The Historical Growth and Development of the Marist Brothers in the United States: Chapter 2 The Pioneering Period, 1885-1911
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Chapter II - The Pioneering Period
In 1884 Reverend Father E. Gravel, Rector of the Cathedral of St. Hyacinthe, P.Q., Canada, visited the Marist
superiors at St. Genis Laval, France, in order to interest them in the teaching apostolate in Canada. The superiors
were impressed, but hesitated to open a new mission territory.
A short time later, Bishop Louis Z. Moresu, of the Diocese of St. Hyacinthe, invited the brothers to staff a school
in Iberville and another at Sorel in his diocese. Canon St. Georges, Pastor of St. Athanase Parish and President
of the Iberville School Commission also made a formal request for brothers for his parish school. Reverend
Brother Stratonique, Assistant General for the Notre Dame de 1'Hermitage Province, in France, requested the
General Council of the Institute to sponsor the mission territory of Canada. The Council granted his wish on
condition that the Notre Dame de l'Hermitage Province supply the personnel and money needed. St. Athanase in
Iberville then was selected as the first Marist school in Canada.(1.)
Brother Cesidius, a teacher at the Notre Dame de l'Hermitage scholasticate was chosen as the superior of the first
mission band of six brothers.(2.) Leaving Le Havre, France on August 15, 1885, he arrived in New York City
nine days later.(3.) The next day, August 25th, Canon St. Geor and two other diocesan officials from St.
Hyacinthe, accompanied the brothers to the small town of Iberville.
Until the arrival of the brothers, St. Athanase School had been conducted by three priests and two lay teachers.
They had met the school needs of the town of four thousand souls, but pressed by the demands of their calling,
the priests were happy to torn the three story school over to the brothers.
The first scholastic year proved to be a very successful one. On September 2nd one hundred and eighty students
were grouped into five classes. In November the Bishop visited the school, gave his blessing to teachers and
pupils and renewed his promise of cooperation. Because of am increased enrollment, two additional brothers
arrived from France in January 1886. The very fine rapport between the brothers and the students, between
school authorities and parents, led to plans to expand facilities. This rapport was due mainly to the French
background of both teachers and pupils and to the excellent work done at the school. It was not long before
contributions from various local sources enabled the brothers to buy four small properties in 1886-1887, d to
construct a building which was to serve as residence and Novitiate.(4.)
Such an encouraging development spurred Brother Stratonique to greater efforts in expanding Marist influence
in Canada. On July 26, 1886 Bishop Moreau wrote a pastoral letter to encourage young men in hisdiocese to join
the Marist Brothers. In appreciation of this Interest, the Assistant General sent thirteen more brothers to Canada.
In September 1886,another group of nineteen brothers arrived; of these six were assigned to teach at Academie
St. Pierre in Montreal, and four at St. Peter's School in Lewiston, Maine. In the latter, a Canadian born youth,
Pierre Gagnon, was the first Marist vocation from the States.
The news of the work of the brothers in these three schools soon spread to the local townships, so that other
pastors and school commissioners requested brothers for their respective schools. Brother Cesidius forwarded
these requests to the Assistant General. As a result, in 1867 the latter visited this new mission with Brother
Theophane, Superior General.
After visiting the Marist communities and the pastors who had requested the services of the brothers, the
Superior General agreed to send help to three schools in the Province of Quebec: Ste. Martine, Chateauguay;
College Saint Joseph, Roxton Falls; axed St. Ephrem, Upton. Twenty-two additional brothers arrived from
France for that purpose.(5.) The Superior General also presided at the first investiture ceremony in the New
World. Pierre Gagnon, who had been trained by Brother Cesidius at the Novitiate in lberville was the first and
only postulant to be received on that occasion into the Institute. The young man was given the name of Brother
Marie Theophane.(6.) One of the most important results of this visitation was the incorporation of the
Congregation in the Dominion of Canada.
7/8/2021
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/writtenHistory/chapterII/pioneeringPeriodCh2.htm
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/writtenHistory/chapterII/pioneeringPeriodCh2.htm
2/2
The Superiors returned to France delighted with what they had seem and strongly optimistic about the future
possibilities in this new mission territory. At the time of their visit six schools and a novitiate were being
successfully conducted by forty-one brothers.
From France soon came the news that Brother Cesidius had been appointed provincial visitor by the Superior
General. As such he was authorized to govern the Canadian mission district, subject however to approval of the
Assistant General in all matters of policy and appointments.(7.) As the first superior of the North American
mission, he continued to play an important role, that was to last sixty years, in the progress of Marist activity in
his adopted country, Canada. This becomes evident in the following pages.
