Father Francis Norbert Blanchet

 

 

Oregon Territory
Father Blanchet
 

 
 
 Father Francis Norbert Blanchet, Priest, missionary, Archbishop, and author in St. Paul, Oregon
 

This is Father Blanchet. He was a Priest, missionary, archbishop, and author. Francis Norbert Blanchet (Sept. 5, 1795-June 18, 1883) was engaged in missionary work in the Montreal (Canada) district until 1838, when he was appointed to take charge of the Oregon Mission as Vicar General, with Rev. Modeste Demers. He was the first priest to visit the Oregon Country. For four years the two priests toiled  throughout their appointed domain, learning Indian languages and teaching natives the prayers and  doctrines of the Catholic Church. On October 17, 1843, St.Joseph's College was founded at St.Paul,
and on December 1st of the same year Father Blanchet was appointed vicar-apostolic by the Holy See and given the title Bishop of Philadelphia. The next year he went to Europe. While in Rome, Pope Pius IV erected Oregon into an ecclesiastical province, containing three suffragan see;  the first being alloted to Archbishop Blanchet. In 1879 Father Blanchet retired, taking up his residence at St.Vincent's Hospital, Portland.