Blessed Francis de Montmorency Laval
Blessed Francis de Montmorency Laval — formally Saint François de Montmorency-Laval — (born April 30, 1623 AD in Montigny-sur-Avre, Normandy, France; died May 6, 1708 AD in Quebec City, New France [present-day Canada]) was a French-born nobleman who became the first Bishop of Quebec and the founding father of the Catholic Church in Canada. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 22, 1980, and canonized by Pope Francis on April 3, 2014. His feast day is May 6.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Francis de Montmorency Laval
| Blessed Francis de Montmorency Laval | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 06 |
| Profession | French nobleman; Jesuit-educated; first Bishop of Quebec (1674-1688); Vicar Apostolic of New France (1659-1674); founder of the Séminaire de Québec (1663); founder of the Catholic Church in Canada; missionary to indigenous peoples; beatified JPII June 22 1980; canonized Pope Francis April 3 2014; NOW FULLY SAINT Francis de Laval |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Diocese of Quebec; Séminaire de Québec; Sulpician spiritual tradition; Jesuit educated; Company of the Blessed Sacrament; French Catholic missionary tradition; Church in Canada |
| Patronage | Canada; Quebec; the Archdiocese of Quebec; Université Laval; the Séminaire de Québec; Canadian Catholics; bishops; missionaries to indigenous peoples; New France; the Catholic Church in the Americas |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; mitre and crozier; May 6 feast; Quebec City setting; St. Lawrence River; indigenous peoples; Séminaire de Québec; lily of France; fleur-de-lys |
| Birthplace | Montigny-sur-Avre, Normandy, France |
| Death Place | Quebec City, New France (Canada) |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died May 6, 1708, in Quebec City, New France (present-day Canada); François de Montmorency-Laval had served as the first Bishop of Quebec for over four decades, building the Catholic Church in Canada from virtually nothing; he died at age 85 after decades of apostolic labor; NOTE — Francis de Montmorency Laval is now fully canonized: he was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 22, 1980, and then canonized by Pope Francis on April 3, 2014 — he is Saint François de Laval; this article uses "Blessed" as listed in the CSV source data, but his full title is Saint Francis de Laval; feast May 6 |
| Primary Shrine | Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec, Quebec City, Canada; May 6 feast; beatified JPII June 22 1980; canonized Pope Francis April 3 2014 |
| Liturgical Class | May 6 feast in Canada and for the universal Church (canonized 2014) |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
François de Montmorency-Laval was born April 30, 1623, in Montigny-sur-Avre, Normandy, France, into one of the oldest and most noble families in France. He was educated by the Jesuits at La Flèche and was profoundly shaped by the mystical spirituality of the Norman school, particularly through his spiritual director Father Jean de Bernières.
He was offered a prestigious bishopric in France but gave it up to serve as a missionary. He arrived in New France (Canada) in 1659 as Vicar Apostolic. In 1663 he founded the Séminaire de Québec to train priests for North America — the institution that became Université Laval, the oldest French-language university in North America. In 1674 he became the first Bishop of Quebec when the Diocese of Quebec was formally established.
He devoted decades to building the Catholic Church in Canada, training priests, establishing parishes, and extending the faith throughout New France. He resigned as bishop in 1688 due to ill health but continued to live at the Séminaire and serve the Church in Quebec until his death.
He died May 6, 1708, in Quebec City, at age 85.
He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 22, 1980, and canonized by Pope Francis on April 3, 2014 — making him Saint Francis de Laval. His feast day is May 6.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Montigny-sur-Avre, Normandy, France
Death location: Quebec City, New France (Canada)
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Feast day
May 6
Veneration
Saint Francis de Montmorency Laval (1623–1708) was a French nobleman who became the first Bishop of Quebec and founding father of the Catholic Church in Canada, establishing the Séminaire de Québec (ancestor of Université Laval) and serving New France for nearly fifty years; beatified John Paul II on June 22, 1980, and canonized by Pope Francis on April 3, 2014. Feast May 6.
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