Paul Bruchési facts for kids
Louis Joseph Napoléon Paul Bruchési (born October 29, 1855 – died September 20, 1939) was an important Canadian religious leader. He became the second Archbishop of Montreal. In 1910, he organized a big international meeting called the 21st International Eucharistic Congress in Montreal.
Early Life and Education
Louis-Joseph-Paul-Napoléon Bruchési was born in Montreal, Quebec, on October 29, 1855. He was one of seven children. His father worked as a grocer. Louis went to school at the Petit Séminaire de Montréal. He then studied at special schools for priests in Paris, France. He also studied in Rome, Italy.
In 1878, Bruchési became a priest. He was given special permission because he was still quite young.
Becoming a Leader
After becoming a priest, Bruchési worked as a secretary for Archbishop Fabre. He taught religious studies at Université Laval in Quebec for four years. He also worked as a parish priest, helping people in a local church. From 1878 to 1887, he was a professor at the Université Laval à Montréal.
In 1887, he became the director of a religious magazine called La Semaine religieuse. He also became a chaplain, which is a priest who serves a specific group, for a convent in 1890. By 1891, he was a cathedral canon, a special role in a main church. He also helped manage the Sisters of Saint Anne, a group of religious women. In 1893, he represented Canada at the World's Fair in Chicago.
Archbishop of Montreal
Bruchési was chosen to be the Archbishop of Montreal in 1897. As archbishop, he encouraged people to have a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart. He helped finish building the Home for Incurables and the Saint-Jacques Cathedral (Montreal). In 1898, he helped start the Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal, a hospital.
He also created St. John's Union to help priests who were poor or sick. He helped establish twenty-three new parishes, which are local church communities. During his time as archbishop, Saint Joseph's Oratory was founded by Saint André Bessette. In 1904, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliette was created from part of the Montreal archdiocese.
Archbishop Bruchési led the 21st International Eucharistic Congress in Montreal in 1910. This was a very large meeting where religious leaders and scholars discussed many topics about the Eucharist. More than a hundred studies were presented and talked about. A famous leader, James Cardinal Gibbons, gave a sermon at a special Mass on September 11.
Under Archbishop Bruchési's leadership, the University of Montreal became its own independent university in 1919. He was also a member of the Royal Society of Canada. He wrote articles for the Semaine Religieuse and the Catholic Encyclopedia.
In 1919, Archbishop Bruchési became ill and was admitted to the hospital. Because his health was failing, another bishop, Msgr. Georges Gauthier, was appointed to help manage the archdiocese in 1921. Archbishop Bruchési passed away on September 20, 1939, at 84 years old. He had been a priest for over 60 years and a bishop for 40 years.
