Louis Nazaire Bégin
Encyclopedia
Louis-Nazaire Bégin was a Canadian
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of Quebec
from 1898 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1914.
), Quebec
, to a modest family of farmer
s whose ancestors came from Normandy
, France
, to Canada
in 1655. He completed his primary studies at École modèle in Lévis, and later collège commercial in Bellechasse
. From 1862 to 1863, Bégin studied classicals and theology
at the seminary
in Quebec. He attended the University of Laval
before going to Rome
, where he studied at the Pontifical French Seminary
(September 1863-1867). He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Costantino Cardinal Patrizi Naro
on June 10, 1865, in the Lateran Basilica
.
Bégin then furthered his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University
, from where he obtained his doctorate in theology
in 1866; he also studied the Hebrew
, Chaldean
, Syria
n, and Arabic language
s. From 1867 to 1868, he studied in the Theological Faculty
of the University of Innsbruck, perfecting his previous studies and learning German
. During this time, Bégin also traveled to Palestine
and spent five months in the Holy Land
.
Upon his return to Canada, he was named professor
of dogmatic theology
and of ecclesiastical history
at the Seminary of Quebec in July 1868, remaining in those posts until 1884. He obtained the agrégation
, a competitive examination
for positions on the teaching staff of lyceum
s and universities
, in 1869. From October 1870 to 1875, Bégin was Professor of Religious
Culture
at his alma mater
of the University of Laval. He held an array of administrative posts from 1876 to 1883, such as director of the boarding school
, of students, of seminarians, and prefect of studies. Bégin took several months for rest and recuperation from the end of 1883 to the beginning of 1884, and acted as the private secretary
to Elzéar-Alexandre Cardinal Taschereau
on his tour in Europe from April to December 1884. He served as Principal
of the Normal School
of Laval from January 1885 to October 1888 as well.
On October 1, 1888, Bégin was appointed Bishop of Chicoutimi
by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following October 28 from Cardinal Taschereau, with Bishops Louis-François Richer dit Laflèche
and Jean-François Laforce-Langevin
serving as co-consecrators
, in the metropolitan cathedral-basilica of Quebec
.
After being advanced to Titular Archbishop
of Cyrene on December 18, 1891, he was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Quebec on December 22 of that same year. Illness forced Cardinal Taschereau to delegate his workload to Bégin, who was made Apostolic Administrator
of Quebec on September 3, 1894. He eventually succeeded the late Cardinal as Archbishop of Quebec
, on April 12, 1898. Archbishop Bégin was appointed an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
on the following April 22, and participated in the First Plenary Council of Canada in June 1909.
Pope Pius X
created him Cardinal-Priest
of Ss. Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio e Protasio
in the consistory
of May 25, 1914. Bégin arrived late to the papal conclave
s of both 1914
and of 1922
, and consequently could not participate. As Archbishop, he made vehement condemnations of modernism
, jazz music
, dancing
, and cinemas
(which he described as offering "serious dangers, if not approximate occasions, of mortal sin
"), the clandestine sale of liquors
, and the frivolous fashion
s of women.
Stricken by uremia
followed by paralysis
on June 12, 1925, the Cardinal died shortly thereafter, at the age of 85. His body, clad in scarlet and guarded by a detachment of the Papal Zouaves
, was then exposed in the chapel
of his residential palace for the homage of the faithful. He was buried in the crypt
of the Cathedral-Basilica of Quebec on the following July 25.
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...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Archbishop of Quebec
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec
The Archdiocese of Québec is the oldest Catholic see in the New World north of Mexico. The archdiocese was founded as the Apostolic Vicariate of New France in 1658 and was elevated to a Diocese in 1674 and an Archdiocese in 1819...
from 1898 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1914.
Biography
Louis-Nazaire Bégin was born in Saint-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévis (Today named LévisLévis, Quebec
Lévis is a city in eastern Quebec, Canada. It is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. A ferry links Old Quebec with Old Lévis, and two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre Laporte Bridge, connect western Lévis with Quebec City. The Société de transport de...
), Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, to a modest family of farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s whose ancestors came from Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, to 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...
in 1655. He completed his primary studies at École modèle in Lévis, and later collège commercial in Bellechasse
Bellechasse (electoral district)
Bellechasse was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 until the 1997 election, when it became Bellechasse—Etchemins—Montmagny—L'Islet. After redistribution prior to the 2004 election, that riding became...
. From 1862 to 1863, Bégin studied classicals and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Quebec. He attended the University of Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
before going to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he studied at the Pontifical French Seminary
Pontifical French Seminary
The Pontifical French Seminary is one of the Roman Colleges dedicated to training Roman Catholic priests.-History:...
(September 1863-1867). He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Costantino Cardinal Patrizi Naro
Costantino Patrizi Naro
Costantino Patrizi Naro JUD was a long-serving Italian Cardinal who became Dean of the College of Cardinals. Cardinal Benedetto Naro was his great-uncle.-Biography:...
on June 10, 1865, in the Lateran Basilica
Basilica of St. John Lateran
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
.
Bégin then furthered his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
, from where he obtained his doctorate in theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
in 1866; he also studied the Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, Chaldean
Chaldean Neo-Aramaic
Chaldean Neo-Aramaic is a Northeastern Neo-Aramaic dialect. Chaldean Neo-Aramaic is spoken on the plain of Mosul in northern Iraq, as well as by the Chaldean communities worldwide. Most speakers are Chaldean Catholics....
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n, and Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
s. From 1867 to 1868, he studied in the Theological Faculty
Faculty (university)
A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
of the University of Innsbruck, perfecting his previous studies and learning German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. During this time, Bégin also traveled to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and spent five months in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
.
