GRANDIN, VITAL. - Born on 8 February 1829 at St-Pierre-la-Cour, diocese of Laval, in 1853 he entered the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, in 1854 he went to the Canadian northwest, in 1857 he was appointed coadjutor of St-Boniface and in 1871 bishop of St-Albert, where he died on 3 June 1902.

Numerous letters published in the Missions O.M.I. give year-by-year accounts of his work. As bishop of St-Albert he was a strenuous defender of the Catholic interests of the northwest; he contributed to the cultural advancement of the diocese by settling the Indians in fixed residences, providing for the needs of Catholic immigrants, and erecting schools. In the struggle between the Métis leader Riel and the Anglo-Canadian government in 1885, with prudence and firmness he worked for the protection of the rights of both parties. He is regarded as the "saint of the northwest." His cause for beatification is in progress.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: E. Jonquet, Mgr G. O.M.I., premier évêque de St-Albert, Montréal 1903; Streit, Bibl., III, p. 830. Giovanni Rommerskirchen

@incollection{ec6_grandin_vitale, author = {Rommerskirchen, Giovanni}, title = {Grandin, vitale}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {999}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/grandin-vitale} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

Grandin, Vital

About this entry