PM. Ponenza [prepared for the CG of 24 January 1820], dealing with various churches, in three articles, subdivided into 20 paragraphs. Paragraph 20 contains eight questions to be answered by PF. They are followed by a Sommario. Art. 1 deals with the bishopric of Québec. The CG of 23 November 1818 [see Acta 039] and PF [Fontana's] letter to the bp. of Québec, Plessis, of 13 March 1819 [see Lettere 076] (item 1 of Sommario) are recalled. Before receiving that letter the bp. went to England and then to Rome, where he currently is. A plan submitted by the bp., dated 20 August 1819, requesting four vicars apostolic [see Varia 361] (item 2 of Sommario) was approved by Bathurst on 15 September 1819 [see Varia 360] (item 3 of Sommario).
The vicar apostolic in the London district, Poynter, was written to on 2 October 1819 [see Lettere 084] (item 4 of Sommario) re the erection of the archbishopric of Québec, to which the Governor[-in-Chief of British North America, Lennox] is opposed. Plessis has now explained his plan for Canada [in his M of 17 November 1819; see Varia 362]. Canada consists of all lands bordering on the vicariates apostolic in Newfoundland and in the United States, the Arctic Pole and the Pacific Ocean, with 500,000 Catholics, of whom 450,000 are in Lower Canada. For such an immense territory the two appointed bp.s [A. McDonell, A.B. MacEachern] are not sufficient.
Plessis suggests that the bishopric of Québec be subdivided into five parts, each with a vicar general with episcopal title, under the jurisdiction of the bp. of Québec, namely, [1] Québec, Trois-Rivières, Gaspé (200,000 Catholics), under the bp. of Québec himself; [2] Montréal (200,000), under Lartigue, 40, a Canadian priest; [3] Upper Canada (15,000), under McDonell; [4] New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Cape Breton Island (10,000), under MacEachern; upon E. Burke's death, Nova Scotia (8,000) should be attached to MacEachern's vicariate; [5] Hudson Bay, James Bay, the North, to the Rocky Mountains (3,000/4,000), under Provencher, 32, a Canadian missionary who has lived there for two years [1818-20].
As for the land west of the Rocky Mountains, it has not been civilized yet, and it is inhabited by ferocious and nomadic peoples; Russia and California are in a better position to provide it with missionaries. Plessis asks that briefs be sent for Lartigue and Provencher, and promises to answer the queries concerning his own appointment to the Legislative Council [of Lower Canada; see Lettere 076] as soon as he returns to Canada. R [in Litta's handwriting]: [1] Nothing is to be changed [on the erection of the archbishopric of Québec]; [2] Agreed [on Lartigue's appointment as bp. and vicar general in Montréal]; [3] Agreed [Cape Breton is to be attached to New Brunswick under MacEachern's jurisdiction]; [4] Deferred [whether to attach Nova Scotia to New Brunswick after Burke's death]; [5] Agreed [Provencher is appointed vicar general and bp. in the North];
[6] Deferred [whether to provide for the conversion of the barbarians]. Signed by Litta. Re PF's letter to Lartigue of 20 May 1820 (see Lettere [107]). [The balance of this item deals with Raphoe, Dromore]. Bs: fol. 4v, 8[b]v.
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