Mgr. Alphonse-Osias Gagnon 1927-1941
The third Bishop Mgr. Alphonse-Osias Gagnon 1927-1941
Biographic record :
Born in Bonsecours on 13 December 1860, Mgr. Gagnon was one of the first students to register at the Séminaire Saint-Charles-Borromée of Sherbrooke in 1875. Ordained priest on 8 July 1883, he worked at the Séminaire Saint-Charles-Borromée until 1923, as a teacher, Head of Studies, Vice-Superior and Superior (1909-1918). During this period, he was master of ceremonies at Sherbrooke’s cathedral, chaplain for the nuns of the Hospice du Sacré-Cœur and regular preacher for Sunday Mass in St Patrick’s in Sherbrooke. From 1894 to 1909, he became the director for the seminarians (future priests). He was named domestic prelate in 1919. Pope Pius XI named him bishop of Spiga and auxiliary of Sherbrooke on 17 April 1923. He was ordained Bishop on 29 June 1923 in Sherbrooke’s cathedral. Vicar General from 1923 to 1926, he was chosen as capitular vicar on 15 August 1926, after the passing of Mgr. LaRocque. On 22 June 1927, Rome promoted him to the episcopal see of Sherbrooke; third titular of this charge in our diocese, he became its first local priest. On 28 September 1927, he named the members for Sherbrooke’s cathedral Canonical chapter, established by his predecessor in 1926. He initiated intensive Catholic Action in our diocese. During his episcopacy, he invited the Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament to establish a parish of that name in Sherbrooke (1938). The Dominican Fathers received a similar invitation in 1941 to open Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire parish in Sherbrooke. Mgr. Gagnon established a total of five parishes and peacefully consolidated the work of his predecessors. He died in his bishop’s palace on 12 February 1941. He was often referred to as “The Good Mister Gagnon”.