Michel-Édouard Méthot
Encyclopedia
Michel-Édouard Méthot was a French-Canadian Roman Catholic churchman, educator, and early rector
of Université Laval
.
, in what was then Lotbinière County. He was the son of farmers, Joseph Méthot and Marie-Xavier Desrochers. After his studies at the parish school, he went to the Petit Séminaire de Québec
, to which he would remain attached for the rest of his life.
At the seminary he was a successful student, forming friendships with French priests Charles-Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg and Pierre-Henri Bouchy, and entered the Grand Séminaire in 1846. His teaching and supervising duty at the Petit Séminaire, traditionally given to theological students, left him little time to study (only an hour a day, he confessed to his uncle). Due to Archbishop Joseph Signay
's reservations (Signay noted Méthot's poor eyesight, which the latter sought treatment for), Méthot's tonsuring
was delayed. He became a priest on 30 September 1849. Méthot went to teach rhetorics and literature at the Petit Séminaire and was noted as one of the best literature teachers there in the second half of the 19th century. In 1856, he was made prefect of studies.
In the 1860s, he took two years to travel and study in Europe
. In 1860 he visited museums, high schools and churches, learning about different teaching practices. He also paid a visit to Bouchy. In 1866, he spent a year to further his theological studies at the Catholic University of Leuven
, again taking notes of the inner working of the university and the teaching methods. Slated to become the Séminaire's superior, he wondered whether entering a religious might not be preferable. Upon his return, he became superior and rector of Université Laval
(the positions were not separated until 1970).
Méthot "had an unusual face and head, invariably caricatured by the students in art class," although he was not considered ugly. He was not considered a great orator either, but his discussion was "always pleasant and full of wit," and his lectures were well planned and structured.
As a Rector, he served two full terms (1866–69, 1880–83) alternating with Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau
and Thomas-Étienne Hamel
, and reluctantly accepted an interim term in 1886. From 1870 to 1873 he was director of the Grand Séminaire and was vice-rector of the University branch in Montreal
(the future Université de Montréal
) for two years starting in 1878. His service at the University was efficient and lacked outstanding achievement. However he and Hamel served during troubled times, having to react to both attacks from freemason-fearing elements in the clergy who saw the presence of freemason at Laval as worrying, and to the struggle of the Montreal ultramontanes under the leadership of Ignace Bourget
seeking from Rome the establishment of an independent university in the city.
He was made a domestic prelate by Pope Leo XIII in 1886, but was forced to retire from his administrative positions the next year due to illness. He would then take on preaching and hearing confession in religious communities, also officiating in ceremonies in which sisters took the habit. He taught his last class in 1890, and died at the Hôpital Général de Québec
in 1892. He is buried in the seminary's chapel
.
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
.
Biography
Méthot was born in the summer of 1826 in Sainte-Croix, QuebecSainte-Croix, Quebec
Sainte-Croix is a municipality in and the seat of the Municipalité régionale de comté de Lotbinière in Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Chaudière-Appalaches region and the population is 2,433 as of 2009...
, in what was then Lotbinière County. He was the son of farmers, Joseph Méthot and Marie-Xavier Desrochers. After his studies at the parish school, he went to the Petit Séminaire de Québec
Petit Séminaire de Québec
Le Petit Séminaire de Québec is a private French-language Roman Catholic secondary school in the Vieux-Québec area of Quebec City which was originally part of the Séminaire de Québec...
, to which he would remain attached for the rest of his life.
At the seminary he was a successful student, forming friendships with French priests Charles-Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg and Pierre-Henri Bouchy, and entered the Grand Séminaire in 1846. His teaching and supervising duty at the Petit Séminaire, traditionally given to theological students, left him little time to study (only an hour a day, he confessed to his uncle). Due to Archbishop Joseph Signay
Joseph Signay
Joseph Signay, , was the third archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec.Signay was ordained in 1802 by Bishop Pierre Denaut and began a number of years of parish duties. In 1814, he was appointed parish priest of Quebec by Archbishop Joseph-Octave Plessis...
's reservations (Signay noted Méthot's poor eyesight, which the latter sought treatment for), Méthot's tonsuring
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
was delayed. He became a priest on 30 September 1849. Méthot went to teach rhetorics and literature at the Petit Séminaire and was noted as one of the best literature teachers there in the second half of the 19th century. In 1856, he was made prefect of studies.
In the 1860s, he took two years to travel and study in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In 1860 he visited museums, high schools and churches, learning about different teaching practices. He also paid a visit to Bouchy. In 1866, he spent a year to further his theological studies at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
, again taking notes of the inner working of the university and the teaching methods. Slated to become the Séminaire's superior, he wondered whether entering a religious might not be preferable. Upon his return, he became superior and rector of Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
(the positions were not separated until 1970).
Méthot "had an unusual face and head, invariably caricatured by the students in art class," although he was not considered ugly. He was not considered a great orator either, but his discussion was "always pleasant and full of wit," and his lectures were well planned and structured.
As a Rector, he served two full terms (1866–69, 1880–83) alternating with 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...
and Thomas-Étienne Hamel
Thomas-Étienne Hamel
Thomas-Étienne Hamel was a French-Canadian priest and academic. He was the son of Victor Hamel, a merchant and Therèse DeFoy....
, and reluctantly accepted an interim term in 1886. From 1870 to 1873 he was director of the Grand Séminaire and was vice-rector of the University branch in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal 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...
(the future Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
) for two years starting in 1878. His service at the University was efficient and lacked outstanding achievement. However he and Hamel served during troubled times, having to react to both attacks from freemason-fearing elements in the clergy who saw the presence of freemason at Laval as worrying, and to the struggle of the Montreal ultramontanes under the leadership of 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...
seeking from Rome the establishment of an independent university in the city.
He was made a domestic prelate by Pope Leo XIII in 1886, but was forced to retire from his administrative positions the next year due to illness. He would then take on preaching and hearing confession in religious communities, also officiating in ceremonies in which sisters took the habit. He taught his last class in 1890, and died at the Hôpital Général de Québec
Hôpital général de Québec
LHôpital général de Québec is a hospital located in the tiny municipality of Notre-Dame-des-Anges, Quebec , surrounded by the La Cité–Limoilou borough of Quebec City . It was classified as an historic site in 1977 by the Quebec government...
in 1892. He is buried in the seminary's chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
.