Louis-François Richer Laflèche
Encyclopedia
Louis-François Laflèche, (September 4, 1818 – July 14, 1898), was a Catholic
bishop
of the diocese
of Trois-Rivières
, in the province of Quebec
, Canada
.
to Louis-Modeste Richer dit Laflèche and Marie-Anne Richer dit Laflèche (née Joubin dit Boisvert). His family held the secondary surname of Laflèche because their ancestor, Jean Richer, was from an area in France
called La Flèche
, near Anjou
.
Laflèche studied at the Nicolet College from 1831 to 1839. Following his education, he taught classics and science while continuing courses in theology. He was ordained a priest on January 7, 1844. Laflèche educated himself in three Native American languages: Cree
, Montagnais
, and Anishinaabe
. He was the first to reduce the Montagnais language to grammatical form.
In 1844, he headed a mission
near the Red River of the North
. He joined the famous mission of Île-à-la-Crosse
in 1846. He engaged in a great deal of missionary activity in 1851. In North Dakota
, dressed only in a black cassock
, white surplice
, and stole, he directed a miraculous defense of 60 Métis
against 2,000 Sioux
combatants, using a crucifix
at the Battle of Grand Coteau. After a siege of two days (July 13 and 14), the Sioux withdrew, convinced that the Great Spirit
protected the Métis
. Laflèche was also one of the founders of the Vicariate Apostolic of Keewatin
.
Pius IX nominated Laflèche to be Bishop
of Arath in 1849. However, an illness had left him with in infirmity in his limb, and he asked to be withdrawn from the nomination and be replaced by Mgr. Alexandre Taché
. When he returned to Canada
in 1856, he taught mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy at Nicolet College. He was appointed president of the college in 1859.
of Trois-Rivières
selected Laflèche to be his coadjutor. The following year, he was elevated to be head of the diocese
of Anthedon
. In 1869, he blessed the new church of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade
. While attending First Vatican Council
in 1870, he was appointed Bishop
of Trois-Rivières
. He used his power and influence to interfere in the affairs of the Province of New Brunswick
in an attempt to quash the passage of the Common Schools Act of 1871
that resulted in the Separation of church and state
in the New Brunswick education system.
Bishop Laflèche authored five volumes of pastoral letters and two works concerning religion in the family and a discussion of the encyclical Humanum Genus
. In 1885, Leo XIII split his diocese, and he was forced to comply with this action and step down from him post. Following this, he became involved in the Manitoba Schools Question
from 1890 to 1896, asking the help of Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
and Wilfrid Laurier
. His concern was voiced in the Affari Your encyclical of 1897.
, often touching upon subjects dealing with political and religious questions of his day. In 1876, he led the Ultramontanist movement in Quebec
, with the help of Bishop Ignace Bourget
. He therefore had many disagreements with Bishop Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau
, who was a liberal.
Laflèche used his religious authority to help the Conservative Party of Quebec. He is credited with the phrase, "L'enfer est rouge et le ciel est bleu" (Hell is Parti rouge
and heaven is Parti bleu
). Blue is the color of the Conservatives and red, that of the Liberals. Laflèche's influence was especially strong in the 1890 provincial election
. All the Conservative candidates were elected in the Mauricie
area, even though most of them were overwhelmingly defeated across the province.
for 54 years and a bishop
for 31 years.
Also, the former federal electoral district of Saint-Maurice—Laflèche
was named in his honor.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
, in the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Early life and career
He was born on September 4, 1818 in the village of Sainte-Anne-de-la-PéradeSainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Quebec
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade is a municipality in the Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality, in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada. The town is located near the mouth of the Sainte-Anne River along the Chemin du Roy, a historic segment of Quebec Route 138 that stretches from...
to Louis-Modeste Richer dit Laflèche and Marie-Anne Richer dit Laflèche (née Joubin dit Boisvert). His family held the secondary surname of Laflèche because their ancestor, Jean Richer, was from an area in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
called La Flèche
La Flèche
La Flèche is a municipality located in the French department of Sarthe and the region of Pays de la Loire in the Loire Valley. This is the sub-prefecture of the South-Sarthe, the chief district and the chief city of a canton. This is the second most populous city of the department. The city is part...
, near Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
.
