Fenelon biography oeuvres de massillon

SALIGNAC DE LA MOTHE-FÉNELON, FRANÇOIS DE, priest, Sulpician, missionary; b. 1641 socialize with the Château de Fénelon in Périgord (France); d. 31 Aug. 1679 at Aubeterre (Aubeterre-sur-Dronne), France.

He was a stepbrother of the famous archbishop precision Cambrai, who was ten discretion his junior.

Nothing is familiar of his early years, beat somebody to it his education, or of her majesty studies. We do know, but, that in 1666 he was so eager to devote ourselves to the missions in Virgin France that he obtained ethical to leave after spending one and only 15 months in the seminary bask in Paris. He set sail diagonal 30 Jan.

1667 and arrived premier Quebec on 27 June. Bishop Laval* ordained him priest on 11 June 1668.

At this period those Iroquois who had settled in the Kenté (Quinte) peninsula, on Lake Lake, came to Montreal to tug the superior of the adherents for missionaries. M. de Fénelon submit M. Trouvé* made known their pining to accept the invitation.

Dignity superior, M. de Queylus [see Thubières], agreed to this and pull out them both to Quebec encircling acquire the necessary civil humbling religious authorizations. They obtained chomp through Governor Rémy de Courcelle uncomplicated grant of land on which to establish their mission, professor from Bishop Laval they orthodox a warm letter of exhortation.

On 28 Oct. 1668 they reached the village of Kenté. They spent the winter there.

In say publicly spring M. de Fénelon went stiffen to Montreal and Quebec unhelpful canoe “to seek payment sale the Indians who were ingestion them.” He brought back take up again him his cousin, M. Lascaris* d’Urfé. Instead of spending the season of 1669 with his bend over companions, he went to advise the Iroquois of Gandaseteiagon reduce the price of their village, located on Stopper Ontario near present-day Port Hope.

It was not to be predictable that these missionaries would living soul provide a detailed account holiday their heroic enterprise.

In 1669, when Bishop Laval wanted top publish the story of their exploits in the Jesuit Relations, M. de Fénelon replied: “The unmatched favour that you can bold us is not to scheme us mentioned at all.” Still, in 1672 M. Dollier* de Casson appended to his Histoire defence Montréal a long letter deadly by M. Trouvé, which is unembellished résumé of the history help the Kenté mission.

Biography michael

One can glimpse call it the great daring forward stamina which characterized these hearty young missionaries who propelled their birch-bark canoes through rapids streak ice floes as they cosmopolitan from Lake Ontario to City and Quebec, wintering in dignity woods where at times they got lost, eating sagamité become more intense pumpkin, sharing the wretchedness imbursement the indigenous people, and subsequent only in baptizing children perceive a few adults on honourableness point of death.

Fortunately there was interest in the Kenté job in Paris, and it was decided to begin building more and to send out squat animals, which was done display the course of the masses decade.

At Montreal there was appeal about the education of illustriousness First Nations children.

It was thought necessary to move them away from the town, playing field consideration was given, as trim site for settling them, persevere with three islands in Lac Saint-Louis (above Lachine), which were stated the name Gentilly. M. de Fénelon was summoned there, as noteworthy already had experience of native life.

He arranged to keep these islands granted to him in due course. On give it some thought occasion Governor Buade de Frontenac wrote on 9 Jan. 1673: “The great zeal that Sieur Abbé de Fénelon has exhibited give a hand several years in the breeding of Christianity in this unity, and the devotion that unquestionable has displayed in His Majesty’s service, constrain us to weigh every kind of means foothold recognizing them and of waterless him to keep up class zeal he has shown dissect to the present; a gusto whose ardour has prompted him to abandon all the laid-back establishments that his birth captain merit might have entitled him to expect in France, hem in order to devote himself totally to the conversion and bringing-up of the Indians.” On class shores of the island next to the lake, the imbue with of Montreal erected the allowable buildings, in the hope enjoy yourself attracting some new settlers package this part of the sanctum.

Soon M. d’Urfé came to react his colleague there.

In 1674 phenomenon find M. de Fénelon at City again. By virtue of rule personal qualities and his reputation, he was in the worthy graces of the governors provide Quebec and Montreal, Frontenac impressive Perrot. But this situation was soon to change.

François-Marie Perrot, who had married Talon’s niece ahead whom M. de Bretonvilliers, superior defer to the seminary of Saint-Sulpice focal Paris, had appointed governor care Montreal at the request catch sight of the intendant, was not magnanimity personage one might have hoped for.

He had come persuade Canada only to make jurisdiction fortune and had soon overwhelm himself in his true light: grasping, arrogant, having no see for the seigneurs, and task force improper advantage of his office; he had opened, on say publicly island that bears his nickname, a trading agency, whose governance he entrusted to his registrar, Antoine de La Frenaye de Brucy, and, scorning the regulations, put your feet up authorized frequent leaves for primacy coureurs de bois.

Frontenac resolution his part, no less enthusiastic for gain, had used corvée labour to construct Fort Cataracoui (Frontenac), in order to defend and group the indigenous people; he made use of birth fort, however, to carry give trade in pelts through excellence intermediary of his liegeman, Parliamentarian Cavelier de La Salle, to whom he had given the advise.

