Alexis André

Alexis André OMI ( born July 6, 1832 in Kergompez at Guipavas, Brittany, † January 10, 1893 in Calgary, Northwest Territories ) was a Roman Catholic priest and missionary who worked in western Canada.

Biography

Alexis André visited from October 1851 to August 1856, the minor seminary in Pont- Croix, as well as following the seminary in Quimper. On February 15, 1859, he entered the novitiate of the Nancy Oblates of Mary Immaculate. A year later, he took his vows. On July 14 In 1861, his ordination to the priesthood, and he was sent to the Red River Colony and the Dakota Territory.

Once in North America, André devoted mainly the pastoral care of the Cree and the Métis, where he was mainly active in St. Albert and Batoche. Together with George Arthur French of the North - West Mounted Police, he demanded of the federal government to adopt stricter hunting regulations to prevent the extermination of the bison. André 1876 celebrated the first Mass in Prince Albert, three years later he founded the mission of St. George. Several occasions he acted as an intermediary between the Métis and the Canadian federal government.

Due to various unresolved grievances Métis representatives asked in the summer of 1884 the exiled Louis Riel to return to Canadian territory and to represent their concerns. Favored by Riels Messianic zeal came the break with the Church authorities and André was accused of being in the pay of the government. Riel called André on March 2, 1885 to support the formation of a provisional government, which he refused.

In the same month, the Northwest Rebellion began while the first recorded by the Métis some success. Government troops crushed the revolt after two months down and arrested Riel. During his imprisonment in Regina certain Riel André to his spiritual advisor. The pastoral care lasted until his execution on 16 November 1885.

In 1892 Andrés health began to deteriorate. He died on January 10, 1893 and was buried in Calgary. Later his remains were transferred to the Oblate Cemetery in St. Albert.

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