Rimouski today covers an area of 8,000 square miles with a total population of 177,169 souls, almost all Catholic (there are only 896 non-Catholics), of whom 176,851 are French-speaking. There are 275 priests, of whom 41 are religious (Capuchins, Clerics of St. Viator, Oblates of M.I., Redemptorists, Fathers of the Holy Spirit, and Eudists) who exercise the sacred ministry in the 98 parishes. There are two seminaries; among the charitable institutions are noted 2 homes for the elderly, 2 orphanages, and 4 hospitals. Jacques Cartier landed on the extreme part of Gaspé (formerly Honguedo) on his first voyage of discovery in 1534 and erected a cross there. The first Mass was celebrated at Pointe-aux-Pères, near Rimouski, by Fr. Henri Nouvel, S.J., in 1663. The first inhabitant of Rimouski was Germain Lesage (1696), from whom the name of S. G. di R. derives. The first parish canonically established was Cacouna in 1825.
The see of Rimouski was erected by Pius IX on 14 January 1867 and was subsequently divided several times to form the prefecture