Mackenzie Delta Citation Data Base Document 19 “The Softness of a Dove and Cunning of a Snake”: Sickness and Power in the Early Career of Gabriel Breynat, Vicar Apostolic of the Mackenzie 1901-26. by Walter Vanast Draft 2 May 11, 2011 McGill University Intellectual Property Corrections and Suggestions Invited [email protected][email protected]
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"Soft as a Dove and Cunning as a Snake": Illness and Power in the Career of Bishop Gabriel Breynat of the Mackenzie 1901-1926
How a prelate used chronic illness (depressive and psychosomatic symptoms) to both further his status and obtain the support that let him build hospitals, orphanages and new missions.
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Mackenzie Delta Citation Data BaseDocument 19
“The Softness of a Dove and Cunning of a Snake”:
Sickness and Power in the Early Career of Gabriel Breynat,
seventy five years they have been the only ones in all the territory." "Oh, what brave
workers," came the response, as the pope joined hands in prayer-like posture, "I've
always been convinced that to stay in so deserted and cold a land requires a great reserve
of physical and mental strength." He repeated the words with special emphasis: "Yes, a
great worthiness, physical and mental."
Just then, Duchaussois realized that Monseigneur Migliore had given the pope a
copy of Aux Glaces Polaires, and that it lay opened at a photograph of Breynat with his
dogteam in the snow. Less timid now, the father pointed out that the fur-clad figure was
the present "Bishop of the North Pole," who had traveled the wastes of the Athabasca-
Mackenzie region for thirty years. "Yet," the priest added, "he has never been in good
health." The Pope could not contain his admiration. "In that case," he exclaimed, "he
must possess double mental fortitude!" Closing the book, he promised to read it soon. In
the meantime, he would pray especially for the Oblates’ missions.xc xci
Shortly after, on the anniversary of the founding of the Propaganda of the Faith,
Duchaussois spoke to a packed audience in one of the Vatican's largest halls, where a
large number of dignitaries, including Cardinal Van Rossum, attended. L'Osservatore
Romano, the Vatican newspaper, reported the talk under the headline "The Missions of
the North Pole,"xcii and repeated Duchaussois’ s depiction of the "extreme desolation" of
the north's frozen wastes and the difficulty of travel in those immense regions. The father
told of the privations suffered by men raised in civilized lands, and lingered on the ways
beasts attacked unsuspecting victims. Using the deaths of Fathers Rouvière and Leroux
as example, he showed the mortal danger of approaching pagans who were "enemies of
the Good Word."
For two hours, the oration continued. The father, said l'Osservatore, opened
everyone's eyes to the "incredible heroism" of the missionaries in the remote Mackenzie,
who toiled so very hard to save souls otherwise ignored and doomed to eternal darkness.
Because of their efforts, flowers of virtue, pure and pleasing to God, were now blooming.
All who had the privilege of hearing Duchaussois had left with a double wish: "to hear
him again, and to do something for the missions." xciii xciv
Thus, the Vicariate of the Mackenzie and Gabriel Breynat, its untiring leader,
became the object of praise at the very center of Catholic power. Without being there,
the bishop had engineered a public relations coup.
An Energized Bishop
That summer, although his "poor nerves were crying out for mercy," Breynat
spent seven weeks in his vicariate,xcv and a subsequent period of "necessary repose" in the
South worked wonders. Rather than spend the winter elsewhere, as he had for three
years, he returned to the Mackenzie, remaining active, almost driven, for a full eight
months. xcvi xcvii Completing plans for church renovations and for the new Aklavik
mission, he seemed energized by the enormous workload those projects imposed on
underlings.
The winter's journeys only seemed to make him stronger. The trip to Fort Rae
brought him back in excellent health, and at Providence Breynat participated in a
whirlwind of celebrations, confessions, retreats, and confirmations. Tirelessly, he
counselled sisters, brothers, and fellow priests. His presence offered a happy excuse for
the mounting of pageants, plays, and religious processions. The prelate distributed candy
in the dormitories, surrounded by banners proclaiming "let the children come unto me"
and "Mane Nobiscum." "Yes, oh Yes!" proclaimed the sister superior, "may our good
Pastor stay with us a long time!"xcviii?
At Resolution, Breynat maintained the hectic pace. Directing carpenters at the
church and woodcutters at the mill, he lent a welcome hand. Only once, very briefly,
near the end of May, did he feel "lightly indisposed." At the end of the summer
inspection trip, Father Duport was amazed at how well the bishop looked. When, a week
later, Breynat left for Rome, no one could have predicted that illness would keep him
overseas the next four years.xcix, c.
Aglow with success
At the Vatican, Breynat enjoyed a long visit with the pope. "You come from afar,
Monseigneur," said the pontiff, motioning the visitor to a seat at his side, "You come
from the ends of the earth. I must tell you that I follow, in spirit and heart, your progress
across those desolate wastes. I have almost completed reading Aux Glaces Polaires. I
found it enormously edifying, and I thank God for the marvels of grace brought about
through the ministry of the Oblates."
The pontiff listened intently as Breynat told of the difficulties that sapped the
strength of his missionaries and prematurely ended their life. The pope's sympathetic ear
gave Breynat the perfect occasion to ask for favours. He needed financial support and
hoped for indulgences adjusting religious life to the harsh realities of the Mackenzie
(these concerned the handling of sacramental bread, fasting, and daily devotions).ci
Within the day all the bishop's requests were granted. More than that, Cardinal
Van Rossum asked him to tell his missionaries that the church held them is special
esteem. Rome was well aware of their sacrifices in spreading the Gospel "among
desolate tribes at the ends of the earth." So awed was the cardinal by their special labours
that he prayed for them at mass every morning -- "Yes! Every morning!"
Aglow with success, Breynat left for France. A "great test," however, abruptly
changed his mood as he crossed the border. cii His nervous system "protested" against an
overload of travel, worry and responsibility. The breakdown, he knew, had been in the
making for over a year, for his attitude to underlings had changed to the point of causing
unnecessary suffering. His senior counsellors, including Father Duport at Resolution,
had felt the warning sign and urged him to get help while in Europe. Only now did he
agree to slow down.
Nervous collapse
What happened next took the bishop by surprise. Instead of making him better,
rest transformed what had been a diffuse weakness into a "complete nervous collapse."
Insomnia troubled his nights; reading and writing became impossible; tears appeared
without warning. Breynat's head hurt, he suffered from indigestion, and his legs felt
heavy. Minor irritations precipitated sobs, and with each such outburst the depression
deepened. Those around him felt the sting of an easily aroused temper. For "the first
time in my life," Breynat recalled later, he became discouraged. If symptoms persisted,
he would resign.
A senior Oblate had a better plan. "Get the Holy See," he suggested, "to name a
temporary administrator for the Vicariate, with full powers and responsibility. Then, you
take a rest. You're still young. With a little care, you'll be back at the helm in no time."
Cardinal Van Rossum arranged the matter so that in April 1924 Breynat was relieved of
all responsibilities and Father Duport would take over. The cardinal himself would keep
an eye on the vicariate from Rome. ciii
By letter, the bishop told his staff of the "pain" he felt at the forced exile.
Difficult as everyone would find the next year, it was all for the best. Repose would
restore his strength and set aside, for many years, the spectre of early retirement. civ,cv
At Resolution, the setback caused much grief. Long voyages and excessive
duties, all agreed, had precipitated the breakdown. Resigned to God's will, the
community stoically accepted the prelate's absence. Father Duport felt certain their
prayers for his healing would be answered. Surely the Great Master "would take into
account their good works, generosity, and devotion."cvi
Boarding the next steamer to conduct his first ever tour of the missions, Duport
discovered what little time the vessel spent at each stop. "On average," he noted
apologetically, "I spent but three or four hours at each mission." Still, it was long enough
to recognize the missionaries' high morale, their willingness to contribute to the overall
good of the Vicariate, and their faithful pursuit of a life in the service of God.cvii
Therapy at Eaux les Bains
Breynat, meanwhile, pursued a cure. A Lyon physician confirmed the "pitiful
state" of his nerves, and prescribed hydrotherapy at the Divonne-les-Bains spa near
Geneva. Breynat found a delightful small hotel whose staff proved constantly attentive,
and his choice of a certain Doctor Napoléon Vieux could not have been better. The
medic, while divulging how "serious" the disorder had become, offered much hope.