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/writtenHistory/chapterII/pioneeringPeriodCh2.htm
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/writtenHistory/chapterII/pioneeringPeriodCh2.htm
1/2
Chapter II - The Pioneering Period
In 1884 Reverend Father E. Gravel, Rector of the Cathedral of St. Hyacinthe, P.Q., Canada, visited the Marist
superiors at St. Genis Laval, France, in order to interest them in the teaching apostolate in Canada. The superiors
were impressed, but hesitated to open a new mission territory.
A short time later, Bishop Louis Z. Moresu, of the Diocese of St. Hyacinthe, invited the brothers to staff a school
in Iberville and another at Sorel in his diocese. Canon St. Georges, Pastor of St. Athanase Parish and President
of the Iberville School Commission also made a formal request for brothers for his parish school. Reverend
Brother Stratonique, Assistant General for the Notre Dame de 1'Hermitage Province, in France, requested the
General Council of the Institute to sponsor the mission territory of Canada. The Council granted his wish on
condition that the Notre Dame de l'Hermitage Province supply the personnel and money needed. St. Athanase in
Iberville then was selected as the first Marist school in Canada.(1.)
Brother Cesidius, a teacher at the Notre Dame de l'Hermitage scholasticate was chosen as the superior of the first
mission band of six brothers.(2.) Leaving Le Havre, France on August 15, 1885, he arrived in New York City
nine days later.(3.) The next day, August 25th, Canon St. Geor and two other diocesan officials from St.
Hyacinthe, accompanied the brothers to the small town of Iberville.
Until the arrival of the brothers, St. Athanase School had been conducted by three priests and two lay teachers.
They had met the school needs of the town of four thousand souls, but pressed by the demands of their calling,
the priests were happy to torn the three story school over to the brothers.
The first scholastic year proved to be a very successful one. On September 2nd one hundred and eighty students
were grouped into five classes. In November the Bishop visited the school, gave his blessing to teachers and
pupils and renewed his promise of cooperation. Because of am increased enrollment, two additional brothers
arrived from France in January 1886. The very fine rapport between the brothers and the students, between
school authorities and parents, led to plans to expand facilities. This rapport was due mainly to the French
background of both teachers and pupils and to the excellent work done at the school. It was not long before
contributions from various local sources enabled the brothers to buy four small properties in 1886-1887, d to
construct a building which was to serve as residence and Novitiate.(4.)
Such an encouraging development spurred Brother Stratonique to greater efforts in expanding Marist influence
in Canada. On July 26, 1886 Bishop Moreau wrote a pastoral letter to encourage young men in hisdiocese to join
the Marist Brothers. In appreciation of this Interest, the Assistant General sent thirteen more brothers to Canada.
In September 1886,another group of nineteen brothers arrived; of these six were assigned to teach at Academie
St. Pierre in Montreal, and four at St. Peter's School in Lewiston, Maine. In the latter, a Canadian born youth,
Pierre Gagnon, was the first Marist vocation from the States.
The news of the work of the brothers in these three schools soon spread to the local townships, so that other
pastors and school commissioners requested brothers for their respective schools. Brother Cesidius forwarded
these requests to the Assistant General. As a result, in 1867 the latter visited this new mission with Brother
Theophane, Superior General.
After visiting the Marist communities and the pastors who had requested the services of the brothers, the
Superior General agreed to send help to three schools in the Province of Quebec: Ste. Martine, Chateauguay;
College Saint Joseph, Roxton Falls; axed St. Ephrem, Upton. Twenty-two additional brothers arrived from
France for that purpose.(5.) The Superior General also presided at the first investiture ceremony in the New
World. Pierre Gagnon, who had been trained by Brother Cesidius at the Novitiate in lberville was the first and
only postulant to be received on that occasion into the Institute. The young man was given the name of Brother
Marie Theophane.(6.) One of the most important results of this visitation was the incorporation of the
Congregation in the Dominion of Canada.
7/8/2021
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/writtenHistory/chapterII/pioneeringPeriodCh2.htm
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/writtenHistory/chapterII/pioneeringPeriodCh2.htm
2/2
The Superiors returned to France delighted with what they had seem and strongly optimistic about the future
possibilities in this new mission territory. At the time of their visit six schools and a novitiate were being
successfully conducted by forty-one brothers.
From France soon came the news that Brother Cesidius had been appointed provincial visitor by the Superior
General. As such he was authorized to govern the Canadian mission district, subject however to approval of the
Assistant General in all matters of policy and appointments.(7.) As the first superior of the North American
mission, he continued to play an important role, that was to last sixty years, in the progress of Marist activity in
his adopted country, Canada. This becomes evident in the following pages.