John Mary Joseph Benedict Chanche, S.S., (October 4, 1795 – July 22, 1852) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop Diocese of Natchez in Mississippi from 1841 to 1852. Educated at St. Mary's College in Baltimore, Maryland, Chanche became a

Sulpician The Society of Priests of Saint-Sulpice (french: Compagnie des Prêtres de Saint-Sulpice), abbreviated PSS also known as the Sulpicians is a society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men, named after the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris, ...

and eventually president of the college.

Biography

Early life

Chanche was born October 4, 1795, in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. He was born to well-to-do parents, John and Catherine Provost Chanche, who had fled to Baltimore from the French colony of

Saint-Domingue Saint-Domingue () was a French colony in the western portion of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, in the area of modern-day Haiti, from 1659 to 1804. The name derives from the Spanish main city in the island, Santo Domingo, which came to refer ...

(present-day Haiti), where his father had been a merchant, during the

Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution (french: révolution haïtienne ; ht, revolisyon ayisyen) was a successful insurrection by slave revolt, self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolt ...

. Chanche was christened August 1795 by then Father William DuBourg. In 1806, Chanche entered St. Mary's Seminary, which was run by the Sulpicians, not far from his home. He received "first tonsure" from Archbishop

John Carroll John Carroll may refer to: People Academia and science *Sir John Carroll (astronomer) (1899–1974), British astronomer *John Alexander Carroll (died 2000), American history professor *John Bissell Carroll (1916–2003), American cognitive sci ...

. Chanche began his theological studies in 1814, and received minor orders from Archbishop

Leonard Neale Leonard Neale (October 15, 1746 – June 18, 1817) was an American Catholic prelate and Jesuit who became the second Archbishop of Baltimore and the first Catholic bishop to be ordained in the United States. While president of Georgetown Coll ...

Priesthood

Chanche joined the

Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice The Society of Priests of Saint-Sulpice (french: Compagnie des Prêtres de Saint-Sulpice), abbreviated PSS also known as the Sulpicians is a society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men, named after the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris, ...

and was ordained a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

on June 5, 1819 by Archbishop

Ambrose Maréchal Ambrose Maréchal, P.S.S. (August 28, 1764 – January 29, 1828) was an American Sulpician and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland. He dedicated the Basilica of the N ...

. He was then appointed a professor at the school. In 1833, he was chosen as Master of Ceremonies for the Second Provincial Council of Baltimore, a major step by the bishops of the nation in organizing its structure. Chanche was named Vice President of the seminary, and in 1834 succeeded

Samuel Eccleston Samuel Eccleston, P.S.S. (June 27, 1801 – April 22, 1851) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the fifth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland from 1834 until his death in 1851. Biography Earl ...

, as its President.Eidt, Mary Bellan. "John Mary Joseph Chanche", St. Mary Basilica Archives
/ref> Chanche was twice offered the post of

coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...

, first to the

Archdiocese of Baltimore The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore ( la, link=no, Archidiœcesis Baltimorensis) is the premier (or first) see of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore and nine of Mar ...

and then to the Diocese of Boston, but he declined both appointments.

Bishop of Natchez

The Diocese of Natchez was created on July 28, 1837, encompassing the entire state of Mississippi. Chanche was appointed as its first bishop by

Pope Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI ( la, Gregorius XVI; it, Gregorio XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1 June 1846. He h ...

on December 15, 1840. He was consecrated March 14, 1841 by Archbishop Eccleston at the

Baltimore Basilica The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called the Baltimore Basilica, was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States, and was among the first major religious buildings construc ...

, assisted by Bishops

Benedict Fenwick Benedict Joseph Fenwick (September 3, 1782 – August 11, 1846) was an American Catholic prelate, Jesuit, and educator who served as the Bishop of Boston from 1825 until his death in 1846. In 1843, he founded the College of the Holy Cross i ...

and John Hughes. Arriving at Natchez in May 1841, Chanche met the only priest in the state, Father Brogard, who was only there temporarily. Brogard conducted services in the Mechanics' Hall. Taking up the role of a simple missionary, Chanche began to collect the Catholics and organize a diocese. Chanche set to work building a diocesan infrastructure.Charles, Brother. "Natchez." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 16 February 2020 In 1842, Chanche laid the cornerstone of St. Mary Cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. In 1847, he asked the

Sisters of Charity Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity in their name. Some ''Sisters of Charity'' communities refer to the Vincentian tradition, or in America to the tradition of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, but others are unrelated. The ...

of Emmitsburg to come to Natchez, where they established Saint Mary's Orphanage.At the

First Plenary Council of Baltimore The Plenary Councils of Baltimore were three national meetings of Catholic bishops in the United States in 1852, 1866 and 1884 in Baltimore, Maryland. During the early history of the History of Roman Catholicism in the United States, Roman Cath ...

in 1852, Chanche served the role of "chief promoter."

Death and legacy

John Chanche died on July 22, 1852, in

Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Native ...

, presumably of cholera."Body of first bishop of Mississippi exhumed in Baltimore", Archdiocese of Baltimore
/ref> He was buried in the Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore. At the time of his death, the diocese had 11 priests, 11 churches erected, and 13 attendant missions. In 2007, Chanche's remains were exhumed and returned Natchez to be reinterred in a special garden near the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the grounds of the original cathedral of his diocese at Natchez, now the Basilica of St. Mary. The Diocese of Jackson established the Bishop John Joseph Chanche Award for service. "The Chanche medals, named for the first bishop of the diocese, honor those who give of themselves to their parish or faith community. The awards are presented on the weekend closest to the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the patronal feast for the Diocese of Jackson."Ma, Tereza. "Chanche medals, awards recall founding bishop", ''Mississippi Catholic'', March 12, 2018
/ref>

References

External links

Bishop John Joseph Chanche, S.S.

Photographs of a painting of Bishop Chanche

St. Mary Basilica
Natchez, Mississippi

Episcopal succession

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chanche, John J. 1795 births 1852 deaths 19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States American people of French descent American people of Haitian descent Burials at St. Mary Basilica, Natchez Religious leaders from Baltimore Roman Catholic bishops in Mississippi Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson St. Mary's Seminary and University alumni St. Mary's Seminary and University faculty Sulpician bishops Sulpicians