TROIS-RIVIÈRES, DIOCESE OF. - Diocese and city in the province of Québec (Canada, North America).
The diocese of T. R., which covers a territory of 12,600 square miles, has a Catholic population of 192,380 souls out of a total population of 195,821. There are 245 diocesan priests, 91 religious, 86 churches, 85 parishes, 1 major seminary, 3 minor seminaries, 2 classical colleges for girls, 2 retreat houses, 12 hospitals and hospices, 45 male religious congregations and 93 female (Ann. Pont. 1953, p. 433).
The diocese of T. R., a suffragan of Québec, was erected on 8 June 1852 in the city of the same name on the north bank of the St. Lawrence River, between the cities of Montréal and Québec. In July 1885 all the parishes on the south bank of the river were detached to form the diocese of Nicolet (v.). The first bishop was Msgr. Thomas Cooke (1852-70).
In the diocese the shrine of Our Lady of Cap-de-la-Madeleine is much frequented, declared a national shrine and entrusted to the care of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The statue of the Virgin was crowned by mandate of Pius X on 12 Oct. 1904. Pilgrims to the Shrine on the feast of the Assumption alone exceed 100,000 people. The statue of N. D. du Cap, in imitation of those of Fatima and of N. D. de Boulogne, in Europe, made a triumphal journey through the provinces of Québec and Ontario at the time of the Marian Congress of Ottawa (1947) and then continued its journey in Western Canada as far as the missions beyond the Arctic Circle.
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Gastone Carrière