Documents
in Quebec History
Last
revised: 23 August 2000 | Controversy
Surrounding the Use of the French Language at the Eucharistic Congress of Montreal
[1910] The
Right to Practise Catholicism in French Henri Bourassa [The
Archbishop of Westminster] has spoken on the issue of language. He paints an America
entirely dedicated to the future use of the English language; in the name of the
Catholic interests he has asked us to make this language the customary language
in which the Gospel would be announced and preached to people. In
certain parts of Canada this prickly problem makes relations between Catholics
of the English language and Catholics of the French language somewhat more difficult.
Why not take it up frankly, tonight, at the feet of Christ, and search for a solution
in the sublime heights of faith, hope and charity? To
those of you, my brothers in language, who occasionally speak harshly of your
Irish compatriots, allow me to say that however powerful are the local quarrels,
the entire Catholic Church owes to Ireland and the Irish race a debt which every
Catholic has a duty to pay. For three centuries Ireland has, under violent persecution
and in the face of the most insidious attempts in a time of peace, given us such
an example of perseverance in morale and faith in demanding its rights that all
Catholic people must envy it instead of reproaching it. To
those of you who say: "the Irishman his [sic] abandoned his language, he is a
national renegade; he wants to avenge j this and to take away our language", I
answer: no. Had we experienced the trials which the Irish have undergone, perhaps
we would have lost our language a long time ago. Be
that as it may, the English language has become the language of the Irish as of
the Scots. Let us grant to one and the other, to the German and the Ruthene, to
the Catholics of all nations who land on this hospitable soil of Canada, the right
to pray to God in the language of their race, their country, the blessed language
of their father and mother. Do not tear from anyone, oh you priests of Christ,
that which is the dearest to man after the God he adores. Do
not fear, venerable Archbishop of Westminster: on this Canadian soil and particularly
on the French soil of Quebec, our pastors, as they have always done, will minister
to the exiled sons of your noble Fatherland as to those of noble Ireland all the
succour of religion in the language of their fathers, be certain of this. But
at the same time, allow me, Your Eminence, to claim the same right for my compatriots,
for those who speak my language not only in this province but wherever there are
French groups living under the shade of the British flag or the glorious Star
Spangled Banner, and above all under the maternal wing of the Catholic Church
-the Church of that Christ who died for all men and who imposed on no one the
obligation of denying his race that he might remain faithful to Him. I
do not wish, through a narrow nationalism, to say that which is contrary to my
thought -and do not say, my compatriots- that the Catholic Church should be French
in Canada. No; but say with me that for three million Catholics, descendants of
the first apostles of Christianity in America, the best safeguard of the faith
is the preservation of the language in which, for three centuries, they have adored
Christ. Yes, when
Christ was attacked by the Iroquois, when Christ was denied by the English, when
Christ was attacked by the whole world, we have confessed and we have confessed
in our language. . . . Source:
Henri BOURASSA, Religion, Langue, Nationalité, Montreal, 1910, pp. 13-15.
From Joseph LEVITT, Henri Bourassa on Imperialism and Bi-culturalism, 1900-1918,
Toronto, Copp Clark, 1970, 183p., 128-129 pp. |