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'''François-Xavier de Montmorency-Laval''' ([[30 April]] [[1623]] – [[6 May]] [[1708]]) was the first [[Roman Catholic]] bishop of New France and was one of the most influential men of his day. He was appointed when he was 36 years old by [[Pope Alexander VII]]. He was a member of the [[Montmorency family]].
'''François-Xavier de Montmorency-Laval''' ([[30 April]] [[1623]] – [[6 May]] [[1708]]) was the first [[Roman Catholic]] bishop of New France and was one of the most influential men of his day. He was appointed when he was 36 years old by [[Pope Alexander VII]]. He was a member of the [[Montmorency family]].

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Born at [[Montigny-sur-Avre]], [[Eure-et-Loir]], [[France]], he came from an illustrious part of the French nobility. As early as age 8 it was decided that he would have a career in the Church. His nomination as bishop in [[New France]] was the result of a quarrel between the [[Sulpician]]s, who actively aided the French government and its special interest groups in all its endeavours, and the [[Jesuit]]s, who sought a more neutral ground. The Jesuits, who were very active in New France, did not want to work under a bishop who would have been a tool of Paris and the Sulpicians. They obtained a [[Papal Bull]] naming Laval ''in partibus'' bishop of [[Petra]], a diocese at the time in [[Muslim]] lands, since the population of New France was too small to justify a diocese.

Laval was inflexible and zealous but knew when to compromise, in exceptional circumstances. He waged continuous warfare against the liquor trade to the Amerindians and interfered constantly in other matters whenever he saw questions of morality and religion being trampled.

In [[1663]] Laval founded the "Séminaire de Québec", a theological school which eventually also had lay students and finally became [[Université Laval]], which was named in his honour in the 20th century.

By forming priests locally, and keeping their parish appointments at pleasure instead of by permanent appointment and by undertaking the construction of schools and churches, Laval created a strong local infrastructure independent of [[Paris]].

He appears as a character in [[Willa Cather]]'s novel ''Shadows on the Rock''.

== External links ==
* [http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=35012 Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online'']
* {{Gutenberg|no=17174|name=The Makers of Canada: Bishop Laval by A. Leblond de Brumath}}
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09045a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article]

{{s-start}}
{{s-ecc}}
{{s-bef|before=Diocese of Québec elevated [[1 October]] [[1674]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec|Bishop of Quebec]]
|years=1674–1688}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jean-Baptiste de la Croix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier]]}}
{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laval, François de}}
[[Category:1623 births]]
[[Category:1708 deaths|Laval, François de]]
[[Category:House of Montmorency-Laval]]
[[Category:People of New France|Laval, François de]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic Bishops of Quebec|Laval, François de]]
[[Category:17th century Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:18th century Roman Catholic bishops]]

[[de:François de Montmorency-Laval]]
[[fr:François de Montmorency-Laval]]
[[pl:François de Montmorency Laval]]

Revision as of 01:40, 14 September 2007

François de Laval

François-Xavier de Montmorency-Laval (30 April 16236 May 1708) was the first Roman Catholic bishop of New France and was one of the most influential men of his day. He was appointed when he was 36 years old by Pope Alexander VII. He was a member of the Montmorency family.

Born at Montigny-sur-Avre, Eure-et-Loir, France, he came from an illustrious part of the French nobility. As early as age 8 it was decided that he would have a career in the Church. His nomination as bishop in New France was the result of a quarrel between the Sulpicians, who actively aided the French government and its special interest groups in all its endeavours, and the Jesuits, who sought a more neutral ground. The Jesuits, who were very active in New France, did not want to work under a bishop who would have been a tool of Paris and the Sulpicians. They obtained a Papal Bull naming Laval in partibus bishop of Petra, a diocese at the time in Muslim lands, since the population of New France was too small to justify a diocese.

Laval was inflexible and zealous but knew when to compromise, in exceptional circumstances. He waged continuous warfare against the liquor trade to the Amerindians and interfered constantly in other matters whenever he saw questions of morality and religion being trampled.

In 1663 Laval founded the "Séminaire de Québec", a theological school which eventually also had lay students and finally became Université Laval, which was named in his honour in the 20th century.

By forming priests locally, and keeping their parish appointments at pleasure instead of by permanent appointment and by undertaking the construction of schools and churches, Laval created a strong local infrastructure independent of Paris.

He appears as a character in Willa Cather's novel Shadows on the Rock.

Template:S-ecc
Preceded by
Diocese of Québec elevated 1 October 1674
Bishop of Quebec
1674–1688
Succeeded by