Alexandre-Antonin Taché facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend Alexandre-Antonin Taché, O.M.I. |
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| Archbishop of Saint Boniface | |
Archbishop Taché circa 1890
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| Archdiocese | Saint Boniface |
| Enthroned | 7 June 1853 |
| Reign ended | 22 June 1894 |
| Predecessor | Norbert Provencher |
| Successor | Adélard Langevin, O.M.I. |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 12 October 1845 |
| Consecration | 23 November 1851 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 July 1823 Rivière-du-Loup Province of Lower Canada |
| Died | 22 June 1894 (aged 70) St. Boniface, Manitoba, Canada |
| Buried | St. Boniface Cathedral Cemetery |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Parents | Charles Taché and Louise-Henriette de Labroquerie |
| Occupation | Missionary and Archbishop |
| Profession | Cleric |
| Alma mater | Grand Seminaire, Montreal, Quebec |
Alexandre-Antonin Taché (born July 23, 1823 – died June 22, 1894) was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest and missionary. He was a member of the Oblate order and became the first Archbishop of Saint Boniface in Manitoba, Canada. He was also an author.
Early Life and Calling
Alexandre-Antonin Taché was born in Rivière-du-Loup, which was then part of Lower Canada (now Quebec). His birthday was July 23, 1823. His father, Charles Taché, was a merchant. His mother, Louise-Henriette de Labroquerie, was a descendant of famous explorers like Louis Jolliet.
When Alexandre was only two years old, his father passed away. His mother moved back to her family home in Boucherville. Alexandre grew up there, cared for by his uncle. In this home, learning, art, and the Catholic faith were very important parts of daily life.
In September 1833, he started attending the junior seminary (a school for future priests) in Saint-Hyacinthe. While there, Alexandre began to feel a strong desire to become a priest. His mother and teachers supported him in this decision. After finishing at the junior seminary, he went to the Major Seminary in Montreal. Here, he continued his studies to become a priest.
Alexandre made a good impression on the staff and Bishop Ignace Bourget of Montreal. Even before he finished his studies, the bishop gave him important roles. He was made a leader at the College of Chambly. In January 1844, he became a math professor at his old school in Saint-Hyacinthe.
In December 1841, Taché met the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a new group of missionaries from France. He felt drawn to their way of life. After finishing his seminary studies in 1844, he decided to join them. He wanted to preach to the people in the western parts of Canada, a region his explorer ancestors had helped to discover. Even though his family (except his mother) disagreed, he joined the Oblate training program in Longueuil that fall.
Becoming a Missionary
Taché soon felt a strong desire to preach to the Indigenous peoples of the west. After finishing his training in 1845, he was sent to Saint Boniface. This area was part of the Red River Colony, which is now in Manitoba. He was still very young and not yet a full priest.
He traveled with Father Pierre Aubert, who was going to set up the Oblate mission there. They left Montreal on June 25 and traveled 1,400 miles to Saint Boniface by canoe. They arrived on August 25. They began working with Bishop Norbert Provencher, who was the new leader of the Catholic Church in the Northwest Territories.
Bishop Provencher ordained Taché as a deacon a week later. Then, on October 12, 1845, he became a priest. The next day, Taché made his official promises to the Oblate order. He learned the basics of the Ojibwe language and was sent to start a mission in Île-à-la-Crosse. Later, he also became very good at speaking Cree and Athabaskan.
Becoming a Bishop
In 1847, the Holy See (the Pope's office in Rome) created the Diocese of Saint Boniface. Bishop Provencher became its first bishop. In June 1850, Taché was named a bishop to assist Provencher, even though he was only 27 years old. He didn't receive the news until January 1851.
He was officially made a bishop on November 23, 1851, in Marseille, France. This ceremony was led by St. Eugene de Mazenod, who founded the Missionary Oblates. Bishop Provencher passed away on June 7, 1853. Taché then automatically became the Bishop of St. Boniface.
In the years that followed, Taché served a very large region. About half of the people living there were Catholic. He worked with many different groups, including the Saulteaux, Crees, and Athabaskans. He was involved during the difficult time when the Northwest Territories became part of Canada.
He also traveled to Europe to ask for help from his religious order. He sought money and volunteers. Two important people who came to Canada with him in 1862 were Constantine Scollen and Emile Petitot.
During a time of unrest among the Métis people, the Canadian government asked Taché for his help. They wanted him to act as their representative to prevent a possible civil war. He was even called back from Rome in 1870, where he was attending a big church meeting called the First Vatican Council. The government wanted him to talk to the Métis leaders who were rebelling. However, the Oblates encouraged Catholic families to move into the Métis and First Nations lands. This meant Taché had less influence, and he could not prevent the Riel Rebellion of 1885.
In September 1871, the Holy See made the diocese an archdiocese. This meant Taché became the first Archbishop of St. Boniface. He really wanted to encourage Catholic families to settle in the North West. From 1872, he used priests like Albert Lacombe to help recruit families from Eastern Canada, the United States, and later Europe.
Taché saw Manitoba as a sister province to Quebec. He supported French Canadian immigration. He also fought for the language and education rights of French-speaking Catholics in the Northwest. He was involved in arguments about removing French as an official language and ending Catholic schools in Manitoba. He wrote many articles and letters speaking out against these laws.
Archbishop Taché passed away in Saint Boniface on June 22, 1894. He had been in poor health for 15 years. He was buried in the St. Boniface Cathedral Cemetery. Several places are named in his honor, including the Rural Municipality of Taché, Tache Hall at the University of Manitoba, a monument in La Verendrye Park in Winnipeg, and Tache Avenue in Saint Boniface.
