Louis-Joseph d'Herbomez
Encyclopedia
Louis-Joseph d'Herbomez (January 17, 1822 – June 3, 1890) was a Canadian
Roman Catholic priest, Vicar Apostolic of British Columbia, and Titular Bishop
of Miletopolis from 1863 to 1890.
, France
.
and then 1864, New Westminster.
. In 1864, d'Herbomez became Bishop
of the Diocese of New Westminster (later to become the Archdiocese of Vancouver).
Louis-Joseph d'Herbomez died on June 3, 1890 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.
In 1862, d'Herbomez purchased land on the Fraser River
in what is now the District of Mission
, which gets its name from a mission school founded on those lands in the 1880s. A creek flowing through those lands, which are now the Pekw'Xe:yles
Indian Reserve
and the adjoining Fraser Valley Heritage Park, was named D'Herbomez Creek
in his honour in 1952. A rock outcrop in the upper part of that creek's basin reminded him of the rocks at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and he and others would meditate at the site. After his departure for France in 1887, his dream of building a shrine to the Virgin was fulfilled in 1892 and the first Marian shrine in British Columbia was built on the spot of his meditations. Named the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, it was an eight-sided, domed structure with detachable walls, around which assembled parishioners, most of them First Nations
people, would assemble for mass and celebrations, and it was the focus of an annual Passion Play, conducted in the Chinook Jargon
, held on the mission grounds. Renovated in 1954 after years of disuse and disrepair, it was nonetheless demolished in 1965 along with the other older buildings of the mission, due to the construction of the newer St. Mary's Indian Residential School, successor to the original St. Mary's Mission. Plans to reconstruct it were launched immediately afterwards by the Mission Heritage Association, who in collaboration with the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus
built a reconstruction of the Grotto, opening it in May, 1997.
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...
Roman Catholic priest, Vicar Apostolic of British Columbia, and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Miletopolis from 1863 to 1890.
Curriculum Vitae
Louis-Joseph d'Herbomez was born on January 17, in 1822, in BrillonBrillon
-References:*...
, 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...
.
Ordination
In 1849, Louis-Joseph d'Herbomez became a Roman Catholic priest of Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI).He joined the Oregon Missions in 1850 and by 1858 became Vicar of Missions from Vancouver IslandVancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and then 1864, New Westminster.
Consecration
In 1863, Louis-Joseph d'Herbomez became the first Vicar Apostolic of British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. In 1864, d'Herbomez became 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 of New Westminster (later to become the Archdiocese of Vancouver).
Louis-Joseph d'Herbomez died on June 3, 1890 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.
Legacy
Credited with being the first Bishop of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.In 1862, d'Herbomez purchased land on the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
in what is now the District of Mission
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
, which gets its name from a mission school founded on those lands in the 1880s. A creek flowing through those lands, which are now the Pekw'Xe:yles
Pekw'Xe:yles
Pekw'Xe:yles, also spelled Peckquaylis , is an Indian Reserve on the north bank of the Fraser River in Mission, British Columbia, Canada, located between Lower Hatzic Slough and D'Herbomez Creek. 10.3 ha. in area, it was reinstated in June, 2005 by Order in Council and is used by 21 Indian...
Indian Reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
and the adjoining Fraser Valley Heritage Park, was named D'Herbomez Creek
D'Herbomez Creek
D'Herbomez Creek is a creek in eastern Mission, British Columbia, flowing southeast to join the Fraser River at the Pekw'Xe:yles Indian Reserve D'Herbomez Creek is a creek in eastern Mission, British Columbia, flowing southeast to join the Fraser River at the Pekw'Xe:yles Indian Reserve D'Herbomez...
in his honour in 1952. A rock outcrop in the upper part of that creek's basin reminded him of the rocks at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and he and others would meditate at the site. After his departure for France in 1887, his dream of building a shrine to the Virgin was fulfilled in 1892 and the first Marian shrine in British Columbia was built on the spot of his meditations. Named the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, it was an eight-sided, domed structure with detachable walls, around which assembled parishioners, most of them First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
people, would assemble for mass and celebrations, and it was the focus of an annual Passion Play, conducted in the Chinook Jargon
Chinook Jargon
Chinook Jargon originated as a pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to other areas in modern Oregon and Washington, then British Columbia and as far as Alaska, sometimes taking on characteristics of a creole language...
, held on the mission grounds. Renovated in 1954 after years of disuse and disrepair, it was nonetheless demolished in 1965 along with the other older buildings of the mission, due to the construction of the newer St. Mary's Indian Residential School, successor to the original St. Mary's Mission. Plans to reconstruct it were launched immediately afterwards by the Mission Heritage Association, who in collaboration with the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
built a reconstruction of the Grotto, opening it in May, 1997.