Saint François de Laval

Life story

François de Montmorency-Laval was born on 30 April 1623 in Montigny-sur-Avre in the Perche region of France, into a noble family. He was ordained a priest in 1647. On 8 December 1658 he was consecrated a bishop and appointed vicar apostolic of New France, the French colony in North America, since no diocese yet existed there.

He arrived in Quebec in 1659. In 1663 he founded the Quebec Seminary to train priests for the colony, and later added a trade school. He also became entangled in disputes with colonial governors over the sale of brandy to Indigenous people, which he condemned for the harm it did to their communities. On 1 October 1674 Quebec was made a diocese and he became its first bishop.

In 1688, in poor health, he resigned but remained in Quebec and went on helping the seminary until his death on 6 May 1708. In 1852 the seminary was expanded into Laval University, named in his honour. Pope John Paul II beatified him in 1980, and Pope Francis declared him a saint on 3 April 2014. His feast day is 6 May.

Works and witness

• Consecrated bishop and appointed vicar apostolic of New France in 1658
• Founded the Quebec Seminary in 1663
• Opposed the sale of brandy to Indigenous people
• First bishop of Quebec from 1674
• His seminary became the origin of Laval University

Saints from the same country

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Francis de Sales

References

• Dictionary of Canadian Biography, entry on François de Montmorency Laval
• Martyrologium Romanum (6 May)
• Dicastery for the Causes of Saints: canonisation records, 3 April 2014

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.