Laflèche studied at the Nicolet College from 1831 to 1839. Following his education, he taught classics and science while continuing courses in theology. He was ordained a priest on January 7, 1844. Laflèche educated himself in three Native American languages: Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
, Montagnais
Innu-aimun
Innu-aimun or Montagnais is an Algonquian language spoken by over 11,000 people, called the Innu, in Labrador and Quebec in Eastern Canada...
, and Anishinaabe
Anishinaabe
Anishinaabe or Anishinabe—or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek, which is the plural form of the word—is the autonym often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonquin peoples. They all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages, of the Algonquian language family.The meaning...
. He was the first to reduce the Montagnais language to grammatical form.
In 1844, he headed a mission
Mission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....
near the Red River of the North
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
. He joined the famous mission of Île-à-la-Crosse
Île-à-la-Crosse
Île-à-la-Crosse is the second oldest community in Saskatchewan, Canada, being established in 1846 as a Roman Catholic mission by Alexandre-Antonin Taché, but as a fur trading post in 1779 by the Hudson's Bay Company. It has a rich history being connected to the Churchill River, Beaver River and...
in 1846. He engaged in a great deal of missionary activity in 1851. In North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, dressed only in a black cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
, white surplice
Surplice
A surplice is a liturgical vestment of the Western Christian Church...
, and stole, he directed a miraculous defense of 60 Métis
Métis
A Métis is a person born to parents who belong to different groups defined by visible physical differences, regarded as racial, or the descendant of such persons. The term is of French origin, and also is a cognate of mestizo in Spanish, mestiço in Portuguese, and mestee in English...
against 2,000 Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
combatants, using a crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
at the Battle of Grand Coteau. After a siege of two days (July 13 and 14), the Sioux withdrew, convinced that the Great Spirit
Great Spirit
The Great Spirit, also called Wakan Tanka among the Sioux, the Creator or the Great Maker in English, and Gitchi Manitou in Algonquian, is a conception of a supreme being prevalent among some Native American and First Nations cultures...
protected the Métis
Métis
A Métis is a person born to parents who belong to different groups defined by visible physical differences, regarded as racial, or the descendant of such persons. The term is of French origin, and also is a cognate of mestizo in Spanish, mestiço in Portuguese, and mestee in English...
. Laflèche was also one of the founders of the Vicariate Apostolic of Keewatin
Vicariate Apostolic of Keewatin
The Vicariate Apostolic of Keewatin was a Roman Catholic missionary jurisdiction in northern Canada which included the northern half of the Province of Saskatchewan, and was bounded on the north by the Arctic regions, on the south by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint-Boniface, on the east...
.
Pius IX nominated Laflèche to be Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Arath in 1849. However, an illness had left him with in infirmity in his limb, and he asked to be withdrawn from the nomination and be replaced by Mgr. Alexandre Taché
Alexandre-Antonin Taché
Alexandre-Antonin Taché was a Roman Catholic priest, missionary of the Oblate order, author and the first Archbishop of Saint Boniface in the Canadian province of Manitoba.In late 1844 Taché entered the Oblate novitiate...
. When he returned to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1856, he taught mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy at Nicolet College. He was appointed president of the college in 1859.
Diocese of Trois-Rivières
In 1866, Bishop Thomas CookThomas Cook
Thomas Cook of Melbourne, Derbyshire, England founded the travel agency that is now Thomas Cook Group.- Early days :...
of Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
selected Laflèche to be his coadjutor. The following year, he was elevated to be head of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Anthedon
Anthedon (town)
Anthedon was a Hellenistic city near Gaza and is a titular see of the Catholic Church....
. In 1869, he blessed the new church of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Quebec
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade is a municipality in the Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality, in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada. The town is located near the mouth of the Sainte-Anne River along the Chemin du Roy, a historic segment of Quebec Route 138 that stretches from...
. While attending First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
in 1870, he was appointed Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
. He used his power and influence to interfere in the affairs of the Province of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
in an attempt to quash the passage of the Common Schools Act of 1871
Common Schools Act of 1871
The Common Schools Act of 1871 was legislation of the Canadian Province of New Brunswick, passed by the 22nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, which replaced the Parish Schools Act of 1858. The legislation aimed to abolish church-run schooling in New Brunswick and replace it with a system of...
that resulted in the Separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
in the New Brunswick education system.
