Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec

Born and educated in France, Laval came to Quebec in 1659. There he labored to build a solid foundation for the church by securing lands, establishing schools, supporting missionaries, and promoting charitable work of women's Orders. Laval saw that missionary work among Native Americans was often undermined by French traders, who used alcohol to exploit them; he therefore worked to curtail such practices. During this time French Catholics wanted their church to be national rather than Roman in character--but Laval, in keeping with the Society of Jesus, favored firm allegiance to the Pope. He helped to orient Catholicism in Canada to Rome rather than to France. Laval's Catholicism reflected his commitments to the Council of Trent. This orientation helped shape Canadian religious life; it also heightened tensions with the Protestant British Colonies to the south.