Given time, remission was possible. "Your solid constitution," he explained, "will save
you."
Much work lay ahead. Every day, Breynat would have to submit to the coldest
showers the spa could offer, at the spot where springwater emerged from the mountain’s
side; the doctor himself would apply the remedy. Except for a short daily walk, the
regime dictated total rest. A personal secretary, supplied by the Oblates, performed even
the smallest chores. cviii
Therapy, it soon showed, would have to be lengthy. "The illness," a November
bulletin to Resolution revealed, "is deep-seated and serious." From a physical point of
view, the patient was improving. All spiritual or intellectual thought, however, remained
"very difficult...almost impossible." Reading and writing had been prohibited; Breynat
no longer recited the breviary. The illness had forced him into "a purely vegetative
state."
At the consecration of an old friend, Breynat had suffered a relapse, necessitating
addition of an entire month of showers in the spring. As reaction to treatment was always
"slow and painful," he could not possibly return to the Mackenzie until the following
summer.cix "We are thankful," responded Father Duport "for the brief missives, even if
they come from another's hand." The missionaries, he assured the bishop, were
continuing to pray for his recovery.cx
Mademoiselle de Romigoux
Unfortunately, events conspired to halt Breynat's progress, as the time had come
for the doctor's annual break cxi and winter was making the water too cold. Where, the
bishop worried, should he spend the idle months before resuming treatment?
Stays a Oblate residences set his nerves back, reminding him how much he
disliked being in a community. He tried to be a guest in private homes, but though the
first day always went well, trouble always followed. Where companionship was offered,
he wanted solitude, and within a week his irritability forced a move to yet another
acquaintance. Only later did Breynat recognize how much hurt he had inflicted.
The bishop felt worse than ever as the failed search for peace negated months of
treatment. But then again Father Lemius, who had helped so much in Montreal in 1910,
came to the rescue. Renowned for his sermons, the priest received support from
prominent society figures, and some time previously to please the most generous,
Mademoiselle de Romigoux, he had had Breynat bring her a polar bear pelt.cxii
When the father informed her of the bishop's "overwhelming fatigue," the wealthy
spinster determined to help, and in a warm letter revealed how pained she was by his
illness. "Come and spend some time with me here, under the pine trees of les Landes.
Consider my house yours -- stay as long as you like." Breynat expected the letdown he
had felt in so many homes already—but it turned out he need not have worried. cxiii
At Mademoiselle de Romigoux’s mansion at Béliet, beautiful and spacious,
Breynat settled in a large room with "all modern conveniences." Above was a private
oratory to celebrate mass, and all around magnificent pine forests offered sheltered paths
where he could wander for hours without seeing a person. The hostess, well known for
her work among the sick and poor, showed herself to be a most sensitive and gentle
nurse. Not once did Breynat's shifting moods upset her. Tolerating his quirks, she put
him at ease; she knew when to enter his world and leave it. In no time at all, two
"charming months" passed by. "Providence," Breynat recognized, "was spoiling me in
letting me inside the gates of that little paradise." cxiv
A Cure in Bethlehem
After Christmas, when Father Lemius arrived, the three of them spent tranquil
days. In the evening they talked gently by the fireside, and one such occasion, the talk
turned to pilgrimages. The Father had a liking for the magnificent shrine to Mary at
Montmartre, where he had once been chaplain. The hostess preferred Lourdes, where,
each year, she spent time and money among the suffering. The only site that could
possibly elicit his enthusiasm, Breynat insisted, was the Holy Land itself. Within the day,
Father Lemius had talked Mademoiselle Romigoux into financing the journey. By late
February, the party left for Palestine.
A fine holiday it turned out to be, as frequent rests in good hotels ensured the
bishop did not tire, and the group stopped in Naples, Palermo, Athens, and
Constantinople before reaching Jerusalem. Words failed Breynat as, walking on the very
ground where Jesus had trod, he experienced deep emotions. At Nazareth, on the feast
day of St. Gabriel, he said mass at the altar of St. Gabriel, in the grotto where the
archangel had delivered God's message to Mary.cxv
In Resolution, that same day was clear and sunny. Because it was Breynat's
birthday and the feast day of St. Gabriel, the patron saint of the vicariate, the children at
the convent school had a holiday. Nuns and priests turned their thoughts to the ailing
bishop and prayed for his convalescence. "Let us hope," said Father Duport in a
summary of the day's events, "that St. Gabriel has applied all of his enormous influence
in presenting our petitions to God. May he grant us the recovery of our head pastor and
father in this world below and send him back to us as soon as possible."cxvi
When, shortly thereafter, he learned (via the first wireless message he had ever
received) that Breynat was in Palestine, his hopes were raised. "Might it be possible," he
wondered, "that Monseigneur will find a cure in the land of miracles of the Sacred
Heart?"cxvii A letter soon informed him that a miracle had indeed taken place. cxviii
"I want to let you know," Breynat began, "that your appeals to Heaven have been
answered." His full recovery was at hand. While at Nazareth he had felt, for the first
time, the certainty that he would not have to spend another winter away from the North.
He had arrived at first vespers on the feast of St. Gabriel, "the Protector of our Vicariate."
The following day, he had celebrated mass "in the very Grotto where the sublime mystery
of the Incarnation took place."
Gentle emotions had filled his soul. "Your guardian angels, it seemed, were all
about me, their arms filled with the supplications and prayers that I knew you had all
offered, the previous day, for the recovery of the unworthy Pastor of the Vicariate. St.
Gabriel took all those testaments of your filial devotion and presented them to our
Immaculate Mother, who, in turn, placed them lovingly in the heart of her Divine Son."
At that very moment the bishop had felt the firm conviction that the wishes of the
Mackenzie faithful would be granted.
Breynat's confidence was now such that he wanted to announce his return by the
middle of the summer. After landing at Marseilles, he needed just a few weeks of shower
therapy "to consolidate the gains of the past year." A period of rest would follow,
allowing the body to "create the best possible result." Then, he would be on his way
home. In the meantime, he needed prayers to ensure further progress. He was still
unable to read the breviary.cxix
For the first time, Breynat told his missionaries about Mademoiselle Roumégoux.
The lady had "stopped at nothing" to get him back to a state where he could return to his
beloved missions. After months of "most maternal devotion," she had offered him this
pilgrimage to the Holy Land as a New Year's gift. There, she had hoped, he would find
the "distraction and spiritual rest" that would restore his well-being.
Approved by Rome, Breynat hastened to add, the voyage had been strongly
recommended by his doctor. The many blessings showered on this journey indicated that
"God himself" had wanted it to take place. Mademoiselle Roumégoux, whose charity
had made it all possible, now planned to extend her largesse: she would soon donate
money for the daily operations of the bishop's vicariate. She wanted to be known as the
petite maman à tous, the little mother to everyone in the Mackenzie. From now on,
Breynat ordered "let her name rank high in your prayers each day!" cxx
Saddened at leaving Jerusalem, Breynat boarded the train to Egypt.cxxi On camel
back, he viewed the famous pyramids; visits to the ruins of Luxor and the recently
discovered tomb of Tut-Ank-Amon followed. On the steamboat from Alexandria to
France, as the leisurely pace of a sea voyage imposed itself, the bishop felt better than
ever. Mentally and physically, he had benefited enormously from the voyage. Buoyed,
he "really began to believe" that he might soon return to the Mackenzie. Once again,
however, that was not to be the case.
Setback at Marseille
At the Marseille docks, Breynat suffered a severe setback. The noisy cries of the
stevedores, the demands of the customs officers, and the hustle-and-bustle of debarking
passengers upset him enormously. The effect on his nervous system was "disastrous."
