Association des Richard du N.-B.

Descendants et amis de Michel Richard dit Sansoucy

Mgr Joseph-Arsène Richard

Mrg Joseph-Arsène Richard
Mgr Richard was born on September 19, 1859, and baptized the same day at St-Liguori-de-Montcalm. He is the son of Simon Richard and Eléonord Forêt (Forest). He studied at the Collège de l’Assomption in 1879 and at the Collège de Joliette in 1880. In 1885, he took the cassock at the Collège de Joliette, and was later ordained a priest on March 17, 1889. He first served as a priest in St-Barthélemy (1889-1891), St-Paul-l’Ermite (1891-1897), and St-Enfant-Jésus du Mile-End (1897-1899). In 1899, he became the founding pastor of the parish of Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, where he remained until his death. He passed away on June 17, 1945, at the age of 85 years and 9 months, at the Christ-Roi hospital… which he himself had founded, known today as Verdun Hospital.

First register written by Mgr Richard

In the picture, we can see the first page of the parish register of Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs in Montreal (Verdun), presented by Bishop Richard in 1899. The document states that the parish is located in Hochelaga County and that it contains 10 sheets, including this page, for recording Baptism, Marriage, and Burial records. This register was given and sealed by the Superior Court of Lower Canada in the Montreal district. Following this are the notifications of Article 1311 of the Civil Procedure Code of Lower Canada and Articles 42 and 42 A-B-C and 45 of the Civil Code of Lower Canada. The document was signed in Montreal on September 2, 1899, by E. Lamontagne, Deputy-Prothonotary. In the 1925 register, there are a total of 6,970 baptisms, 1,090 marriages, and 3,212 burials. By 1941, the register contained more than a hundred pages. This shows that the number of people living in Verdun gradually increased over the years. Let’s end this chapter with this quote from a historian of the time: ‘My Lord — We are both growing old, the time to leave will come soon. But, for your comfort and for your glory, I remember with joy that, while people pass away, their works remain!’

Source: https://exploreverdunids.com/genealogie-mgr-joseph-arsene-richard / *** Research P. Richard