Hi Listers -   You have probably seen my numerous emails about an ancestor about whom I am seeking parents for, John Pierre Murphy (b. 1769).  I have in my notes, the following......."John Pierre Murphy arrived in Chezzetcook in 1785, the date of l'Abbe Mathurin Bourg's passage, and April 1799, when Father James baptized two of his children."   My question is, would anyone know what is meant by "Bourg's passage"?   Sherry    

On 3/14/2010 12:15 PM, sherry trout wrote: > You have probably seen my numerous emails about an ancestor about > whom I am seeking parents for, John Pierre Murphy (b. 1769). I have > in my notes, the following......."John Pierre Murphy arrived in > Chezzetcook in 1785, the date of l'Abbe Mathurin Bourg's passage, and > April 1799, when Father James baptized two of his children." > > My question is, would anyone know what is meant by "Bourg's > passage"? Google "l'Abbe Mathurin Bourg" +1785 and look for English pages or click on the Translate this page for the first page that comes up. bob gillis

It appears that this is when Father Joseph-Mathurin Bourge was transferred from Quebec to the new Catholic parish in Halifax. You can find it all here: www.umanitoba.ca/colleges/st_pauls/ccha/Back%20Issues/CCHA1950/ Osborne.pdf Another group of the flock now claimed attention. At Halifax a considerable number of English-speaking Catholics had settled and were in need of a resident priest to protect their interests in the new land. With a genuine spirit of charity Father Bourg made determined efforts to have the British authorities remove certain restrictions which prevented the Irish Catholics of Halifax the free exercise of their religion. We note that the unjust Statutes regarding the “holding of land” and “public worship” were repealed by the General Assembly of Nova Scotia on December 2nd, 1783, after concerted action had been taken by the Irish Catholics. This new law was ratified and sanctioned by the King on July 2nd, 1784. With the removal of restrictions to the practice of their religion the Catholics of Halifax petitioned Mgr. Talbot of London to send them a priest. The prelate reminded them that Halifax was not under his jurisdiction and that their request should be made to the Bishop of Quebec. When the matter came to the attention of Mgr. Briand of Quebec, he appointed Father Bourg as pastor of the new parish. And the records tell us he took charge on the first day of August, 1785. Father Bourg had only been in his parish a few weeks when Father James Jones, a Capuchin, landed at Halifax direct from Cork, Ireland. According to data at hand, we find that Father Jones was well endowed with fine qualities of heart and mind, causing him to be mentioned in official letters as being “a very good priest, a learned man, and a gifted preacher.” After some months Father Bourg decided it would be in the best interests of souls if the parish were given to the Capuchin Father and that he himself would return to Bay Chaleur. Such an arrangement was made with the On 14-Mar-10, at 6:13 PM, bob gillis wrote: >> Mathurin Bourg