Instead of heading for Canada, he set off for Dr. Vieux. Cardinal van Rossum extended
his sabbatical indefinitely, urging the bishop to remain in therapy long enough for a
complete cure. "Only when your doctor authorizes you to return to your vicariate," he
ordered, "are you to take over from Father Duport." cxxii
In Resolution, the new church had just been completed. Indians from far and
wide had come to celebrate the official dedication ceremonies. It was such a pity, Father
Duport lamented, that the bishop could not be with them -- he "would have been so
happy." The church had been Breynat's idea; it was he who had organized it all and
provided the necessary materials and labourers. That winter alone, the mission mill had
produced over five thousand feet of lumber for the project. The structure, over ninety
feet long and rising sixty feet above the ground, was "a worthy monument" to the
bishop.cxxiii
The celebrations were hardly over when Duport was informed that Breynat would
stay away for another twelve months. Dashing off to other missions, he added, once
again, the many duties of vicarial administrator to his local responsibilities.cxxiv
Home via the Panama Canal
That fall, after months of icy showers, Breynat began to feel better. Increasingly,
he felt the need to visit the Mackenzie, even if the exertion were to force him back to
France right away. As the healing season ended at Divonne-les-Bains, the bishop asked
Dr. Vieux's permission. The voyage, he argued, would benefit his spirits. Away from his
flock, he had begun to languish; the separation had become too painful. The doctor
eventually agreed, on condition that Breynat spend a long period at sea on his way to
Canada. If he promised to take the Suez Canal route via Ceylon, Japan, and the Pacific
Ocean, a cruise of many months duration, he could go.cxxv
Breynat, having taken a vow of poverty, lacked the personal finances for such a
prolonged voyage. Fortunately, Mademoiselle de Romigoux, once again, came to the
rescue. Father Duchaussois, on another publicity tour of France, made an "indiscretion"
during a visit to Béliet. Speaking to the lady, he let it slip that medical authorities had
ordered a long sea excursion for her patient. Indignant, she demanded to know why
Breynat had not told her. "If the doctor recommends it," she admonished the prelate,
"you must obey." Despite "many objections" on the bishop's part, she insisted on funding
the therapeutic passage eastward. Watching her determination, Breynat recalled an old
French proverb: "What a woman wants, God wants."cxxvi
That month, what God wanted was also on the mind of Father Duport. For three
years, the Mackenzie's missionaries had accepted Monseigneur's absence with
resignation. Perceiving his illness as a test of their resolve, they had redoubled their
work. Still, their most ardent wish for 1926 was the return, in good health, of their
bishop.cxxvii
In France, the Oblate Order assigned Father Edmond Planet, a "permanently
disabled" World War I veteran, to accompany Breynat on the ocean voyage. The priest
received a monthly pension from America that would come in handy for extras during the
trip. But such costs, it turned out, remained minimal; at each all of their many stops,
local missionaries treated the bishop and his traveling partner like visiting
ambassadors.cxxviii In Ceylon, former colleagues from Breynat's seminary days showed
them exotic sites. Four "delicious weeks" rushed by. Near Hanoi, they visited
"magnificent rice and coffee plantations." Three-day stays at "sumptuous" Hong-Kong
and Shanghai followed. After landing at Kobe, Japan, the two Oblates made a side trip to
Korea. A wonderful stay with new acquaintances, bishops they had met on board ship,
followed. Then, after a tour of Tokyo's many temples and a look at the awesome damage
of a recent earthquake, Breynat and his partner boarded a liner for Vancouver.cxxix
At Resolution, the staff never flagged in their prayers for Breynat's healing. In
March, a note from Port Said suggested the appeals had been effective: the bishop was
improving. Encouraged, the community asked St. Gabriel (whose feast day occurred just
then) to obtain full recovery. They thanked the great saint for the help and protection he
had offered in the past. To increase the likelihood of his paying attention to their
supplications, they vowed to labour harder than ever before in their tasks. Pledging to
seek his intervention more often and more fervently, they assured the saint of a newly
prominent place in their lives.cxxx
Two weeks later, the community asked the Sacred Heart of Jesus to return the
prelate soon and in good health. "Allow him," they appealed. "to spend many long years
in the midst of the small flock for which he has sacrificed his well-being." cxxxi On May
13, they began a novena dedicated to Bishop Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Oblate
Order. Never before had they asked that revered cleric for intercession. Anxieties were
such, however, as to justify the unusual route of appeal.
Preparations had begun for the twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations of
Monseigneur Breynat's reign in the Mackenzie. At each convent, mission school, and
priestly residence, speeches had been memorized, plays rehearsed, and songs rehearsed at
length. The vicariate's four new churches were decked out in special decorations. All
mission buildings were scrubbed and the grounds spruced up for the episcopal visit.
Important ecclesiastic visitors from Canada and Europe would soon arrive for the
ceremonies. It would be awful if Monseigneur Breynat were to get sick now, exhausted
by his long voyage.cxxxii
Celebrations in the Mackenzie
On May 28, Monseigneur Breynat crossed the sixtieth parallel and entered his
own domain. At Fort Smith, joyous celebrations erupted. "All hearts," wrote Breynat,
"vibrated in unison at the joy of being reunited."cxxxiii He let it be known that his health
was still not all that it should be, but that hardly dampened the joy.cxxxiv A few days later,
Father Duport arrived on the St. Gabriel, a small mission vessel, to take him further
north. Together, they made their way north. On June 4, 1926, a jubilant crowd of priests,
nuns, and children waited on the Resolution dock to see Bishop Gabriel Breynat stand
ever taller as the St. Gabriel approached the shore.cxxxv The heavenly Gabriel had
answered their prayers. "The happy day so long desired," had finally arrived.
The bishop celebrated mass in a packed church the next day. He looked happy,
but everyone knew that illness still made his life difficult. Dr. Bourget, the local Indian
agent and physician, had divulged the details. Perhaps, Father Duport suggested,
Monseigneur would get better now that he was surrounded by his own flock.cxxxvi But, it
was improper to pin hope on that remedy. Heaven alone could effect a complete
eradication of symptoms.
"May the Sacred Heart of Jesus," invoked the nuns, "through the intermediary of
our little sister Saint Theresa, heal our beloved Father." They promised to make
sacrifices in their daily lives and to offer up good works to that purpose. For three days,
between June 6 and 8, their supplications continued. There was much cause for concern.
Breynat had become "terribly troubled" by the delayed arrival of outside dignitaries.
Among them was Father Belle, who, once again, had traveled from Oblate headquarters
in Rome.cxxxvii
At five in the morning, on June 9, out of the mists appeared the vessel bringing
Father Belle and Monseigneur Joussard, the assistant bishop to Monseigneur Grouard.
Breynat, the "happy Jubilaire," at once celebrated a packed thanksgiving service. Two
hours later, a formal outdoor procession led to the pontifical mass. Father Planet,
Breynat's traveling companion, stood in the chancel. Elderly Father Dupire, who had had
left the North but once in his whole life, was at his side.cxxxviii
Father Belle, delivering the sermon, spoke of the love of a pastor for his sheep.
That love had lent the twenty five years of Breynat's episcopacy its particular grandeur; it
had been the driving force behind his incessant travels in the vicariate and around the
world. Indeed, that love had pushed the bishop to "sacrificing all" to the point of the
complete breakdown of his health. That love, he had shown, included the willingness to
lay down his life for the Mackenzie should God demand it.cxxxix
As the Magnificat burst forth from the congregation, Breynat was escorted to his
residence. There, deeply touched, he bestowed paternal blessings on the religious
community. A banquet for visitors and staff followed. Confirmation of twenty five
youngsters by Monseigneur Joussard, all but two of them pupils at Resolution, then took
place in front of the assembled visitors. Fatigue had forced Breynat to take a brief nap,
but he arose in time to attend the five o'clock mass, and to occupy the seat of honour at
the evening's entertainment by the children. Overwhelmed with emotion at the display of
affection, he could but stammer a few gracious words in response. Monseigneur Joussard
had to deliver the "thank-you" speech.cxl
The celebrations had been arranged so that as many Indians as possible could
attend. It was "treaty time" at Resolution, and native families from around Great Slave
Lake had come for their annual gathering, socializing and trading while they waited for
Dr. Bourget to distribute the annual five dollar payment. As the ecclesiastic visitors from
the South strolled outside with their host, they witnessed the Indians "surround Mgr.
Breynat and bend to their knees as they pressed their lips to his ring." The bishop, Father
Duport noted, "knew each one by name, and showed an interest in all matters that
concerned them. Here was truly the good Pastor among his flock."cxli The next day, on
June 15, Breynat and his guests took the steamer northward to other missions and further
celebrations.
