{"id":1251,"date":"2025-01-27T17:19:53","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T17:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/?p=1251"},"modified":"2025-01-27T18:27:33","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T18:27:33","slug":"a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/","title":{"rendered":"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Noami Mercier, Project Archivist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
E. L’esp\u00e9rance, S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9, between 1926 and 1948. GLC C-8.4.3.1.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the 25th<\/sup> of November, 1922, Fran\u00e7ois-Xavier Ross (1869-1945) was named the first bishop of Gasp\u00e9, 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 S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Architect Pierre L\u00e9vesque (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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"
Mgr Ross surrounded by Jesuit and secular priests, 1929 or 1930. GLC C-8.4.1.1.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

On September 11, 1926, the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 welcomed its first classes. Four young Jesuits took on teaching duties, assisted by secular priests.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 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 Gasp\u00e9\u2019s difficulty with recruiting personnel was matched by the Jesuits’ struggles to send men who could teach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 Ren\u00e9 L\u00e9vesque (1922-1987), who appears during his student years in two photographs in the fonds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1938, Mgr. Ross released the Jesuits from their duties and gave the Clercs de Saint-Viateur responsibility over the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9, 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 C\u00e9gep de la Gasp\u00e9sie et des Iles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9, circa 1930-1932. GLC C-8.4.3.19.1.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The c\u00e9gep 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 c\u00e9gep thus carries the legacy of the Bishop of Gasp\u00e9 and the Jesuits, who paved the way for access to post-secondary education in a remote, rural region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


To learn more about the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 fonds, please consult the entry in our catalogue<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n


External sources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dupuis, S. (2020). La Commission royale d\u2019enqu\u00eate sur l\u2019enseignement dans la province de Qu\u00e9bec (Commission Parent)<\/em>. L\u2019encyclop\u00e9die canadienne. https:\/\/www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca\/fr\/article\/la-commission-royale-d-enquete-sur-l-enseignement-dans-la-province-de-quebec-commission-parent<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lavoie, L. (1995). Mgr Fran\u00e7ois-Xavier Ross. <\/em>Cap-aux-Diamants, (41), 82. https:\/\/www.erudit.org\/fr\/revues\/cd\/1995-n41-cd1041903\/8713ac.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gouvernement du Qu\u00e9bec. [s.d.] Ancien s\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9. <\/em>R\u00e9pertoire du patrimoine culturel du Qu\u00e9bec. https:\/\/www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca\/detail.do?methode=consulter&id=233311&type=bien<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assembl\u00e9e nationale du Qu\u00e9bec. (2016). Ren\u00e9 L\u00e9vesque<\/em>. https:\/\/www.assnat.qc.ca\/fr\/deputes\/levesque-rene-4219\/biographie.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Noami Mercier, Project Archivist On the 25th of November, 1922, Fran\u00e7ois-Xavier Ross (1869-1945) was named the first bishop of … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 | The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The latest news from the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada. Get updates on the latest exhibitions, blogs, press releases, and videos today.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 | The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The latest news from the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada. Get updates on the latest exhibitions, blogs, press releases, and videos today.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-27T17:19:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-27T18:27:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GLC_C-8.4.3.1-1024x658.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"haton\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"haton\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/\",\"name\":\"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 | The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-27T17:19:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-27T18:27:33+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca528e33b48ce5d9e327ad3b4abceb7b\"},\"description\":\"The latest news from the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada. Get updates on the latest exhibitions, blogs, press releases, and videos today.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/\",\"name\":\"The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca528e33b48ce5d9e327ad3b4abceb7b\",\"name\":\"haton\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8dae858ccc5f97dac96c129e9562ecd8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8dae858ccc5f97dac96c129e9562ecd8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"haton\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/author\/haton\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 | The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada","description":"The latest news from the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada. Get updates on the latest exhibitions, blogs, press releases, and videos today.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 | The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada","og_description":"The latest news from the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada. Get updates on the latest exhibitions, blogs, press releases, and videos today.","og_url":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/","og_site_name":"The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada","article_published_time":"2025-01-27T17:19:53+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-01-27T18:27:33+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/GLC_C-8.4.3.1-1024x658.jpg"}],"author":"haton","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"haton","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/","url":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/","name":"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9 | The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-01-27T17:19:53+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-27T18:27:33+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca528e33b48ce5d9e327ad3b4abceb7b"},"description":"The latest news from the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada. Get updates on the latest exhibitions, blogs, press releases, and videos today.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/a-hundred-years-ago-construction-began-on-the-seminaire-de-gaspe\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A hundred years ago, construction began on the S\u00e9minaire de Gasp\u00e9"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/","name":"The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca528e33b48ce5d9e327ad3b4abceb7b","name":"haton","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8dae858ccc5f97dac96c129e9562ecd8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8dae858ccc5f97dac96c129e9562ecd8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"haton"},"url":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/author\/haton\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1251"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1251"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1302,"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1251\/revisions\/1302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archivesjesuites.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}