Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau

Elzéar -Alexandre Taschereau (* February 17, 1820 in Sainte -Marie -de- la -Beauce, Quebec, Canada, † April 12, 1898 in Quebec City ) was the first Canadian cardinal. His tomb is in the cathedral of Quebec.

Life

Taschereau was one of seven children of Jean -Thomas Taschereau ( Richter) and his wife Marie Panet. After the completion of the primary stage, he began his studies in 1828 in the " minor seminary of Quebec ", which he completed in 1836 with excellent results, and went for a year to Europe. After his return in 1837 he studied at the " major seminary of Quebec " theology and taught at the same time in the "Small Seminary of Quebec ". He received his doctorate in 1856 Doctor of Canon Law ( Canon Law ).

Priest and professor

With a special permit, he had not yet attained the prescribed age, he was ordained priest on 10 September 1842. From 1842 to 1854 he was a professor of philosophy at the seminary in Quebec, further, he taught astronomy, theology and church literature. From 1849 to 1854 he was a member of the academic Seminarrat and took over the Prefecture for studies. Already from 1851 to 1852 he was employed as the director of the " Major Seminary of Quebec ". In 1852 he was one of the founders of the University of Laval, further studies took him to Rome from 1854 to 1856. In Rome, he was the first Canadian priest who studied in Rome at the French seminar, after his return, he served as Professor of Theology and was director of the " minor seminary of Quebec ." 1856-1859, he was appointed director of the " major seminary of Quebec " and took over the 1866-1869 Rector place at the University of Laval to take it from 1869-1871 was the rector of the University of Laval.

His priestly career ran parallel with his academic career steeply, 1862 he was Vicar General of Quebec and took over the training of young priests, he accompanied the Administrator of Quebec to Rome and took from 1869 to 1870 as a theological adviser to the Québec Archbishop Charles -Francois Baillargeon on first Vatican Council in part. On March 19, 1871 he was consecrated bishop and built since the reputation and significance of the Archdiocese of Québec.

Archbishop and first Canadian Cardinal

His inauguration and consecration took place on 19 March 1870 in the Cathedral of Quebec. In the years 1873, 1887 and 1886, he led and managed three provincial councils and had established a Conference of Bishops for the Church Province of Quebec since 1875, this has since been performed in a two-year cycle. If his authoritarian leadership style was also somewhat controversial, so he succeeded anyway, with organizational talent and ingenuity to gain the recognition and respect of his suffragans. This was also the time in which he gained recognition beyond the borders of Quebec and Canada with a disciplined lifestyle and piety.

In the state of a cardinal - the first Canadian - he was born on June 7, 1886 by Pope Leo XIII. collected and received his " Red Hat" on March 17, 1887. He got the titular church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. For health reasons, he had 1891 ask for a coadjutor, eventually handing over his duties on September 3, 1894. According to his golden anniversary as a priest (1892 ) and his silver anniversary as a bishop (1896 ) retired Cardinal Taschereau in a quiet life back and died on April 12, in 1898.