Vital-Justin Grandin
Encyclopedia
Father Vital-Justin Grandin (8 February 1829 – 3 June 1902) was a Roman Catholic priest
and bishop
who served the Church in the western parts of what is now Canada
both before and after Confederation
.
, on 8 February 1829. He was ordained as a priest in 1854; one month later he was sent by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
to Canada to perform missionary work in what was then Rupert's Land
. Upon arrival he was sent to Saint-Boniface
, where Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché
was in charge. Grandin was subsequently assigned to a mission at Fort Chipewyan (now in Alberta
). He next served at Île-à-la-Crosse
(now in Saskatchewan
) for a number of years.
Grandin was never completely healthy; he had been a sickly child and also had a speech impediment, and his health deteriorated during his later years. He did however preside over the development and expansion of the Diocese of St. Albert, including the founding of new missions and churches throughout Alberta and the construction of hospitals and schools which, unusually for the time, were administered by members of female religious orders and lay clergy. Grandin's efforts to increase Francophone settlement in Alberta were less successful, but many francophone communities founded at the behest of Grandin (such as Beaumont, Lacombe
, and Morinville
) still exist in central and Northern Alberta.
Bishop Grandin died in office on 3 June 1902. He was declared venerable by the Roman Catholic Church in 1966.
Upon his death, Grandin was succeeded by Bishop Émile-Joseph Legal
in the St. Albert diocese.
Priest
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...
and 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...
who served the Church in the western parts of what is now 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...
both before and after Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
.
Early life
Grandin was born in Pierre-sur-Orthe, FranceFrance
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...
, on 8 February 1829. He was ordained as a priest in 1854; one month later he was sent by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
to Canada to perform missionary work in what was then Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
. Upon arrival he was sent to Saint-Boniface
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint-Boniface
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint-Boniface is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of Manitoba. It is currently led by Archbishop Albert LeGatt....
, where Bishop Alexandre-Antonin 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...
was in charge. Grandin was subsequently assigned to a mission at Fort Chipewyan (now in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
). He next served at Île-à-la-Crosse
Île-à-la-Crosse Airport
Île-à-la-Crosse Airport, , is located north of Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan, Canada....
(now in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
) for a number of years.
Life as bishop
In 1867, Taché proposed that the vicariate of Saskatchewan be formed with Grandin as vicar of missions. This took place in 1868; in the same year, Grandin attended the council of Quebec bishops in 1868 to discuss new religious boundaries in the Canadian northwest. As a result of these discussions, St. Boniface was elevated and the suffragan diocese of St. Albert was created. In 1871, Vital-Justin Grandin was appointed bishop.Grandin was never completely healthy; he had been a sickly child and also had a speech impediment, and his health deteriorated during his later years. He did however preside over the development and expansion of the Diocese of St. Albert, including the founding of new missions and churches throughout Alberta and the construction of hospitals and schools which, unusually for the time, were administered by members of female religious orders and lay clergy. Grandin's efforts to increase Francophone settlement in Alberta were less successful, but many francophone communities founded at the behest of Grandin (such as Beaumont, Lacombe
Lacombe, Alberta
Lacombe is a city in Alberta, Canada. It is located north of Red Deer, the nearest major city, and south of Edmonton, the nearest metropolitan area...
, and Morinville
Morinville, Alberta
Morinville is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located north of Edmonton on Highway 2.- History :Morinville was settled by Father Morin, an Oblate missionary, who brought many French settlers in the late 1800s, followed by several German pioneers—hence its many French and German families...
) still exist in central and Northern Alberta.
Bishop Grandin died in office on 3 June 1902. He was declared venerable by the Roman Catholic Church in 1966.
Upon his death, Grandin was succeeded by Bishop Émile-Joseph Legal
Émile-Joseph Legal
Émile-Joseph Legal was born in France and came to Lachine, Quebec where he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate order in 1880....
in the St. Albert diocese.
Legacy
- St. Vital, a neighbourhood and a provincial electoral ridingElectoral district (Canada)An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
in Winnipeg, Manitoba - Grandin, a neighbourhood in St. Albert, AlbertaSt. Albert, AlbertaSt. Albert is a suburban city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St...
- Bishop Grandin Boulevard, also known as Winnipeg Route 165
- Bishop Grandin Greenway, a major redevelopment area in Winnipeg
- Bishop Grandin High SchoolBishop Grandin High SchoolBishop Grandin High School is operated by the Calgary Catholic School District. It is a composite high school and one of the largest in Calgary, serving just under 1500 students in the communities of south Calgary, Alberta...
, a secondary school in Calgary, Alberta under the Calgary Catholic School DistrictCalgary Catholic School DistrictThe Calgary Catholic School District is the Roman Catholic separate school board in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It also serves the neighboring communities of Airdrie, Chestermere, and Cochrane... - Numerous Catholic elementary schools in Alberta and Manitoba
- The Grandin sporting house at Iona College in Brisbane, Australia, is named after Bishop Grandin http://www.iona.qld.edu.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=57&limit=1&limitstart=6