Alexandre-Antonin Taché
Encyclopedia
Alexandre-Antonin Taché (23 July 1823 – 22 June 1894) was a Roman Catholic priest, missionary
of the Oblate order
, author and the first Archbishop
of Saint Boniface
in the Canadian
province of Manitoba
.
In late 1844 Taché entered the Oblate novitiate
. He soon expressed an urge to preach to the native population of the west and was sent to Saint Boniface in the Red River Colony
along with Father Pierre Aubert. They went to work with Bishop Joseph-Norbert Provencher
.
Provencher ordained Taché a priest on 12 October 1845. He studied the basics of the Ojibwe language
and was sent to start a mission in Île-à-la-Crosse
. Later, he also became proficient in Cree
and Athabaskan.
In 1847, Rome
created the diocese of the North-West. In June 1850, Taché was named bishop of Arath and Provencher's successor at the age of 27. He only received the news of his appointment in January 1851. He was consecrated a bishop on 23 November 1851 in Marseille
by Bishop
Eugene de Mazenode. Provencher died on 7 June 1853, and Taché became the bishop of St. Boniface.
Bishop Taché died in Saint Boniface in 1894. The Rural Municipality of Tache
and Tache Avenue
in Saint Boniface were named after him.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
of the Oblate order
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
, author and the first Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Saint Boniface
Saint Boniface, Manitoba
Saint Boniface is a city ward of Winnipeg, home to much of the Franco-Manitoban community. It features such landmarks as the Cathédrale de Saint Boniface , Boulevard Provencher, the Provencher Bridge, Esplanade Riel, St. Boniface Hospital, the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface and the Royal...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
In late 1844 Taché entered the Oblate novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
. He soon expressed an urge to preach to the native population of the west and was sent to Saint Boniface in the Red River Colony
Red River Colony
The Red River Colony was a colonization project set up by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk in 1811 on of land granted to him by the Hudson's Bay Company under what is referred to as the Selkirk Concession. The colony along the Red River of the North was never very successful...
along with Father Pierre Aubert. They went to work with Bishop Joseph-Norbert Provencher
Norbert Provencher
Joseph-Norbert Provencher was a Canadian clergyman and missionary and one of the founders of the modern province of Manitoba. He was the first Bishop of Saint Boniface and was an important figure in the history of the Franco-Manitoban community.Provencher was born in Nicolet, Quebec in 1787, and...
.
Provencher ordained Taché a priest on 12 October 1845. He studied the basics of the Ojibwe language
Ojibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
and was sent to start a mission in Île-à-la-Crosse
Île-à-la-Crosse
Île-à-la-Crosse is the second oldest community in Saskatchewan, Canada, being established in 1846 as a Roman Catholic mission by Alexandre-Antonin Taché, but as a fur trading post in 1779 by the Hudson's Bay Company. It has a rich history being connected to the Churchill River, Beaver River and...
. Later, he also became proficient in Cree
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
and Athabaskan.
In 1847, Rome
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
created the diocese of the North-West. In June 1850, Taché was named bishop of Arath and Provencher's successor at the age of 27. He only received the news of his appointment in January 1851. He was consecrated a bishop on 23 November 1851 in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
by Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Eugene de Mazenode. Provencher died on 7 June 1853, and Taché became the bishop of St. Boniface.
Bishop Taché died in Saint Boniface in 1894. The Rural Municipality of Tache
Taché, Manitoba
Incorporated in 1880, Taché is a rural municipality in Manitoba, Canada. Named after the Bishop Taché , it is located to the south-east of Winnipeg, stretching from the Red River Floodway in the west to the beginning of the Canadian Shield in the east...
and Tache Avenue
Tache Avenue, Winnipeg
Tache Avenue is a street in Saint Boniface, Manitoba, part of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, running partly along the Red River. Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface and Saint Boniface General Hospital both adjoin Tache Avenue; other nearby landmarks include the Saint Boniface Cathedral and...
in Saint Boniface were named after him.