Joseph Charon

Joseph Charon (1586 - March 29th 1632) was the first missionary Récollet of the Huronie and one of the four missionaries pioneers of Canada.

Born close to Paris, he embraces the state ecclesiasic and becomes Chapelain Duc of Orleans. With died of the prince, it joint in Récollets and makes its profession in 1611. The April 24th 1615, it left Honfleur and arrriva in Canada the May 25th, going immediately to the Sault-Saint-Louis.

Little time afterwards, it travelled to Quebec, took a portable Autel, returned in Sault and from went away in the country of Huron, becoming the first to visit their establishments and to preach the Gospel. It remained with them during one year, and was among them again in 1623.

In 1616, it returned to France to take care of the spiritual and material needs for the colony. The following autumn saw its return to Canada as a provincial police chief. During the winters of 1618 and 1622, it évangélisa the Montagnais of Tadoussac.

In 1625, it was again in France for then returning to Canada the following year, where it was elected higher of its kind than Quebec. It occupied its functions until the catch of Quebec by the English in 1629, when with his colleagues it was returned to France.

Charon was a holy man, devoted to the practice of the austerities, but to tend towards the others. He died of the Peste in the convent of Holy-Marguerite in France. We owe him the first dictionary of the Huron Langue.

The Bibliotheca Universa Franciscana of Jean of Saint-Anthony says that, according to the testimony of the August 31st of Arturus in its Martyrologium Franciscanum , that Charon is also the author of the Quærimonia Novæ Franciæ (lament of News-France).

The Collège Edouard-Montpetit has a house named in its honor.

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