The New Mission in the Mackenzie Delta
For the first time in his life, Breynat traveled the Mackenzie River beyond Arctic
Red River. As the boat arrived at Aklavik, he and his companions saw the newly built
Catholic convent school, hospital, and mission residence high up on the bank. For three
years, the woodmill at Resolution had worked almost daily to provide the lumber. Priests
and brothers had laboured fiercely to build the barges to take the lumber north.
Throughout the Mackenzie Vicariate, missionaries had skimped on foods and goods in
order to save money for the Aklavik undertaking. For more than twelve months, a
handful of nuns and priests, despite great material difficulties, had lived in the remote
setting.
Proudly, Breynat showed the establishment to his fellow travelers. As Pius XI
had urged mission leaders in an encyclical that very summer, the bishop was pressing
past the boundaries of past victories. Indeed, as all could see, his mission had now begun
its final onslaught "on the ends of the earth." cxlii
Breynat remained in good spirits during the voyage southward. "Instead of
exhausting him, as everyone expected," observed Father Duport at Resolution on July 10,
"the hard work of the trip has made him stronger." Content with the state of his missions,
"enchanted" by what he had seen, the bishop appeared entirely happy. It all augured well
for the future. But the sisters, perhaps more attuned to sensing discomfort, noted that "a
little fatigue" showed through.
“A shock to the nervous system.”
Had the bishop remained in his vicariate, that small residuum of illness might
soon have flared into a full storm of disabling symptoms. There was, however, no need
to take such a chance. That fall, Breynat had to attend another Oblate Chapter General in
Rome. Breynat thought it best to take the entire year for a final attempt at recovery.
Although the Vatican had not renewed Duport's official appointment as administrator, the
bishop used his own powers to put him in charge for another year. Fellow priests,
however, gave the hard-working priest a break. By voting him their rank-and-file
representative to the Oblate convocation, they allowed him his first trip outside the
Mackenzie since his arrival in 1904.
After the meeting, in early December, Father Duport traveled to France, where he
saw his family for the first time in twenty-three years. A week or so later, he spent
several some time with Breynat, who had settled in for a winter's solitude and rest at
Béliet with Mademoiselle Romégoux. As always, the bishop noted, Duport appeared
happy, animated, and eager to take on further projects. His many years of labour in the
North had done him no harm. Fifty two years old, he "radiated good health."
The father spoke of plans to spend time with close relatives in Ardèche.
Thereafter, as soon as possible in the spring, he hoped to return to the Mackenzie, and to
"redouble his efforts among his beloved Indians."
Leaving Breynat, he traveled to Lourdes, where he spent time at the famous
grotto, praying for the Eskimo towards whose conversion he had spent so much effort the
past two years. Then, inexplicably, he fell ill. Transported to a friend's home nearby, he
failed to respond to medical help. On December 24, Father Duport passed away.
Breynat was with friends in a little village near Thier. On Christmas day, he
relished the "intimacy of the occasion" as he worked his way through a gourmet meal.
Just then a messenger arrived with the telegram announcing Father Duport's demise.
"You can imagine," Breynat recalled afterwards, "what a shock that was to my poor
nervous system." Given the distance and "the difficulties in communication," he found it
impossible to attend Father Duport's funeral or to visit his family. Remaining at Thier,
Breynat sought balm for the unexpected "blow to heart and mind" while the mortal
remains of his faithful deputy were laid to rest in a vault at Aix-en-Provence, on the
grounds of the national headquarters of the Oblate fathers.cxliii
i Breynat's illness reveals much about the power politics of mission organizations. The story also illustrates the enormous distance that sometimes separates rhetoric from fact in mission documents. ii CA I 40. Should the son carry through, the doctor warned, the patient would certainly die. Gabriel gave in, but, as was often the case, still got his way. A devout believer, the mother felt guilt at keeping her son from God. For a while, "heart and nerves" prevented her from granting consent. Finally, when Gabriel's only sister agreed to forego convent life, she made the "sacrifice." Her health never recovered. The boy's departure sapped what strength she had left. As she pined away, friends and family alike accused him of selfishness. Hopes of continuing the Breynat family line depended on him. An older son had entered a seminary; a daughter would soon begin her novitiate in a convent. Gabriel last saw her on the day of his consecration when, in the hometown church, he pronounced God's blessing on his parents. Almost at once, he left for the remote Apostolic Vicariate of Athabasca-Mackenzie in the Canadian North. His mother died within the year, as did his father and sister. iii This was a variant of the Kneipp system of hydrotherapy. iv CA I 53, 59-60. v CA I, 60. Driven from France by anticlerical laws, the seminary had resettled in Holland. In the wet climate, already hard on the students' health.. vi CA I, 61-63.vii Vicariate of the Mackenzie stretched, as Breynat was fond of pointing out, for thirty degrees of latitude, from the 60th parallel all the way to the North Pole. Within very few years, the new prelate's feats became well-known in church and lay circles in Canada and France alike. Constantly on the move from post to post, from mission station to government headquarters, from diocese to church council, Breynat began to seem ubiquitous. His work, according to a revered historian of the North, was "a classic illustration of how to adapt a religious organization to local conditions and opportunities." The bishop's central sawmill supplied other missions with lumber; his boat carried freight and garnered revenue; his farm sent produce to needy stations. A genius at organization, Breynat created an integrated system of churches, schools, and hospitals. Untiringly, he pursued government and private donors to make it all possible. Morris Zaslow, The Northward Expansion of Canada, 1914-1967 (Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1988), 158. viii Not until the early 1940s did he hand the reins to a successor. Between World War II and 1954, the bishop lived a comfortable retirement in his home country, basking in praise. France made him a member of the Legion of Honor and placed his image in the carved-glass window above the entrance to its new Ottawa consulate. At age 88, he left this world. By then, he had become a legend. Despite his limited health, he had offered himself to the missions. Exhausted by the rigors of his remote diocese, he had suffered greatly. But, despite his medical Golgotha, he had accomplished a great deal. ix Breynat at Mission des Sept Douleurs, at Fond du Lac, on Lake Athabaska: Article: "Christmas at MSD": Because food was running low and the caribou wouldn't wait for them, the hunters came for the Night of Prayer three few weeks early. Not that I'm complaining: had they all come at the same time, my fragile state of health would not have been able to handle the stress. There were only a few, but it was enough to force me to take a week's rest afterwards. One Caribou Eater causes as much work as ten whites out in civilized society (lots of talk, etc.)."G. Breynat, "Noël a la Mission des Sept Douleurs," Missions O.M.I. 39 (1901): 141-145. x CA I, 267. xi CA I, 276-7. xii Father Drummondxiii R.P. Simoni, "Sacrée de Mgr Breynat," (extract of a letter to R.P. Gandar) Missions O.M.I. (1902): 227-232. xiv CA I, 338. xv Breynat showed remarkable ease in relating to the powerful francophone bishops that had come to witness his installation. Almost at once, he became their spokesman on the matter of Indian missions.
