Major Seminary of Montréal
MONTRÉAL - CANADAMontréal, QC, H2S 2J6 Recteur : M. Robert Gauthier, PSS (514) 474-4726, p. 222
secretaire.recteur@gsam-montreal.org www.gsam-montreal.org
Major Seminary of Montréal
BRIEF HISTORY
In 1825, Bishop Jean-Jacques Lartigue, auxiliary bishop of Québec residing in Montréal, founded a school of theology which he housed in the bishopric. His successor, the second bishop of the new diocese of Montréal established in 1836, Bishop Ignace Bourget, decided in 1840 to entrust this institution to Saint Sulpice, which then became the Major Seminary of Montréal. To this end, he signed a concordat concerning the training of priests with Fr. Joseph-Vincent Quiblier, superior of the Seminary of Saint Sulpice.
Under the direction of Fr. Pierre-Louis Billaudèle, the Major Seminary was first established in the east wing of the former Collège de Montréal building located on St. Paul Street West near McGill Street. In November 1840, it welcomed 19 seminarians: 11 from the diocese of Montréal, 5 from Kingston, 2 from Boston and 1 with no known diocese. In November 1842, there were 40 seminarians and in the following years, around 50 students. In 1857, the House occupied a new building constructed on Sherbrooke Street West, on the site of Fort de la Montagne.
