Page 189 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686

The Visif of Father Allouez to Lake Nipigon
in 1667

Rev. Francis J. NELLIGAN, S.J.,
lesuit Scnii~ry, Toronto, Ontarib
The Diocese of Fort William was erected oii April 29, 195'2. It
comprises ~hat part of Ontario which is bounded on the West by tlie
Manitoba border ; on the north by the heighi of land dividing the water-
shed of the Albany River frorn the waters that flow into Lake Superior ;
on the eest by the 86th degree of longitude; and on the south by the
international boundary. The Calhoiics of this new dioceae are desiroiis
of
oi learnirig ~omethu~g the beginning of the Chureh in tliis vast terri-
tory. Who was the first prieet to visjt the area? Wheii and where waa
~he firet Masa celebrated? Whai is kiiowri of mrly missionary efforts
in the regioii? Jt is the purpose of this paper tii answer those ques-
tions as best we een from the records that have corne down to us.
The first priest who visited the ntirth shore of Lake Superior was
Faiher Claude Allouez, S.]. During tlie early aiimrner oi 1667 he was
et Lake Nipigon wherc he went to meet the Nipiseings, an Algonkian
tribe. Allouez had estebliehed in la the Mission oi the Holy Spirit
on Chequamegon Bay in the present State of Viseonsin. From there
he set out early in May, 1667, eccornpanied by two Indians, io visit
the Christjans among thc Njpjwings. While tliere he said the hrst Mess
ever to be celehrated in what is now Fort William Diocese. This is his
atory.

Claude Allouez wes born et St. Didier, France, probabIy iu 1622.
He made his atudies at the Jesuit College at Puy. Wlde there be had
St. John Francia Regis for spirituel guide and iiistruetor in Christian
Doctrine. The Saint had begged the Jesuit General to be eliowed to go
on ihe Canadian Mission, but had been reiuaed. But it wa3 through hie
influence that young Claude Allouez first coneeived the idea 01 heconiing
a Jesuit miasionary himseli. On Saptember 25, 1639, accompanied by
his brother Ignace, Claude entered the novitiate at Tonlouse. Duririg
ihe courjie of his training for the priesthoûd, and ior ten years after bis
ordination, he kept esking 10 be sent to the missions of New France,
He had finally persuaded himself thet God wentd him to rernain in
Frence when, on March 3, l657, he received a letter from hie Superior
steting that Iiia oft-repeated request was to be grented at last. He was