By Noami Mercier, Project Archivist

On the 25th of November, 1922, François-Xavier Ross (1869-1945) was named the first bishop of Gaspé, a region he already had plans to develop by founding a small seminary. He approached various religious organizations to find one that would accept to take on this responsibility. In 1923, Mgr. Ross wrote to the Jesuit Provincial, Father John Milway Fillion, regarding their potential interest in the project, and a few days later, the latter proposed an arrangement to the bishop, which he also submitted to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus. In January 1924, the Superior General accepted the offer and an agreement was reached: the Jesuits would assume responsibility for the Séminaire de Gaspé.
Architect Pierre Lévesque (1880-1955) was commissioned to design the seminary. The foundations for the building were laid in November 1923, but the work was delayed and only began in 1924.

On September 11, 1926, the Séminaire de Gaspé welcomed its first classes. Four young Jesuits took on teaching duties, assisted by secular priests.
The Séminaire de Gaspé fonds is made up of correspondence that reveals the inner workings of this enterprise and the difficulties it faced in its early years. In the late summer of 1926, Father Olivier H. Beaulieu, rector of the seminary, shared the challenges faced by the seminary with the Provincial, in particular its need for personnel. The bishopric of Gaspé’s difficulty with recruiting personnel was matched by the Jesuits’ struggles to send men who could teach.
Correspondence between Mgr. Ross and the Jesuit provincials over the years highlight these difficulties, but also underscore a sense of pride in the accomplishments of the students and the creation of the seminary. The seminary, despite the obstacles it faced, welcomed students who excelled in intercollegiate competitions. One such successful graduate was the famed journalist and Quebec premier René Lévesque (1922-1987), who appears during his student years in two photographs in the fonds.
In 1938, Mgr. Ross released the Jesuits from their duties and gave the Clercs de Saint-Viateur responsibility over the Séminaire de Gaspé, which they operated until 1947, from which point the diocesan fathers took over responsibility. In 1967, following the recommendations of the Parent Commission (1961-1964), the seminary was replaced by the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Iles.

The cégep is still housed in the now 100-year old seminary building today–additions were made to the original pavilion, and some facilities were converted to meet new needs. The cégep thus carries the legacy of the Bishop of Gaspé and the Jesuits, who paved the way for access to post-secondary education in a remote, rural region.
To learn more about the Séminaire de Gaspé fonds, please consult the entry in our catalogue.
External sources
Dupuis, S. (2020). La Commission royale d’enquête sur l’enseignement dans la province de Québec (Commission Parent). L’encyclopédie canadienne. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/fr/article/la-commission-royale-d-enquete-sur-l-enseignement-dans-la-province-de-quebec-commission-parent
Lavoie, L. (1995). Mgr François-Xavier Ross. Cap-aux-Diamants, (41), 82. https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/cd/1995-n41-cd1041903/8713ac.pdf
Gouvernement du Québec. [s.d.] Ancien séminaire de Gaspé. Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec. https://www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca/detail.do?methode=consulter&id=233311&type=bien
Assemblée nationale du Québec. (2016). René Lévesque. https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/deputes/levesque-rene-4219/biographie.html