Jean Dolbeau

Jean Dolbeau (1586-1652) is a Canadian récollet whose name is associated with the town of Dolbeau-Mistassini.

Arrived at Quebec, he acted in concert with Mr. of Champlain for the erection of a small vault and a house for the monks, close to the place where is currently the church of the low city. The June 25th 1615, it celebrated in this vault the first mass called to Quebec since the voyages of Jacques Cartier. Some time afterwards, it replaced the Père Charon, like superior of the missions.

On the end of the autumn of the same year, it was with Tadoussac, where it builds a hut, in which it offered Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, then visited the Montagnais, the Betsiamites, the Papinachois and the Esquimaux. In the autumn of 1617, it passed to France with Mr. Champlain, to try to inform the principal associates on their true interests.

It is during its stay in France, that it accepted from Rome the permission to celebrate a jubilee in Canada. It made the opening of it on July 29th, 1618. June 3rd, 1620, it solemnly posed the first stone of the couvent' of the mission, with the place where is today the General hospital of Quebec. After having carried out a holy life in these large forests, the Dolbeau father, having tackled paralysis, in consequence of his long and painful work, left the theater of his missions, in September 1643, to turn over to France.

The vessel which carried it having been taken by three enemy frigates, was delivered to plundering; but in the same moment, somebody dropping from fire in the powders, an explosion followed himself from there, and all perished, victorious and overcome. The unfortunate father, known as the Relation, thus had happiness to give his life, in a so generous employment, and to have passed by fire and water to enter an eternal rest.

References

general Repertory of the Canadian clergy, by chronological order since the foundation of the colony until our days, by Mgr Cyprien Tanguay, Montreal: Eusèbe Senécal & wire, printers and publishers, 1893.

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