In steadily increasing numbers, whites were invading areas of the Canadian Northwest. Money and staff were needed to cater to these newcomers. Moreover, many of the immigrants were Godless or Protestant and posed a threat to long-established missions. Extra effort would be needed to keep believers in the fold. Breynat drafted a letter to the Oblate superior general, asking for increased help. G. Breynat, "Adresse des évêques de la province ecclésiastique de Saint-Boniface au très révérend Père Général," Missions O.M.I. (1902): 233-5. xvi BCL Dec 1902. xvii That fall, Breynat went to Ottawa to twist the arm of the prime minister, Sir Wilfred Laurier. The government's monthly contribution of a dollar per child at the mission schools, he pointed out, came far short of expenses. In Montreal, he planned a new school with the Grey Nun mother general. After a stay with clerical friends in New York, he left for an Oblate conference in Rome, followed by a visit to his parents' grave in France. Then it was on to Belgium and his old seminary at Liège. The students gave him a rousing reception. Not only was Breynat the first priest to "graduate" from the school; he was also the first bishop from among its ranks. In a touching ceremony, he concentrated several new priests, one of whom he would take back to the Mackenzie. Later, at a lavishly decorated gathering, the students presented plays and accolades to the visiting prelate. Then, they let him talk for hours on end about his work in the North. CA II BCL 74-75. Anon., "Mgr. Breynat a Liège." Missions O.M.I. (1904): 143-146. Breynat arrived at the seminary on April 4, in time for the Easter celebrations. He consecrated priests on two separate days, the last on the "Tuesday of Easter." He "left us charmed...under the spell of his goodwill." xviii It was the sort of evening Breynat would come to experience often. A cherished and much admired guest, his hosts catered to his every whim. Whether at home in his diocese or abroad in his travels, these celebrations of his fame gladdened his heart and made him forget his medical problems. Indeed, on many an occasion, he found it possible to put his ailment aside in order to attend such events. His main goal on that 1903 voyage was to get to Rome. He felt "a strong need" for a papal benediction, and hoped for the advice of Leon XIII in avoiding mistakes in his new pastoral charge. Unaware the pontiff's health had deteriorated to the point where he no longer granted audiences, the young bishop accosted the Major-Domo. Did the man not realize from how far Breynat had come? He had traveled "all the way from the Arctic Ocean," having promised his Indians that he would speak to what they called "The Great Chief of Prayer." How could he possibly explain to them that he had not been able to accomplish his mission? Only a few seconds at the venerable patient's bedside would do; if admitted, he promised not to cause the Pontiff the least disturbance. And so Gabriel Breynat gained access to a presence that had seemed extremely remote just a few years earlier. In showering his visitor with blessings for the Indians and for missionaries, their parents and friends, the senior statesman of the Church accorded the young Bishop of the Mackenzie a mechanism whereby his prestige would be greatly enhanced. "It was all I desired," a happy Breynat wrote subsequently. In his subsequent travels, the Bishop of the Mackenzie would be able to dispense the Papal blessing, an extremely meaningful ritual to Catholics of the day, to many of those he visited. By placing himself, at this early stage of his career, in the limelight of papal authority, Breynat practiced a form of career enhancement that would serve him well. On this visit to Rome, as on many subsequent occasions, Breynat's superb manipulation of the symbolism of the Far North provided him with an access he might otherwise not have had. CA II 76-7. xix Res. Cod., 8 June, 1903. xx That winter, Breynat spent several months at Fort Providence with its orphanage-school and hospice for the debilitated. Food was scarce, and the bishop himself sometimes tended the rabbit traps in the bush. Seeing him leave for the water's edge in a driving storm, a doting sister noted that "nothing stops him." In that early phase of his career, the young prelate still participated, when necessary, in the daily work routine. But such events would soon become rare.Prov. Chr., Oct. 6, 1903. xxi CA II, 135.
xxii In Rome, Breynat also attended the fiftieth anniversary of the proclamation of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. At a meeting of bishops from around the world, the Pope exhorted his fellow clerics to stand on guard against the threat of independent ideas. Modernism had made serious attacks on the church. "You all know," the pontiff reminded them, "how a murderous wind of independence is sweeping the world -- it has that has found its way into our very sanctuaries -- it questions not only authority, but doctrine." CA II, 140. Breynat learned the lesson well. Already, from the day he assumed the episcopate, he had made most of his decisions alone, imposing them brusquely on his underlings. Throughout the remainder of his career, he would be even more authoritarian. And in the context of those times, when young men came to the North to take upon themselves what continued to be thought of as "the most difficult missions in the world," that approach seemed entirely appropriate. Whatever he told them to do, they would try to accomplish. Nor would they ever question the propriety of his repeated travels to Europe while they manned his lonely outposts in the North. And whenever, a temporary remission of his illness permitting, he came to see them, they were ecstatic. xxiii BCL, Jan 14. xxiv Health of Breynat's missionaries: "Thank God, the Fathers are in good shape. Nevertheless, there are a few exceptions. Father Brochu is obliged, to the enormous regret of his flock at Ste Anne, to seek a gentler climate in Quebec. Father Gourdon has suffered for long from a heart ailment and other infirmities, which not only put his life in constant danger, but prohibit all priestly activity. Finally, two or three are used up before their time by the excess of hard work and lack of food." Father Lecorre leaves for another vicariate; Father Séguin died. That year, got 4 new fathers from the gen. adm. and one brother. G. Breynat, "Mackensie," Missions O.M.I. (1905): 192-206. xxv Prov. Chr., 1906. xxvi Father Duçot: "I've left my dear mission at Saint-Therese where I labored for 27 years, to go to Good Hope to take the place off Father Seguin, who died in France in 1902." Because of my age, I don't hear too well, which makes hearing confessions increasingly difficult. This land of urgent needs and cruel deceptions. ("ce pays de nécessités urgentes et de cruelles déceptions")Father Duçot, "Mission de N.D. de Bonne Esperance," Missions OMI (1906): 394-397. xxvii The Oblate Superior General had resigned, forcing an unscheduled Chapter General. Leaving the Mackenzie in January 1906, Breynat stayed away more than eleven months. A successor had to be elected. Breynat recalled how the reverend father, on first taking the position, had almost predicted the humiliation. "Positions of power," Father Auger had mused, "provide less a pedestal for pride than an altar for sacrifice... one way or another, I will be victim." Sudden death had struck the newly elected official, and yet another Chapter General had to be convened. Traveling on the Roma, the bishop had the pleasure of spending large amounts of time with fellow prelates from the Canadian West. For over a week, they shared problems, offer advice, and plan for the future. CA II, 150. xxviii CA II, 154. He came back to the North in time to spend Christmas at Fort Chipewyan, just outside his own diocese. xxix In 1906 (Probably) Father Moisan arrives from France, goes to Fort Liard. F. Moisan, "Mission St. Raphael," Missions OMI. #177 (March 1907): 78-80. xxx FPC Feb 19-21, 1907. In February 1907, Breynat left his home base of Fort Resolution for the annual winter trip to Fort Providence. The visit, which aroused great anticipation on the part of mission residents, always lasted until the anniversary of his priestly ordination. Three days of special events marked the occasion. That year, the sisters covered the convent with banners. The children came by in procession to offer congratulations; in the evening, they entertained the prelate. A magnificent angel, "St. Gabriel" appeared on the stage and gave the bishop the students' gift, a gold-colored miter. A play about a young martyr received loud applause. The next day there was singing at mass in the "magnificently" decorated church. The school got a holiday; the boys, the thrill of a picnic in the woods. Dinner was
outstanding, the cake the best the nuns had seen all year. Early the next morning, the bishop left for Resolution. The celebrations continued into the third day, with song at early mass. xxxi That summer, Father Duçot worked up the courage to talk to Mgr. Breynat. It had hurt him deeply, after having spent twenty-seven years at lovely mission of St. Therese at Fort Norman, to be transferred without any consultation to Fort Good Hope. CA II, 161. xxxii Returning from the summer round of missions, Breynat proceeded at once to Eastern Canada. In Ottawa, he spoke with the Hon. Frank Oliver, Minister of the Interior, to discuss the mishandling of the dwindling buffalo herds near Fort Smith. It was the wolves, and not the Indians, the bishop insisted, who were making kills. It was wrong to punish the former. In Montreal, Breynat thought it necessary to introduce father Lefebvre, recently transferred from the Yukon to Edmonton, where he would function as économe (chief steward and business manager) for the vicariate. Then, returning North, he arrived at Fort Chipewyan on Dec 21, just in time to get to his old mission, Fond-du-Lac, for Christmas. A few days later, he returned to Fort Chipewyan. "Monseigneur was so tired," noted the local superior, "he spent a week in bed." Not until three weeks later did the bishop undertake the single days' travel required to reach his own domain. The summer inspection trip over, Breynat spent the fall in Eastern Canada. On his way north, as he approached the borders of his own domain, he made a side trip to spend Christmas at his old post at Fond du Lac, in Monseigneur Grouard's diocese. Traveling homeward, fatigue overwhelmed him, forcing a rest at Fort Chipewyan. "Monseigneur was so tired," noted the local superior, "he spent a week in bed." Not until twenty one days later did the bishop undertake the brief trip required to reach one of his own missions. CA II, 165. xxxiii Moisan "Mission St. Raphael, Fort des Liards" Missions OMI (1909): 378-388xxxiv In 1907 Brother Rio drowns on the Liard River. CA II, 171. In 1908 two priests drown at Fitzgerald: Fathers Brémont and Brohan. February (1908) once again, was spent at Providence. As before, he stayed long enough to celebrate his birthday and the anniversary of his ordination, then left for Resolution. Breynat may have feared financial problems. Perhaps, he wanted to retain the "Far North" aura of his own vicariate. Possibly, he dreaded taking on the more accessible Athabasca region, with its rapidly growing immigrant population. Whatever his reasons, he was determined not to see it come about. Grouard decided to ask Rome for an assistant.xxxv CA II, 177. xxxvi The Lyon physician was a certain Dr. Choleet. xxxvii CA II, 180-2xxxviii With him was a new priest, Father Bézanier, whom Breynat himself had ordained at Liege in December, and three Oblate Brothers. Everywhere he traveled, construction was proceeding apace, the new buildings at Providence, in particular looking most impressive. xxxix Spending the first months of 1910 at Providence, .. conversion of Johnnie Corbie... (Feb 21). Mgr sick March 8... SS and Sr. Bourcier go to care for him at the bishop's house. Prov. Chr. 1910, Mar. 17-18. Mar 17, prepare for St Gabriel. in evening grande séance... tableau vivant... l'apparition de Lourdes...Mgr announces that the next day, a Friday, will be a "jour gras" a flesh-day. g Mar 18... first time Mgr has been here... breakfast: chocolate Mgr has given us. Steak for dinner; poached eggs for supper. Children go out for a sleigh ride drawn by the oxen; afternoon, games.. running in sacks, etc. Breynat leaves March 21. The children go back to bed after saying goodbye. April 8, (Pr.) Brother Marc returns, reports Mgr not well. xl A letter soon informed them that the prelate, profoundly grateful for their intercession, felt better. June-July 1910, Breynat makes summer visit with the Hon . Frank Oliver on mission boat. CA II, 206-7. xli Res. Cod., Oct. 8-14, 18, 1911.xlii CA II, 222xliii CA II, 224-6. Res. Cod., March 3, 1912.
