Roman Catholic Church

The first authentic landmark in the history of

the Roman Catholic Church in Canada is the arrival of several Jesuit

missionaries in Acadia in 1611. The Recollets first came to Quebec in

1615, and the Jesuits in 1625. In 1657 the Sulpicians arrived in

Montreal, and the following year Canada was made a Vicariate Apostolic.

The Jesuit missionaries explored the most distant parts of the

continent, in labouring among the In ians. Laval, the first

vicar-apostolic of New France, arrived in Quebec in 1659. In 1674 Quebec

was made a diocese, and Laval became the first bishop. After 1818 Canada

was divided into the dioceses of Nova Scotia, Upper Canada, New

Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and the North-West. In

1841 the chapter of Montreal was established, and in 1874 the diocese of

Quebec was subdivided into eight dioceses. The first cardinal of Canada

was Archbishop Taschereau. =Index=: (Lord Sydenham era) Its members excluded from

certain civil privileges, 63. (Lord Dorchester era) Attitude of British government

towards, 21, 57, 58; full privileges conceded to, by Quebec Act, 64. (John Graves Simcoe era)

Free exercise of religion guaranteed by Constitutional Act, 12. (Wolfe / Montcalm era)

Important part played by Roman Catholicism in Quebec, 16. (General Brock era) Faithful

to British rule, 47. (George Brown Era) Relations with George Brown, x, 44-46; 48-49,

61, 121-128; position and political sympathies in Upper Canada, 125.