Bishop Laflèche authored five volumes of pastoral letters and two works concerning religion in the family and a discussion of the encyclical Humanum Genus
Humanum Genus
Humanum Genus was a papal encyclical promulgated on April 20, 1884, by Pope Leo XIII. Coming in the ascent of the industrial age and Marxism, it posited that the late 19th Century was a dangerous era for Christians, and condemned Freemasonry as well as a number of beliefs and practices allegedly...
. In 1885, Leo XIII split his diocese, and he was forced to comply with this action and step down from him post. Following this, he became involved in the Manitoba Schools Question
Manitoba Schools Question
The Manitoba Schools Question was a political crisis in the Canadian Province of Manitoba that occurred late in the 19th century, involving publicly funded separate schools for Roman Catholics and Protestants...
from 1890 to 1896, asking the help of Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
Sir Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau, PC, KCMG , born in Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, was a French-Canadian lawyer and politician....
and Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
. His concern was voiced in the Affari Your encyclical of 1897.
Influence on Politics
As Bishop of Trois-Rivières, Laflèche gave weekly sermons at the cathedralCathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, often touching upon subjects dealing with political and religious questions of his day. In 1876, he led the Ultramontanist movement in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, with the help of Bishop Ignace Bourget
Ignace Bourget
Ignace Bourget was a French-Canadian Roman Catholic priest who held the title of Bishop of Montreal from 1840 to 1876. Born in Lévis, Quebec in 1799, Bourget entered the clergy at an early age, undertook several courses of religious study, and in 1837 was named co-adjutor bishop of the newly...
. He therefore had many disagreements with Bishop Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau
Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau
Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau was a Canadian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Quebec from 1871 until his death in 1898...
, who was a liberal.
Laflèche used his religious authority to help the Conservative Party of Quebec. He is credited with the phrase, "L'enfer est rouge et le ciel est bleu" (Hell is Parti rouge
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
and heaven is Parti bleu
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
). Blue is the color of the Conservatives and red, that of the Liberals. Laflèche's influence was especially strong in the 1890 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1890
The Quebec general election of 1890 was held on June 17, 1890 to elect members of the 7th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Honoré Mercier, was re-elected, defeating the Quebec Conservative Party, led by Louis-Olivier Taillon.A...
. All the Conservative candidates were elected in the Mauricie
Mauricie
Mauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
area, even though most of them were overwhelmingly defeated across the province.
Death
He died on July 12, 1898 at 79 years of age. He had been a priestPriest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
for 54 years and a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
for 31 years.
Honor
The following sites and landmarks were named to honor Monsignor Laflèche:- In the MauricieMauricieMauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
, QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
area:- Avenue Laflèche, located in Shawinigan, MauricieMauricieMauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
; - Laflèche College and Rue Laflèche, in Trois-RivièresTrois-Rivières, QuebecTrois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
; - Rue Laflèche, in La Tuque;
- Rue Laflèche, in Louiseville;
- Rue Laflèche, in Saint-Paulin;
- Avenue Laflèche, located in Shawinigan, Mauricie
- In the Greater Quebec CityCapitale-NationaleCapitale-Nationale is one of 17 administrative regions of Quebec, Canada. Quebec City, Quebec's centre of government, is located in this region. It has a land area of 18,638.7 km2...
area:- Rue Laflèche, in Beauport, Greater Quebec City AreaCapitale-NationaleCapitale-Nationale is one of 17 administrative regions of Quebec, Canada. Quebec City, Quebec's centre of government, is located in this region. It has a land area of 18,638.7 km2...
; - Rue Laflèche, in L'Ancienne-Lorette;
- Rue Monseigneur-Laflèche, in Sainte-FoySainte-Foy, QuebecSainte-Foy is a former city in central Quebec, Canada on the Saint Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. Most of Sainte-Foy is in the Borough of Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge....
;
- Rue Laflèche, in Beauport, Greater Quebec City Area
- Elsewhere in QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
:- Rue Laflèche, in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
; - Rue Monseigneur-Laflèche, in Boucherville, MontérégieMontérégieMontérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion....
.
- Rue Laflèche, in Montreal
Also, the former federal electoral district of Saint-Maurice—Laflèche
Saint-Maurice—Laflèche
Saint-Maurice—Laflèche was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1968....
was named in his honor.