himself, to
participate in this gift, gave her a shrine of the most wonderful
richness to contain the precious statue. On her return to Canada,
Marguerite Bourgeoys caused to be erected near the house of the Sisters
a wooden lean-to in the form of a chapel, which became the provisional
sanctuary of the statuette. Two years later, on June 29th, the laying of
the foundation stone of the chapel took place. The work was urged with
enthusiasm, and encouraged by the pious impatience of Sister Bourgeoys.
The generosity of the faithful vied in enthusiasm, and gifts flowed in.
M. de Maisonneuve offered a cannon, of which M. Souart had a bell made
at his expense. Two thousand francs, furnished by the piety of the
inhabitants, and one hundred louis from Sister Bourgeoys and her nuns,
aided the foundress to complete the realization of a wish long
cherished in her heart; the new chapel became an inseparable annex of
the parish of Ville-Marie.

These most precious advantages were recognized on November 6th, 1678, by
Mgr. de Laval, who preserved throughout his life the most tender
devotion to the Mother of God. On the other hand, the prelate imposed
upon the parish priest the obligation of having the Holy Mass celebrated
there on the Day of the Visitation, and of going there in procession on
the Day of the Assumption. Is it necessary to mention with what zeal,
with what devotion the Canadians brought to Mary in this new temple
their homage and their prayers? Let us listen to the enthusiastic
narrative of Sister Morin, a nun of St. Joseph: "The Holy Mass is said
there every day, and even several times a day, to satisfy the devotion
and the trust of the people, which are great towards Notre-Dame de
Bonsecours. Processions wend their way thither on occasions of public
need or calamity, with much success. It is the regular promenade of the
devout persons of the town, who make a pilgrimage there every evening,
and there are few good Catholics who, from all the places in Canada, do
not make vows of offerings to this chapel in all the dangers in which
they find themselves."

The church of Notre-Dame de Bonsecours was twice remodelled; built at
first of oak on stone foundations, it was rebuilt of stone and consumed
in 1754 in a conflagration which destroyed a part of the town. In 1772
the chapel was rebuilt as it exists now, one hundred and two feet long
by forty-six wide.

CHAPTER XIII

LAVAL RETURNS TO CANADA

Mgr. de Laval