xliv Res. Cod. Year? , March 9, 17, 20, 22, 24. CA II 229. The attendance surpassed all expectations; Indians had come from far and wide. Two hundred and eighty communicants presented themselves before the altar. The bishop felt xlv Res. Cod., Year? Oct. 31; Dec. 4-5, 25. xlvi J. Rymer, "Fête de Noel passée avec Mgr, Breynat, o.m.i. au pays des Indiens dans l'Extrême-Nord," Petites Annales #1 (Jan. 1912): 29-34. xlvii Res. Cod., Year? June 12. xlviii The bishop traveled with Doctor Macdonald, the Indian Affairs doctor from Fort Smith, who was making his own visits to the Mackenzie's northernmost posts. xlix Prov. Chr., Year? Aug 16-22; Res. Cod., Oct. 19, Dec. 15. l Prov. Chr. 1914, Jan. 22-25, 26 ; Feb. 12, 14-15, 22, 24 Feb. Res. Cod. 1914, March 13, July 7. Needing gifts for friends and benefactors, the bishop selected fine clothing and leather ware made by the children. Choosing gloves of soft white leather, belts, and a half-dozen pair of moccasins, he left orders for other items. li CA II, 271. After a visit to the French consul in Montreal (to protect his staff from mobilization orders), he spent the fall in Quebec, giving occasional talks in the hopes of finding brothers to labor in the Mackenzie. lii CA II, 273-274.liii CA II, 274-275. liv Prov. Chr. Year?, June 27. lv Over the next few years he would publish three books about the Mackenzie Vicariate. Their stories of unselfish devotion would capture the imagination of tens of thousands of European readers. Crowned with awards from the Académie Française, some would go through a dozen printings or more. While much of what they told related to the nineteenth century, at a time when the North was still very much a frontier, the mantle of heroism had clearly settled on Breynat.Circumstances helped the bishop foster this image during the voyage with Belle and Duchaussois. Crossing Great Slave Lake, Breynat chose to travel in the small mission workboat, rather than take the comfortable fur company steamer. Surprised by a storm, the vessel almost swamped. Drowning seemed a real possibility; in time, the exhausted clerics made their way to an island, dried out their clothes as best they could, and returned to their point of departure. In later years, Belle often retold the story as he fought for Breynat's interests in Europe.lvi Prov. Chr. 1915, Aug. 2-10; Res. Cod. 1915, Aug. 9, 19, 25. As the weakened Breynat passed through Resolution, the father superior prayed that "St. Joseph preserve him."lvii Traveling by dogsled near Lake Athabasca, Breynat liked to point out in later years, the temperature was minus forty-five degrees. In March, the bishop was off to eastern Canada. The voyage southward to transcontinental connections had suddenly become much easier. A train now ran between Fort McMurray, in Northern Alberta, and Edmonton. What had long been a tiring one-week trip on sled and horseback between those points could now be traversed in less than a day. Prov. Chr. 1916, Feb. 24. BCL, Mar. 3, 1916. Res. Chr. 1916, Mar. 7. CA II, 299. lviii Prov. Chr. 1916, June 26, Aug. 1, Aug. 11. CA II, 274-5. Res. Cod. 1916, Sept. 23, 29, Dec. 13, 14; 1917, Jan 14, 26. Prov. Chr. 1917, Jan. 31, Mar. 5. Res. Codex 1917, Mar. 18, 20, 27, 30; May 3, 5-6, 14. CA II, 339-40. In the spring he stayed busy with retreats, sermons, and the conversion of several white Protestants. In Ottawa, very quickly, he was able to convince Duncan Scott, the assistant superintendant general of Indian Affairs, to pay the salary for a registered nurse (a Grey Nun) at the Fort Resolution school.lix CA II, 339-341. As it happened, some matters relating to the French diplomatic corps also needed resolution. Cardinal Begin, in Quebec, had complaints against the French Consul in Montreal. Breynat, utilizing his contacts at the French embassy in the United States, would take care of it on his way to New York to catch a liner. In Washington, Monsieur de Labolay, who had become his good
friend the last time he crossed the ocean, got him the ambassador's ear. Very shortly, the offending Montreal diplomat found himself transferred to Ceylon. Having accomplished his task -- and demonstrated the effectiveness of his connections. lx CA II, 343-4. lxi To a physician reading the story seventy-five years later, the episode represents a simple faint, a benign process caused by a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain. Sudden assumption of the upright posture after a long sit allows blood to pool in the veins in the lower parts of the body. Exposure to heat worsens the problems as blood vessels in the skin dilate. A decrease in the amount of blood returning to the heart ensues, which in turn leads to less blood being pumped to the brain. Lying down solves the problem at once, and invariably brings about a full return of consciousness without any permanent effects on the brain. To those unacquainted with the phenomenon, however, it can be very frightening. Such was the case at Fort Smith when Breynat collapsed. lxii CA II, 348. lxiii CA II, 348-9. lxiv CA II, 358. lxv CA II, 358-60. lxvi The lady's husband had recently died. As a colonel in the Pope's personal bodyguard, the Zouaves, he had been active in the defense of the Vatican under Pius IX. That connection had obtained him an indult allowing the family to maintain the Eucharist in its private chapel. Breynat, it followed, could celebrate mass daily, as was his duty, without having to leave the comfort of the residence. lxvii CA II, 358-360.lxviii Duport to Breynat, 2 Feb., 1920, Duport. Corr. lxix Breynat to Clara 27 Feb, 1920, Clara Corr. lxx Res. Cod. 1920, Mar. 5. lxxi Breynat to Clara, 10 Apr. 1920, Clara Corr.lxxii Breynat to Van Rossum, May 21, 1921? lxxiii CA II, 360. lxxiv Res. Cod. 1920, June 18. lxxv CA II, 360-1.lxxvi Father Fallaize, assistant to Father Duport, at Resolution, and the économe or quartermaster for the mission, had learned to speak some Inuktitut through constant contact with a Copper family brought south to the school several years earlier. He was eager to go, but his departure from Resolution would increase the workload on Father Duport enormously. It was impossible to remove a priest from other posts. Most now had but a single missionary. Breynat had not obtained a new recruit for his vicariate in seven years. Indeed, Father Fallaize had been the last. In the meantime, four priests and two brothers had died; another cleric had retired to Quebec. When he boarded the S.S. Mackenzie at Resolution to occupy his stateroom, the entire population waved goodbye; gun volleys followed until the boat was out of sight.CA II, 362-2. Res. Cod. 1920, July 18. Res. Chr. 1920, July 18. lxxvii CA II, 362-3. lxxviii G. Breynat, "Vicariat des Missions du Mackenzie, Can.," Missions OMI 54 (Dec. 1920): 286-293. lxxix Res. Cod. 1921, Feb. 5, April 13. lxxx Duport: Report on fathers' health: "I've had news from all. They're all doing reasonably well, but several feel their legs getting weak on their voyages and their health is declining (alterer)." Alphonse Duport, "Mission Saint-Joseph, Fort Resolution, N.W.T.," Missions O.M.I. 55 (May 1920): 128-133. lxxxi CA III, 13. lxxxii On his way west across the country, the bishop stopped to visit Dr. Scott in the Dept. of Indian Affairs in Ottawa. The bureaucrats received him most cordially. The bishop's presence couldn't have been more timely. Oil discoveries near Fort Norman had led to a surge of mineral exploration. Whites were entering the North in greater numbers than ever. It had become a government priority to seek
