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Alexander Macdonell (bishop)
Encyclopedia
- See Alexander Macdonell (1833-1905)Alexander Macdonell (1833-1905)Bishop Alexander Macdonell was the first Bishop of the newly formed Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, serving from 1890 until his death in 1905.-Life:...
for another Canadian bishop with the same name.
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...
Alexander Macdonell (born 17 July 1762, Glen Urquhart, Inchlaggan
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- died 14 January 1840) was the first Roman Catholic 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...
of Kingston, Upper Canada
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.
Early years
Born as Alexander Mcdonell, he would also be known as Alexander Macdonell.. His early education was at Bourblach, Loch Morar. He attended the Scots Colleges at Paris and Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
. He was ordained a priest on 16 February 1787 at Valladolid. After that his life was spent in Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
and Canada
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...
.
After the eviction of his kinsmen, Father Macdonell led them to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and later formed them into the The Glengarry Fencibles regiment, of which he served as chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, the first Catholic chaplain in the British Army since the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
. When the regiment was disbanded, Rev. Macdonell appealed to the government to grant its members a tract of land in Canada, and, in 1804, 160,000 acres (650 km²) were provided in what is now Glengarry county
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties, Ontario
The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry is an upper tier county and census division in the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is Cornwall...
, Canada.
In 1812 he raised another regiment, the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles which came to the defence of Upper Canada in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. In 1819 he was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Upper Canada, which in 1826 was erected into a bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
. In 1826, he was appointed to the legislative council
Legislative Council of Upper Canada
The Legislative Council of Upper Canada was the upper house governing the province of Upper Canada. Modelled after the British House of Lords, it was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was specified that the council should consist of at least seven members. Members were appointed for...
.
He founded churches and schools and organised the settlement. In 1846 he established Regiopolis College
Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School
Regiopolis - Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School is a secondary school located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada offering grades 9 to 12...
, which offered academic and theological training to Roman Catholic youth. The original building has been part of the Hotel Dieu Hospital (Kingston)
Hotel Dieu Hospital (Kingston)
Hotel Dieu Hospital is a hospital in Kingston, Ontario. It is affiliated with Queen's University, and is a partner within Kingston's university hospitals, delivering health care, conducting research and training the health care professionals.-History:...
on Sydenham Street, Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
since 1892.
Clerical appointments
- 12 January 1819 - appointed as Vicar Apostolic of Upper Canada, Ontario
- 12 January 1819 - appointed as Titular Bishop of Thabraca
- 31 December 1820 - ordained as Titular Bishop of Thabraca
- 27 January 1826 - appointed as Bishop of Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Death
Bishop Macdonell died from pneumonia in DumfriesDumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on 14 January 1840, aged 77.
Legacies
The town of Alexandria in North Glengarry, OntarioNorth Glengarry, Ontario
North Glengarry is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. It is a predominantly rural area located between Ottawa-Gatineau, Montreal and Cornwall-Massena....
is named after him.
In 1962, a Catholic secondary school in Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada was renamed to Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School
Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School
Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School is a Catholic high school located in the south end of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the three high schools in the Wellington Catholic District School Board, all of which are located within the city limits of Guelph.- History :Originally, this school was...
in his honour. A street, Macdonell Street, at the foot of Church of Our Lady Immaculate, is also named in his honour.
Macdonell Street in Kingston, Ontario is named after him.