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Archiver > QUEBEC-RESEARCH > 2010-04 > 1270333373


From: Mona Andrée Rainville <>
Subject: Re: [Q-R] BMS from Champlain, QC between 1802 and 1806
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2010 18:30:35 -0400
References: <BAY111-W3413288E37BD4BEF637E5BCD1B0@phx.gbl>
In-Reply-To: <BAY111-W3413288E37BD4BEF637E5BCD1B0@phx.gbl>


Hello Nicole,

The answer is Batiscan, by order of the Mgr Denaut, bishop of
Trois-Rivières.

The old church was crumbling, and the population of Champlain
desperately wanted a new church, but were asking that it be built closer
to the middle of their community. The bishop, it turns out, had his
mind set on another location, closer to the existing church. He saw
their request as a form of contestation of his decision. In a letter he
sent to the parish priest of Champlain, on the 24th of December 1802, he
took a "my way or the highway" attitude and formally forbade him to say
mass in the old church, no matter what repairs are done to it, until the
new church is built, where he wanted it built. In the meantime, the
population would just have to go to Batiscan.

He wrote: «Elle est marquée, la croix est plantée. L'église y sera
construite ou ne se fera nulle part. La plus grande commodité des
habitants a fixé nom choix. C'est l'obstination des habitants d'en bas;
c'est en moi justice et équité. (...) Jusqu'à ce qu'une nouvelle église
et presbytère soient construits, vous ne direz plus de messe dans
l'église, quelque réparation qu'on voulût y faire et que je ne permets
pas; encore moins dans aucune maison particulière. Les habitants iront à
la messe à Batiscan, y porteront leurs enfants au baptême etleurs morts
à la sépulture.»

Translation: « (The site) is chosen, and the cross has been planted.
The church will be built there or nowhere else. I have chosen the site
for the best of the community. This is the obstination of those living
down the river, and as far as I am concerned I have chosen in justice
and equity. (...) Until such time as a new church and a presbytery have
been built, you shall not say mass in the church, no matter what repairs
they which to make, and which I forbid they make, and you will least of
all say mass in a private house. The habitants will go to mass in
Batiscan, they will take their children there to be baptised, and they
will take their deads there for thier sepulture.»

This difficult situation was resolved when Mgr Plessis succeeded Mgr.
Denaut, and by 1806, the habitants of Champlain had a new church.

There are more details about this episode in Cloutier's book: Histoire
de la paroisse de Champlain, tome 2. p. 263 ssq. on Our roots:

http://www.ourroots.ca/f/page.aspx?id=408109

Wishing one and all a Good Easter!

Mona

«Nicole DESCOTTES wrote:
> Calling all genealogy angels,
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> While doing some searches in the microfilms of Champlain, QC, I noticed in the paragraph that the church was ruined (by a fire?) around 1802 and that a new church was erected in late 1806. Where were the people baptised, marriages and death records kept during the time that the church was being built? Were the BMS done & kept in another parish?
>
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> >From Nicole Descottes
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