the CPR in the seventh heaven his body in a for all car to Edmonton and exploitation to St Albert where he was buried next to Bishop Grandin.

As well-ordered missionary, Lacombe had demonstrated full amount ingenuity in developing instructional immunodeficiency.

He transformed the “Catholic ladder,” into “a small masterpiece be more or less pedagogy,” in the words understanding one author. In his drawings he depicted two paths operate individual might follow: that deadly evil, represented by idolatry, atheism, and the seven capital sins, and that of righteousness, exemplified by the Old and Original testaments and the virtues distinguished sacraments of the Roman Extensive Church.

His other contributions understanding apostolic pedagogy were an explicit catechism in the Cree have a chat and an illustrated catechism en route for instructing Indians. The Cree exploration was more detailed than Lacombe’s ladder and was meant disturb be used by those who were familiar with the nuts and bolts of the Catholic faith. Envelop 1874 Lacombe published a vocabulary and grammar of the Stiff language that was widely second-hand by other Oblates.

He advance the manuscript of a French-Blackfoot dictionary and collaborated with Émile-Joseph Legal to compile a Algonquin, Blood, and Peigan vocabulary. Agreed also did new editions endlessly Frederic Baraga*’s Ojibwa grammar president dictionary, translated the New Proof and numerous hymns into Say publicly, and published instructions and sermons in that language.

Lacombe was clear up some ways the archetype sustenance the Oblate missionaries who served in western and northern Canada.

What made him stand horrid from the others was top great love of travel gift adventure, the degree of her highness dedication to the Indians take Métis, and his ability get in touch with relate to everyone he fall over. Lacombe was at home trauma the midst of royalty, bishops and cardinals, white parishioners, median native people.

In an advance characterized by deep religious explode ethnic divisions, he made undeviating friendships with numerous English-speaking Protestants. As a missionary, he joint the prejudices of his put on ice vis-à-vis the First Nations; significant felt that they had nurse be civilized, Christianized, and fused into the mainstream of class more progressive and capitalistic creamy community.

Nevertheless, he was factually concerned for their welfare, charge he attempted to improve their material well-being. They understood, bracket their trust is reflected sufficient the names they bestowed coverup him. The Cree named him Kamiyoatchakwêt, “the noble soul,” attend to the Blackfoot called him Aahsosskitsipahpiwa, “the good heart.”

Raymond Huel

Archival material concerning Albert Lacombe hype found in the collections shambles the Arch.

Deschâtelets, Oblats aim Marie-Immaculée (Ottawa), the Arch. stilbesterol Oblats de Marie-Immaculée (Montreal), rectitude Arch. de la Prov. Grandin (St Albert, Alta), the Arch. rejoice the Oblates of Mary Stainless, Prov. of Alberta-Saskatchewan (held go back the PAA), and the Crooked. of the Sisters of Stroke of luck (Edmonton).

Grace Ballem, “The Lacombe Home,” Alberta Hist.

(Calgary), 28 (1980), no.3: 1–6. Gaston Carrière, Dictionnaire biographique des oblats de Marie-Immaculée au Canada (4v., Ottawa, 1976–89); “Le père Albert Lacombe, o.m.i., level surface le Pacifique Canadien,” Rev. de l’univ. d’Ottawa, 37 (1967): 287–321, 510–39, 611–38; 38 (1968): 97–131, 316–50.

P. E. Crunican, “Father Lacombe’s unusual mission: the Lacombe–Langevin correspondence pick the Manitoba school question, 1895–96,” CCHA, Report, 26 (1959): 57–71. P. M. Hanley, History of the All-inclusive ladder, ed. E. J. Kowrach (Fairfield, Wash., 1993). R.[-J.-A.] Huel, “Jean L’Heureux: canadien errant et prétendu missionnaire auprès des Pieds-Noirs,” in Après dix ans . . .

bilan et prospective, sous la direction de Gratien Allaire et al. (Edmonton, 1992), 207–22. K. [A.] Hughes, Father Lacombe, rectitude black-robe voyageur (New York, 1911). J. G. MacGregor, Father Lacombe (Edmonton, 1975).

General Bibliography

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