Paul Le Jeune

Paul Le Jeune

Upon Paul Le Jeune's arrival he had no way of formally communicating with the native groups so he went on a winter hunting adventure with them where he mastered their language. Paul Le Jeune was doing missions work with primarily the Huron group where he preached the music of the church to them, resulting in him being pleased hearing them adapt it in their native tongue, he converted about 450 people to Catholicism at the time who would continue to sing praise and attend mass. Le Jeune being the first Jesuit missionary in Canada and being successful led him to be known as the founder of Jesuit missions in Canada, starting his endeavor in Montreal.

1639-1649

Person

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Jaenen, Cornelius J. "Paul Le Jeune." In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. January 21, 2008. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/paul-le-jeune.
Pouliot, Léon. "Le Jeune, Paul." In Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol 1. University of Toronto/Université Laval. 1996. https://biographi.ca/en/bio/le_jeune_paul_1E.html.

1591

Champagne, France

1664

Paris, France

Priest; Jesuit; Missionary, Teacher, Student.

French, Language of Huron

Father Paul Le Jeune was born into a Calvinist family, and at the age of 16 turned to Catholicism as his main focus. In his early years of life he was a student and College Henri IV studying philosophy, after finishing his studies he became a teacher at colleges in Renne and Bourges from 1618-1622. After studying theology at College de Clermont in Paris, he preached at Dieppe where he was sent to be General of Missions in Canada.

René Lauchon, "Le Reverend Pere Pavl Le Ievne De La Compagnie De Iesvs." Portrait. 1665. Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.

Conflict and Change in Early Canadian History (Carleton HIST 1301)

Adam Fast