Paul Le Jeune

Paul Le Jeune, Jesuit missionary and superior at Québec, author (b at Vitry-le-François, France July 1591; d at Paris, France 7 Aug 1664). Converted to Catholicism at 16, Le Jeune was named superior of the Jesuits at Québec in 1632. He advocated language study for missionaries and the settling of nomadic tribes on agricultural reserves. In 1634-35 he accompanied Algonquins on a winter hunt. From 1639 to 1649 he served as missionary priest at SILLERY, Tadoussac, Trois-Rivières and VILLE-MARIE [Montréal], lobbying for military support against the Iroquois and supporting the Ville-Marie settlement project. His annual report of 1632, published by the Jesuit provincial in Paris, inaugurated the series of JESUIT RELATIONS published until 1673 to attract recruits and encourage financial support for missionary work. Procurator of Canadian missions from 1649 to 1662, Le Jeune was author of 15 of the Relations and 2 devotional books.