The ringing of the bells of the Catholic church announced the arrival of the Right Reverend Bishop Gabriel Breynat on Monday evening's train, Dr. Pare and Inspector Fitz Horrigan representing the congregation went as far as Caribou to meet his Lordship. He was met on his arrival by a committee appointed by the congregation assisted by a number of the parishioners, and escorted by them to the presbytery, where an informal reception was held and a large number availed themselves of the opportunity of meeting the first Bishop of the Yukon and Northwest Diocese.
On Tuesday morning His Lordship celebrated Mass, in the evening the
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given, and the ceremony of the blessing of the new statue of St. Joseph was held. At the conclusion of the Benediction the following address was read to His Lordship by Inspector Fitz Horrigan:
To the Right Reverend Bishop Breynat.
May it please Your Lordship -
The congregation of the "Sacred Heart" at Whitehorse take advantage of this opportunity to approach your Lordship and to express their deep felt gratitude and pleasure in welcoming you to their midst on an occasion so auspicious as the present and so fraught with high promises for the future and well-being of our mother church.
A little over a year ago the corner stone of our noble edifice was laid and later on, was dedicated to the worship and service of Almighty God. We have heard and many of us have been eye-witnesses of the beautiful church which was erected by the Catholics at Dawson and we also felt anxious that, according to the measure of our ability, something worthy of the great interest to be subserved und the important ends of
religion, should be erected in this place. Today we behold it completed and we offer our tribute of thanksgiving to God that his worshippers here, amid much self-sacrifice, have accomplished their great purpose and find themselves in possession of a church, ample in its accommodations, to which at all times the hearts of our people can turn and where the weary and heavy laden can come to rest.
Among the many self-sacrificing displays of energy and zeal manifested in this great undertaking, we would not forget the name of our beloved Pastor, Rev. Father LaFebvre. His advice and kindly solicitation have been to us a tower of strength and he has been loyally sustained by the cordial co-operation of his flock. Standing, as we do today, at an epoch in the history of our church in this place, from which it must inevitably acquire new life and awaken to larger responsibility, we cannot lose this opportunity of expressing to your Lordship the pleasure we feel in welcoming you and our appreciation of the honor of being the first congregation in your extensive diocese on this side of the Rockies, to extend to you a genuine "cead mille failthe."
We tender you a welcome with all that the word implies, to our hearts,
our homes and our church, and pray that the choicest blessings of the Master, whose servant you are, may ever be bestowed upon you and that you may guide and direct your greater congregation as He would have you do.
We trust that God will ever prompt you and give to You all knowledge and
zeal, so that you may continue to maintain the grand and noble example given to the world by your illustrious predecessors, of a Christlike life and a sincere devotion to the church in our country. We hope that this your first visit to the "land of the midnight sun" may be a pleasure to you and a blessing to your people, far from the homes of our early days but close with you in sympathetic feelings and with you in the bosom of our moth@r church. We feel assured that it will gratify your Lordship to know of the cordial and kindly feeling which exists in our new bome, between all classes and donominations; while each evidences a desire to push forward, all are working harmoniously for the
betterment of those whose lot is cast with us.
In conclusion, we trust that your Lordship will be long spared to the
diocese over which the Holy See, in its infinite wisdon, has placed you. We humbly ask for a place in your prayers.
On behalf of the congregation of the "Sacred Heart" Whitehorse, Y. T.
DR. PARE
CAPT. MARTIN
D. CAMPBELL
CAPT. SIEWERD
FITZ. HORRIGAN
His Lordship replied in the following eloquent manner.
"I am quite embarrassed in presenting myself before you today. Having
always lived as a poor missionary among the Indians, the possibility of being one day obliged to assume the responsibility of the care of souls in so important a district as this, never so much asentered my mind. It must be, however, that such is the will of God,
for it has happened contrary to all that, humanly speaking, could be foreseen.
"It is great encouragement to me to hear the beautiful sentiments that you have just now expressed. I know that they are sincere for I have frequently heard of your attachment to our mother, the holy Catholic church, and your devotedness to the pastors she sends you. Your nice church is a proof of your practical faith as well as of your generosity. You are not a very large congregation, but I am very delighted to realize that here the quality supplies the quantity.
"All what you say of your beloved Father Lafebvre does not surprise me at all. I know by myself what he did when among the Indians; everybody misses him there yet. But if circumstances oblige me to take him off from you I hope that you will appreciate the devotedness of Rev. Father Corbeil who volunteered himself to come and take care of your spiritual welfare. It is the same spirit that lives and acts in every Catholic priest, the spirit of God promised to us, from which derives if not opposed to the efficacy of our actions. Father Corbeil has proved faithful to that spirit of God. I hope that your co-operation will afford him the satisfaction of obtaining the same success. You did well so far, but I shall remind you that eternal reward is promised only to perseverance. You did well: I understand that you intend to try and do better yet. So much the better for the glory of God and the benefit of your souls.
"As for me, what could I say more? I have been made a bishop and have been given spiritual charge over this country, contrary to my desires. But now that God has spoken by the mouth of his vicar on earth, the Sovereign Pontiff, and notwithstanding the dignity he has conferred on me, the plenitude of sacredotal power, I assure you that I am ready to spend myself in your service, to sacrifice my time, my ease and tranquillity and even my life if necessary for the salvation of your souls. To my eyes your souls redeemed by the blood of Christ are infinitely more precious than the rich metal you have
come to seek in this rugged country and rigorous climate. After our Lord having given His own life for you, I feel too much honored to have to spend mine for the same end.
"I hope that before long I will have proven to each one of you that if my
long stay amongst the Indians has rubbed off some of the polish of civilization it has not hardened my heart, which will always be for you that of an affectionate father.
"I am not here for my own interests. I am here the servant of every one and I wish each one of you to have free access to me. If circumstances have not allowed me to learn your language, the beautiful English tongue, as well as I should desire, my application to the study of it will prove to you the great desire that I have to be useful to you.
"Since my promotion to the episcopacy I have never failed to pray for you
every day. I shall continue to do so, and I hope that you yourselves will be faithful to your duty of praying for your bishop. It is the efficacy of your prayers I rely upon in order to obtain from God the help necessary to do you all the good I wish to you."
The Right Rev. Bishop Gabriel Breynat was born the 5th of Sept., 1867, at
St. Vallier, France. Came to the north in 1902 taking charge of the Seven Dolors Mission at Ford du Lac, on Lake Athabaska, his charges being the tribe of Chippewayans. In view of his promotion was sent as visitor to the missions on McKenzie river in July 1901. Received notice of his promotion in middle of September; went back to see his Indians and shake hands with them for the last time. His journey to his mission at Edmonton occupied 23 days, 18 with dogsand 5 with horses. Consecrated at St. Albert by the Right Rev. Bishop Grounou who ordained him a priest at Liege, in Belgium. After his consecration he visited the missions under his care as far north as the Arctic Circle in the McKenzie district, journeying over two thousand miles.