Upon his return to Canada, he was named professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of dogmatic theology
Dogmatic theology
Dogmatic theology is that part of theology dealing with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and his works, especially the official theology recognized by an organized Church body, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Dutch Reformed Church, etc...
and of ecclesiastical history
History of Christianity
The history of Christianity concerns the Christian religion, its followers and the Church with its various denominations, from the first century to the present. Christianity was founded in the 1st century by the followers of Jesus of Nazareth who they believed to be the Christ or chosen one of God...
at the Seminary of Quebec in July 1868, remaining in those posts until 1884. He obtained the agrégation
Agrégation
In France, the agrégation is a civil service competitive examination for some positions in the public education system. The laureates are known as agrégés...
, a competitive examination
Competitive examination
A competitive examination is an examination angwhere candidates are ranked according to their grades. If the examination is open for n positions, then the first n candidates in ranks pass, the others are rejected...
for positions on the teaching staff of lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
s and universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, in 1869. From October 1870 to 1875, Bégin was Professor of Religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
Culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of the University of Laval. He held an array of administrative posts from 1876 to 1883, such as director of the boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
, of students, of seminarians, and prefect of studies. Bégin took several months for rest and recuperation from the end of 1883 to the beginning of 1884, and acted as the private secretary
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to Elzéar-Alexandre Cardinal Taschereau
Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau
Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau was a Canadian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Quebec from 1871 until his death in 1898...
on his tour in Europe from April to December 1884. He served as Principal
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Normal School
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
of Laval from January 1885 to October 1888 as well.
On October 1, 1888, Bégin was appointed Bishop of Chicoutimi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Chicoutimi
The Diocese of Chicoutimi is a Roman Catholic diocese in Quebec, centered around the borough of Chicoutimi in the city of Saguenay. It is part of the ecclesiastical province of Quebec.-References:...
by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following October 28 from Cardinal Taschereau, with Bishops Louis-François Richer dit Laflèche
Louis-François Richer Laflèche
Louis-François Laflèche, , was a Catholic bishop of the diocese of Trois-Rivières, in the province of Quebec, Canada.-Early life and career:...
and Jean-François Laforce-Langevin
Jean Langevin
Jean-Pierre-François-Laforce Langevin, , was born and lived his life in Quebec. He was taught by a governess before entering the Petit Séminaire de Quebec. He began his studies for the priesthood at the Grand Séminaire and taught back at his old school, a vocation he continued after he was ordained...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, in the metropolitan cathedral-basilica of Quebec
Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral
The Cathedral-minor basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec , located at 20, rue de Buade, Quebec City, Quebec, is the primate church of Canada and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec, the oldest see in the New World north of Mexico.It is also the parish church of the oldest parish in North...
.
After being advanced to Titular Archbishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Cyrene on December 18, 1891, he was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Quebec on December 22 of that same year. Illness forced Cardinal Taschereau to delegate his workload to Bégin, who was made Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of Quebec on September 3, 1894. He eventually succeeded the late Cardinal as Archbishop of Quebec
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec
The Archdiocese of Québec is the oldest Catholic see in the New World north of Mexico. The archdiocese was founded as the Apostolic Vicariate of New France in 1658 and was elevated to a Diocese in 1674 and an Archdiocese in 1819...
, on April 12, 1898. Archbishop Bégin was appointed an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne is an ecclesiastical title in the Roman Catholic Church. It signifies a prelate belonging to the papal chapel, who stands near the throne of the Pope at solemn functions....
on the following April 22, and participated in the First Plenary Council of Canada in June 1909.
Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
created him Cardinal-Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Ss. Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio e Protasio
San Vitale (Rome)
The Basilica of Sts. Vitalis, Valeris, Gervase and Protase is a titular minor basilica church in Rome. The Roman Catholic church is commonly named Basilica di San Vitale. The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Vitalis is Adam Maida.- History :...
in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of May 25, 1914. Bégin arrived late to the papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
s of both 1914
Papal conclave, 1914
The Papal conclave of 1914 was held to choose a successor to Pope Pius X, who had died in the Vatican on 20 August 1914.-Political context:With Europe facing World War I, whoever was selected would face the difficulty of leading the Holy See through the war to end all wars, in which Catholic...
and of 1922
Papal conclave, 1922
After a reign of just eight years, Pope Benedict XV died on 22 January 1922 of pneumonia. At his death there were 61 members of the College of Cardinals. However, later that same day, Enrique Almaraz y Santos, the Archbishop of Toledo, died, leaving a college of 60 cardinals to elect Pope...
, and consequently could not participate. As Archbishop, he made vehement condemnations of modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
, jazz music
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, dancing
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, and cinemas
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
(which he described as offering "serious dangers, if not approximate occasions, of mortal sin
Mortal sin
Mortal sins are in the theology of some, but not all Christian denominations wrongful acts that condemn a person to Hell after death. These sins are considered "mortal" because they constitute a rupture in a person's link to God's saving grace: the person's soul becomes "dead", not merely weakened...
"), the clandestine sale of liquors
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
, and the frivolous fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
s of women.
Stricken by uremia
Uremia
Uremia or uraemia is a term used to loosely describe the illness accompanying kidney failure , in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ....
followed by paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
on June 12, 1925, the Cardinal died shortly thereafter, at the age of 85. His body, clad in scarlet and guarded by a detachment of the Papal Zouaves
Papal Zouaves
The Papal Zouaves were an infantry force formed in defence of the Papal States.-Origin:The Zouaves evolved out of a unit formed by Christophe Léon Louis Juchault de Lamoricière...
, was then exposed in the chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of his residential palace for the homage of the faithful. He was buried in the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
of the Cathedral-Basilica of Quebec on the following July 25.