april missionary priest born quebec ordained established missions areas quebec frontier involved political dispute local nations population hudson bay company monopoly fur trading company urging company governor recalled montreal assigned established missions 1840s convert local called catholicism left quebec quickly established community based bank canada retired post live life new_brunswick recalled time forced retire ill health died new_brunswick designated national historic person early life born april quebec married february parents devout roman catholics brought son faith young received holy communion age enrolled undertake philosophical course study completed studied priest march performed chapel seminary appointed assistant parishes area pastor parish quebec bilingual spoke english french able minister parish irish catholic canadians early missionary work time young priest missionary work west british north_america applied archbishop requested young priest accompany journey following interview february enlisted trip spending months learning language departed home town april year canoe hudson bay company june priest party arrived assigned priests assist bishop town cathedral study language work people convert christianity language documented written form rapid progress year learned considered ready work directly termed customary time established native mission west raids forced closure following year established mission saint paul instructed local population european style agriculture priest log chapel built smaller log surrounding land house natives local bishop opposed missionary work believed canadians settle spot long overcame opposition built school mission enlisting assistance speaking woman serve teacher missionary admitted natives holy communion discouraged readiness return spiritual practices baptism travelled rainy lake examine sites mission abandoned plan discovering nations people unwilling supplied liquor required conversion christianity august priest arranged dictionary published language returned mission saint paul winter carved oak log chapel missionary established mission repeated saint paul design log chapel centre surrounded small local population outlying farms mission closed years later blamed entrusted management served chaplain buffalo hunters returned mission saint paul teach language group epidemic swept communities june year left mission saint paul join group hunters journey south summer hunters carried disease people died july worst days people buried hunters travelled south fort indian reservation search medicine priest supply quickly run medicine supplies missionary headed hunters returning mission arrival response perceived discrimination nations people fur trade prepared petition queen_victoria seek petition signed nations people colonial secretary consulted advisors little sympathy natives took action case company criticised saw discontent local nations company administrators decided priest allowed remain british north_america missionary arrested released charges discovered urging company governor asked return montreal asked governor company charges arrested governor apologised described mistake company chief factors church assigned missionary basin tributary north arrival constructed small log cabin feet long feet wide large congregation august missionary baptised person held holy communion class consisting native americans needing resources wrote money food building supplies asked canadian priest french language noted area described original territory district miles north south east west larger small reservation later assigned november young recently ordained priest arrived immediately started learn despite claiming resort manual labour pay food supported household included school teacher cook servants thirty miles west established mission serve base expansion canadian moved established school church priest envisioned large metropolis area began lay city planned european style grid wide streets open squares despite having planned ample water natural advantages fertile soil resources area major development went early twentieth century agriculture declined family economies area town residents strong advocate prohibition alcohol especially native americans nations peoples petitioned congress prevent illicit trafficking liquor canada united_states march left return canada return canada returned quebec quickly sent serve parish arriving november priest performed baptism local people following month built parish hall stone 1950s established founded high school taught recruiting teacher montreal island priest created study group members agree established parish library built assistance french year nephew october resigned position parish returned quebec weeks asked returned island november built demonstrated steam powered vehicle considered automobile driven canada remained pastor parish retired priest intended live farm new_brunswick called church august asked pastor parish ill health forced retirement returned dying legacy honors town named late priest honour efforts region designated national historic person
Georges-Antoine Belcourt