Pierre-René Floquet (September 12, 1716 – October 18, 1782) was a

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

priest in

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

sympathetic to the Americans during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

Biography

He was born in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and entered the noviciate in 1734. Floquet taught grammar and the classics at

Quimper Quimper (, ; br, Kemper ; la, Civitas Aquilonia or ) is a commune and prefecture of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Administration Quimper is the prefecture (capital) of the Finistère department. Geography The ...

and studied theology at the Jesuit Collège de La Flèche. He came to Canada in 1744, where he taught at the

Jesuit college The Jesuits (Society of Jesus) in the Catholic Church have founded and managed a number of educational institutions, including the notable secondary schools, colleges and universities listed here. Some of these universities are in the United Stat ...

. Floquet spent two years as a missionary at

Kahnawake The Kahnawake Mohawk Territory (french: Territoire Mohawk de Kahnawake, in the Mohawk language, ''Kahnawáˀkye'' in Tuscarora) is a First Nations reserve of the Mohawks of Kahnawá:ke on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, C ...

and took his vows as a priest in 1752. He served as bursar for the college at

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...

until 1757, when he became superior for the Jesuits at

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

. Although the Jesuit order was suppressed by

Pope Clement XIV Pope Clement XIV ( la, Clemens XIV; it, Clemente XIV; 31 October 1705 – 22 September 1774), born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 May 1769 to his death in Sep ...

in 1773, the order continued to operate in Canada. After

was captured by the Americans in 1775, his interactions with the invading forces compromised him in the eyes of the British and of bishop

Briand Briand is a surname, and may refer to: * Anne Briand (born 1968), French athlete * Aristide Briand (1862–1932), Prime Minister of France and Nobel Peace Prize winner * Ben Briand (born 1980), Australian film director * Bernard Briand (born 1974 ...

. Floquet allowed John Carroll, a Jesuit priest and the cousin of Charles Carroll, to perform mass in his church. He also had expressed opposition to the

Quebec Act The Quebec Act 1774 (french: Acte de Québec), or British North America (Quebec) Act 1774, was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which set procedures of governance in the Province of Quebec. One of the principal components of the Act w ...

, had given the sacraments to people who had joined the American forces and had dined with American Colonel

Moses Hazen Moses Hazen (June 1, 1733 – February 5, 1803) was a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he saw action in the French and Indian War with Rogers' Rang ...

. After being placed under an

interdict In Catholic canon law, an interdict () is an ecclesiastical censure, or ban that prohibits persons, certain active Church individuals or groups from participating in certain rites, or that the rites and services of the church are banished from ...

by the bishop, Floquet expressed regret for not following the Briand's instructions to remain loyal to the British cause. Floquet died in

at the age of 65.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Floquet, Pierre-Rene 1716 births 1782 deaths 18th-century Canadian Jesuits Clergy from Paris French Canadians in the American Revolution

Biography

See also

References