André Garin

An Oblate missionary and parish priest, born 7 May, 1822, at Côte-Saint-André, Isère, France ; died at Lowell, Massachusetts, 16 February, 1895. He received his education at the lesser seminary of his native town, and entered the Order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate , 1 November, 1842; as he was still too young to be admitted to the priesthood he was sent to Canada, where he was ordained 25 April, 1845, by Bishop Bourget of Montreal. During a period of twelve years he devoted himself to the Indian missions of Eastern Canada, after which he occupied the post of superior successively at Plattsburg and at Buffalo.

Though his services were peculiarly valuable n his early fields of labour as he had mastered both the Montagnais and the English languages, yet an able man being needed to organize parish and mission work among the French Canadians at Lowell, Father Garin was ordered thither and in a short time his remarkable good sense, courteous manner, and kindly disposition won for him a wonderful influence over his people. During a pastorate of some twenty-five years he built costly churches and commodious school edifices; he also established several religious confraternities among his parishioners. Grateful for all he had done for them, the members of his parish erected a statue to him two years after his death.