extinction of aboriginal land rights through a treaty with the Mackenzie Indians. "We would be most grateful," said Scott, "if you would accompany the treaty party into the North. Your influence on the native people will help us tremendously in ensuring its success." Breynat was delighted. How could he possibly refuse? The request reflected the high esteem in which he was held by the Indians. The Anglican bishop garnered far less respect among Protestant natives. Even better, it declared openly that Ottawa recognized the Catholic Church -- and not the Protestants -- as holding sway among the Mackenzie tribes. CA III, 16-17.lxxxiii At Ottawa's invitation, he accompanied the government party that signed the first treaty with the Mackenzie's Indian tribes. There, the government treaty party soon joined up with him. He brought with him a young recruit, Father Joseph Trocellier. From Montreal, he brought two orphan boys for the St. Bruno farm. The northern climate, he assured them, would help overcome the tuberculosis that had begun to sap their health. CA III, 17. Prov. Chr. 1921, June 4, July 3. Res. Cod. 1921, July 3. Simpson Chr., July 12, Sept. 6. Res. Cod., Oct 24. lxxxiv Duport to Breynat, 6 Nov. 1921. lxxxv Duport describes his voyages out to the Indians plus the work at the mill which he directs and helps with: "And that's how I carry on day after day, from Jan. 1 to Dec 31. Let that tell you if I have any time to write poems!" A. Duport, "Mission Saint-Joseph, Fort Resolution, N.W.T.," Missions O.M.I. (March 1923: 212-217). The work describes his activities in 1921 and 1922. lxxxvi Res. Cod. 1922, Mar. 22. Duport to Breynat 15 Mar., 1922. P. Di Maria, Délégué Apostolique, to Breynat, 8 June 1922. CA III, 28. also a new priest (ceded by the Texas Oblates). As well, he brought with him a young priest, ceded by the Texas Oblates. Breynat's debilitated state, which reflected the intense need for help in his remote vicariate, no doubt influenced their decision. lxxxvii Aux Glaces Polaires wins the prix Montyan of the Académie Française, and is reviewed glowingly in Missions.Anon., "Notre Bibliothèque O.M.I.: Quelques Ouvrages récents," Missions O.M.I. 56? (1922) 449-450. lxxxviii In Canada, a highly laudatory article appeared in Messager Canadien du Sacré-Cœur, published by Jesuits in Montreal. Missions OMI reprinted it. See: Adélard Dugré, S.J., "Les Missionnaires O.M.I. aux Glaces Polaires," Missions O.M.I. 56 (1922): 371-381. lxxxix The first, about the charitable works of the Grey Nuns, had received wide attention. The second, Aux Glaces Polaires (to the Polar Ice), focusing on Oblate priests, had received the Prix Montyan, a prestigious award from the French Academy of Letters. The Catholic press gave the publication outstanding review.Rome (1922) Duch. gets to see Pius XI...Mgr Augustin Migliore gives copy of Aux Glaces Polaires to pontiff...gets permission to let Duchauss. in... Duchaussois, "Un Oblat aux Pieds du Pape," Missions O.M.I. 56 (1922): 851-855. Breynat sees the Pope on Oct. 17. xc xci P. Fallaize, "La Nouvelle Mission du Cercle Polaire," Missions O.M.I. 56 (1922): 717-721. xcii Duchaussois spoke on May 3, 1922 in the grand hall of the Vatican's Palais de la Chancellerie Apostolique. L'Osservatore Romano LXIII Anno, No. 107, (10 Maggio 1923), p. 2, col. 6: Le Missioni del Polo Nord. xciii L'extrême désolation de ces parages, les extraordinaires difficultés des voyages dans ces régions immenses, désertes, et glacées -- les privations sans nombre éprouvées également par des hommes nés dans les pays civilises, accoutumes aux aises de la vie et auxquels, maintenant, manquent souvent les choses les plus nécessaires a l'existence, -- les dangers mortels provenant de ceux qui, encore païens, voient des ennemis dans les Messagers de la Bonne Nouvelle -- les périls des bêtes féroces, etc. révèlent a tous les yeux l'incroyable héroïsme des missionnaires dans ces lointains Vicariats, ou s'immolent tant de victimes ignorées, mais ou germent aussi tant de fleurs de vertus, si pures et si agréables a Dieu. Pendant deux heures l'orateur...Tous ceux qui eurent le bonheur, très apprécié, d'entendre le RP Duch. sortirent du PCA avec un double désir: l'entendre de nouveau et faire quelque
chose pour les Missions... The Oservatore report was reprinted in the main Oblate mission journal. See: Anon. "Les Missions du Pôle Nord à Rome," Missions O.M.I. 57(1923): 486-488. xciv Mgr Grouard about to release his memoirs (out in 1924):Pope thanks Breynat for a copy. Le Devoir writes glowing stuff about Gr. Van Rossum applauds the book, and thanks Gr. : "..in a mission that can, without contradiction, count itself among the most difficult in the entire world and among those which cause the greatest suffering and the least satisfaction to human nature." E. Grouard, Souvenirs de mes soixante ans d'Apostolat dans l'Athabaska-Mackenzie (Lyon: Œuvre apostolique de Marie Immaculée, 1923). Anon. "Revue des Livres, I. Les Souvenirs d'Apostolat de Monseigneur Grouard," Missions O.M.I. (1929): 661-670. This contains the August 1924 letter of thanks from the Pope to Breynat for a copy the latter had sent him; a copy of an article that appeared in Le Devoir; and a letter of appreciation for the work to Grouard from Cardinal Van Rossum -- all, presumably in 1924. xcv On June twenty six, just two days after his arrival at Resolution, he began the mission tour. Three days later, he was at Providence, and the following morning at Simpson. There, he joined the government dignitaries who had not been able to complete the treaty journey the previous summer. Journeying to Liard and Nelson, Breynat stood by as the last northern Indians signed the requisite documents. By July 19, after traveling in the relative comfort of the speedy M.V. Lady McWorth, he had descended the Liard River to arrive once again at Simpson. Four days later, when the large Hudson's Bay vessel Distributor passed by, the bishop took a birth to the more northerly missions. Stopping at each post only as long as unloading of the vessel permitted, Breynat returned to Providence by the same means. Father Duport, at the bishop's home base, hoped that Monseigneur's long and fatiguing trip would not hurt his well-being. Happily, when Breynat arrived at Resolution the prelate showed no evidence of no fatigue. CA III, 8. Res. Cod. 1922, June 6. Prov. Chr. 1922, June 29. Simpson Chr. 1922, July 19, 23, Aug. 7, 9. Prov. Chr. 1922, Aug. 11. Res. Codex 1922, Aug. 19, 30. CA III, 36 (I must check exact page). xcvi CA III, 36.xcvii CA III, 36. Catching up on reports to the Propaganda, he pointed out that he had traveled more than 5000 miles in the brief period since the middle of June. Making detailed plans to use the novice brothers' labor, he finalized arrangements for new churches at Resolution, Rae, and Simpson. A fourth church was already underway at Smith.xcviii ?xcix Res. Cod. 1923, Jan 11. CA III, 39-40. Prov. Chr. 1923, Feb. 6, March 24, 30, Apr. 1. Res. Cod., Apr.7-9, 27, May 4, May 28. Leaving with Breynat were two teenagers who "hoped to become priests." A recent papal encyclical had called for the immediate development of indigenous clergy. c Passing through Fort Smith, the prelate officiated at the opening of the just-completed. Up to then, the Oblate fathers had had to serve mass in the tiny chapel attached to their coarse log residence. The settlement had changed in the previous two years from a small trading post to the administrative center of the Territorial government activity. Situated at the northern end of the long portage below Fort Fitzgerald (Smith's Landing), Fort Smith had always been an unavoidable (and much disliked) place. Now, every prospector and trapper entering the North had to stop at the government offices to obtain a licence. Here, at the doorstep into the North, Breynat's imposing church stood clear testimony to the importance of the Catholic church in the Mackenzie Valley. No Protestant spire graced the new skyline. ci "Thanks to the magnificent labours of my missionaries," he exulted, "I had the privilege of being the sole object of the kindly and fatherly attention of Christ's Vicar." The bishop explained how disappointing the work often proved to be; the number of new converts remained very small. "Oh, but don't ever discouraged!" answered the pope, "Tell your missionaries never to get discouraged!. God has his elect everywhere. Don't forget the Lord's words about those who sew and those who bring in the harvest. You are the one planting the seeds; others will sew."
