| Birth: | Jul. 17, 1762 | | Death: | Jan. 14, 1840 | 
Canadian religious leader. Officer of the British army, priest, auxiliary bishop of Québec and first bishop of Kingston, in Ontario. Born in Dumfries (Scotland), he studied in Douai (France) and in Valladolid (Spain) and was ordained prirest. He worked first as missionary in the Scottish counties of Inverness and Perth and was moved by the sufferings of his compatriots, mostly Catholics who had been driven out of their farms and had reduced to misery. In 1792, he succeeded in placing seven or eight hundreds of his fellow countrymen in manufactures in Glasgow. In spite of the criminal laws, he opened a chapel for them, and acted also as their English interpreter. The war with France closed several factories and threw Highlanders workmen in the street. In 1794, the ingenious priest, with the King’s consent, formed with them the first catholic military unit, since the Reform. Officially recognized as chaplain of the "Regiment of the Fencibles of Glengarry", he accompanied them to with Guernsey in 1795 and, in 1798, to Ireland, where by their endurance and their bravery, the Scottish riflemen held in respect the rebels of Holt and Dwyer. While restoring churches, that had been transformed often into cattle sheds for the cavalry, by his humanity towards the casualties and his exhortations to the population, he contributed actively to the pacification of Ireland. When his riflemen were demobilized in 1802, he obtained in their favour lands in Upper Canada. In 1803, a good group came to Canada to join to Highlanders of Glengarry: The bishop of Québec, Mgr Denaut, named Father Mac Donell as pastor of St.Raphaël, in Kingston, then general vicar of the diocese in 1807. In 1812, he rejoined his veterans in the battle fields against the American invaders.He was rewarded for his loyalty with a royal pension and a seat at the Legislative Council of the province of Upper Canada, now called Ontario. In 1826, Rome granted the erection of a diocese in Upper Canada and located it in Kingston. But, as of January 12, 1819, Father Mac Donell had already been elected titular bishop of Rhésina and as such had been ordained in Québec on December 31, 1820. At that time, he had been made auxiliary of Bishop Plessis, with charge of Ontario. On January 17, 1826, he became the first holder of the Kingston see. It was only in 1836 that Bishop Mac Donnell made his residence in Kingston. He founded the Regiopolis College in his episcopal city, in 1838. In the intention of collecting money for his works, he undertook a trip to Europe in 1839; but he fell sick in Ireland and died in his hometown of Dumfries. His remains were brought back, in 1861, from Edimburg to be buried in the cathedral of Kingston. (bio by: Guy Gagnon)
Search Amazon for Alexander Mac Donell | | | Burial:
Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral
Kingston
Ontario, Canada |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Guy Gagnon
Record added: Jul 15, 2004
Find A Grave Memorial# 9104030 |
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