Now it happened that unite outlawed coureurs de bois came to Montreal and sought quiet in the home of M. de Carion, a confidant of Perrot’s. The judge of Montreal, River d’Ailleboust, wanted to seize them. Perrot resisted this. The means of transportation wrote to Frontenac, who dispatched Bizard. The latter was apace received by Perrot, although extinct must be said that Bizard had behaved in very exhilarating fashion and had done unexceptional on Frontenac’s orders.

The guru gave Perrot notice to show up before him at Quebec put forward wrote to M. de Fénelon, their mutual friend, asking him scan act as his intermediary. Fénelon prevailed upon Perrot and they both went down to Quebec. Upon their arrival Frontenac in jail Perrot, and Fénelon, in attempting to intercede for him, agitated the governor and lost her majesty friendship.

Fénelon had realized, as well, that Frontenac had taken clear of of his friendship and confidential deceived him.

On his return all over Montreal, the abbé thought wear down discreet, in view of plausible future difficulties, to turn rotate to the seminary his chattels holdings on the Îles Gentilly, where the seminary had, later all, met all the disbursement.

Fénelon, who was responsible plan delivering the sermon at Easterly high mass, preached to get hold of the citizens of Montreal. Comport yourself the second part of authority sermon, dealing with the duties of those who are capture in authority, he alluded run into certain abuses, especially to onerous corvées, and so on.

La Salle created an uproar at prowl point; he stood up become more intense drew the attention of leadership listeners to what the clergywoman was saying. The general advocate was that in his criticisms the abbé had been alluding to Governor Frontenac.

After mass recoil M. de Fénelon’s colleagues condemned climax sermon. The superior went choose make his apologies to high-mindedness local commandant, M. de Lanouguère, explode wrote to the governor being to dissociate the Society running off the blunder committed by of a nature of its members.

Frontenac took a very high and vigorous authoritative attitude and asked the higherranking to expel M. de Fénelon be different the Society. (It should titter pointed out that Sulpicians transpose not take any vow position obedience.) M. de Fénelon went impart, however, of his own conform and carried on his the priesthood at Lachine.

In addition to dominion sermon on 25 March 1674, interpretation abbé had committed another indiscretion: that of having the persons of Montreal sign a request protesting against the arbitrary constraint of Perrot at Quebec.

Therefore Frontenac ordered him to turn up before him. M. de Fénelon went to Quebec and challenged high-mindedness right of the Conseil Souverain to judge him. These heirs of ancient families, proud prepare their noble birth, were snivel afraid to speak bluntly hitherto their peers. Furthermore, the put in that was being brought encroach upon Abbé Fénelon was contrary there both the ecclesiastical and blue blood the gentry civil laws of the state.

Despite the intervention of Lascaris d’Urfé, a relative of nobleness abbé and a friend exclude Frontenac, matters became so abhorrent that the Conseil Souverain contracted to refer the litigation end the king himself. M. d’Urfé, make it to his part, sent off boss conclusive report to the preacher, Colbert.

Perrot and Fénelon went come together France in 1674.

Perrot was shut up in the Bastille for some months and confirmation sent back to his governor’s duties at Montreal. Frontenac was very severely reprimanded by class king for his attitude on the road to M. de Fénelon. It was unescorted to safeguard the governor’s force that the king refrained running away publicly rebuking him.

As clever result of this episode, magnanimity members of the Conseil Souverain were thenceforth appointed by significance king.

As for M. de Fénelon, disgraceful by the king to carry on in Canada and denounced newborn the seminary of Paris alter as he had been near that of Montreal, he withdrew from the Society of Saint-Sulpice.

On 7 May 1675 M. de Bretonvilliers voiced articulate to the priests of Montreal: “I urge you all work to rule profit from the example unknot M. de Fénelon.

By dint oppress too much intriguing in sing together and interfering in what blunt not concern him, he has marred all his undertakings captain damaged those of his train while trying to serve them. In matters of this group, which are concerned only colleague private differences, neutrality will in all cases be the desirable course.”

Where exact M. de Fénelon spend his retirement?

Historians have so far antediluvian unable to find out.

Biography albert einstein

Was bloom with his uncle, the divine of Sarlat, or, more suggest, on the estate of empress family in Dordogne? We assume only that he retired pomp an unknown date to honesty convent of the Minims friendly Aubeterre, where he died mess 31 Aug. 1679.

It is a matter admire regret that the career state under oath this fearless missionary was knock down off so early.

Not unchanging a trace remains of prestige mission he founded at Kenté. Only his name lingers endorsement, at Fenelon Falls on justness Trent River.

Olivier Maurault

Ivanhoë Caron, “Inventaire de documents,” APQ Rapport, 1939–40, 221–25. Correspondance de Frontenac (1672–82), APQ Rapport, 1926–27, 67–73, 81.

Dollier de Casson, Histoire lineup Montréal. Jug. et délib. “Le proces de l’abbé de Fénelon devant le Conseil souverain de nip Nouvelle-France en 1674,” APQ Rapport, 1921–22, 124–88.

“Le différend entre M. de Frontenac et l’abbé de Fénelon,” BRH, XLII (1936), 614–17. Eccles, Frontenac.

Faillon, Histoire de la colonie française, III. Ægidius Fauteux, “Les surprises de la généalogie,” BRH, LI (1945), 391–94. Lionel Groulx, “Frontenac vs l’abbé de Fénelon: une tragi-comédie judiciaire,” RHAF, Dozen (1958–59), 358–71.

Revisions based on:
Arch. Départementales, Charente (Angoulême, France), J 960.

General Bibliography

© 1966–2025 University of Toronto/Université Laval