As Breynat kissed the pontiff's ring in parting, Pius XI gave him the papal blessing, asking that it be pronounced in turn over the heads of the faithful in the Mackenzie, over mission staff and their families, and over the mission's benefactors. cii Even privileges relating to Breynat's own devotional life had received full authorization. Cardinal Van Rossum reminded the pope that Breynat had obtained the same indults orally from Pius X. Only twice had the bishop taken advantage of them. "But Monseigneur Breynat is wrong," the new pope had protested, "Tell him that when we grant such dispensations it's in order to let him make full use of them!"At Oblate headquarters in Rome, Breynat received similar expressions of admiration. But, times were tough; not a single recruit could be spared for the Mackenzie. The disappointing news hardly touched Breynat's heady sense of accomplishment. CA III, 50-52.ciii CA III, 52-54.civ BCL, 17 April 1924. cv Surprisingly, given the serious symptoms that had precipitated the need for complete rest, Breynat continued to work on matters relevant to his vicariate. Following up on an initiative by priests in the Peace River region of Northern Alberta, he lobbied for official French recognition of the accomplishments of Monseigneur Grouard. Working closely with a long-time friend of that venerable pioneer, the Honourable Dr. Roy, Canada's ambassador in France, the bishop put pressure on the national government to award Grouard the cross of the Legion of Honour. The intended recipient had just published his memoirs, Sixty Years of Apostolate in the North; Breynat made sure a copy got into the hands of the appropriate dignitaries. The strategy worked; Grouard soon had his medal. CA III, 81. In the process, the prestige attached to being a senior missionary in the Mackenzie (and Grouard's successor) took a considerable boost upwards. cvi Res. Cod. 1924, June 8. Res. Chr. 1924, June 22, 26. cvii Duport Corresp. 18 July 1924. cviii CA III, 85-6. cix The doctor had urged him "to take a little more time to get him in shape once and for all." "Would it all really be worth the effort? God would determine that: Fiat!" Circular letter written by Father Duport, 12 Dec. 1924. Section beginning "news that Mgr. Breynat has asked me to pass on to you." cx Duport to Breynat, 16 Nov., 1924. cxi Like all medical men at Divonne-les-Bains, Dr. Vieux personally administered the shower regimes of his patients. Greatly sought after, he often cared for a hundred patients simultaneously. cxii Although Breynat had never come near such an animal, and had not traveled within several hundred of the arctic coast, the gift clearly fit his reputation as "the bishop of the polar wastes." cxiii Father Lemius had offered to come a few weeks later, and was willing to act in the capacity of secretary (the previous one, it seems, had left the prelate's service). cxiv CA III, 86-7. cxv CA III, 87-89. [I think the date given here for the feast day is March 24. I must check to make sure I use the same one consistently.] cxvi Res. Chron. 1925, Mar. 24. Res. Cod. 1925, Mar. 24. cxvii Res. Cod. 1925, Mar. 29. cxviii In Jerusalem, clerical connections opened doors everywhere and gave Breynat a role at major events during Holy Week, On Thursday he celebrated mass and holy hour at Gethsemani; on Friday, he followed the cross along the painful road once taken by Jesus; on Easter Sunday he said mass in the crypt on the Mount of Olives and, later the same day, in the "very grotto where the Savoir was born." CA III, cxix "I am well aware," the bishop began, "of the generosity with which you responded to the sacrifice of not having me with you. Time and again, your letters have told me of your fervent prayers for my benefit. On this Easter Sunday, I want to let you know that your appeals to Heaven have been answered. My full recovery is certain to occur before long. And I am able to tell you this wonderful
news from Jerusalem itself, where I had the remarkable honour and great happiness of celebrating the mass in the Holy Sepulchre of Our Lord. Yes! From Jerusalem! ...It was at Nazareth that I felt, for the first time, the certainty that I would not have to spend another winter far away from you all. We had arrived there at the time of the first vespers of the feast of St. Gabriel, the Protector of our Vicariate. The following day I experienced the joy of celebrating mass in the very Grotto where the sublime mystery of the Incarnation took place. How gentle were the emotions that filled my soul. Your guardian angels, it seemed, were all about me, their arms filled with the supplications and prayers that I knew you had all offered, the previous day, for the recovery of the unworthy Pastor of the Vicariate. St. Gabriel took all those testaments of your filial devotion and presented them to our Immaculate Mother, who, in turn, placed them lovingly in the heart of her Divine Son...At that very moment there was born in my mind the firm conviction that all your wishes would be granted. Ever since, my confidence has grown -- so much so, that I feel confident in announcing that I will be back among you toward the middle or [at the most] the end of the summer. All that remains when I get back to Marseilles on May 10 is for me to return to Divonne-les-Bains. At the advice of my doctor, I need to submit myself to a few more weeks of shower therapy to consolidate the gains of the past year. A period of rest will follow, in order to let the body's response create the best possible result. But then, I am confident, the moment will have come when I can say goodbye to France and finally retrace my path to our dear Mackenzie. In the meantime, continue to offer me the precious assistance of your prayers and those of your flock. I will do all I can from this end. Still unable to read the breviary, I celebrate mass regularly. On each such occasion, I summon your guardian angels to come and enjoy the large portion of the Holy Sacrifice that I ask the Sacred Heart to reserve just for you." BCL, 12 Apr., 1925.He did celebrate mass regularly, and on each such occasion he summoned his staff's guardian angels "to come and enjoy the large portion of the Holy Sacrifice that I ask the Sacred Heart to reserve just for you." cxx BCL, 12 Apr., 1925.cxxi The pilgrimage had brought them experiences that were relived in frequent telling as their train took them away from the holy sites. Soon, they were in Egypt. CA III, 87-89cxxii CA III, 89-90cxxiii Res. Cod. 1925, June 11. cxxiv Res. Cod. 1925, June 31. cxxv CA III, page?cxxvi CA III, page?cxxvii Res. Cod. 31 Dec. 1925. cxxviii CA III, page? Employed at captain's rank with the allied armies during the Great War, the priest had been injured (perhaps more emotionally than physically) to the point of "total disability." As a result, he received a generous monthly pension cheque from the United States; it allowed him to cover extra expenses during the voyage. cxxix CA III, 95-101. cxxx Res. Codex 1926, Mar. 19 and 24. cxxxi Res. Cod. 1926, Apr. 6.cxxxii Res. Cod. 1926, May 13.cxxxiii CA III, 101. cxxxiv Res. Cod. 1926, June 2. cxxxv Res. Chr. 1926, June 4. cxxxvi Res. Cod. 1926, June 2. cxxxvii Res. Chr. 1926, June 6, 8. Res. Cod. 1926, June 8. cxxxviii Res. Cod. 1926, June 9. Res. Chr. 1926, June 9. cxxxix Res. Cod. 1926, June 9. cxl Res. Cod. 1926, June 9. cxli Res. Cod. 1926, June 14.
cxlii An Anglican hospital stood less than a mile down-river. Constructed the previous summer, at the very time that the Oblates were completing theirs, it presented strong evidence of the intensity of the Catholic-Protestant battle in the Mackenzie. Aklavik held the key to gaining a hold on the Inuit of the Mackenzie Delta and the Arctic Coast. The Catholic complex reflected Breynat's determination not to leave the field to the opposition no longer. cxliii CA III, 112-113.