PM. Ponenza [prepared for the CG of 21 September, then postponed until 23 November 1818] on the bishopric of Québec, in 13 paragraphs. Paragraph 13 contains eight questions to be answered by PF. They are followed by a Sommario. The letters of Plessis, bp. of Québec, of 14 September 1814 [see C 045], 15 November [see SOCG 083] and 6 December 1817 [see SOCG 090] are recalled, together with PF [i.e., Litta]'s letter to Plessis of 9 August [see Lettere 059] and the CG of 23 September 1817 [see Acta 035].
Plessis wrote that both Sherbrooke, the new Lieutenant-Governor of the British colonies of North America [recte Governor-in-Chief of Lower Canada], and Bathurst, the Minister for [War and] the Colonies, asked him to become a member of the Legislative Council of the province [Lower Canada], but that he would only accept an appointment coming directly from the Holy See. As for the appointment of new bp.s in Canada, the writer recalls that Castlereagh [R. Stewart]'s letter to Consalvi [of 30 April 1817; see SOCG 066] suggested E. Burke, [A.] McDonell and [A.B.] MacEachern. According to Plessis, McDonell should be appointed vicar apostolic in Kingston, MacEachern vicar apostolic in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (with jurisdiction over New Brunswick and Iles-de-la-Madeleine).
However, Plessis recalled that Burke's appointment as vicar apostolic in Nova Scotia [in 1817] did not improve the state of religion in the province. Plessis also favoured the erection of an archbishopric in Québec, and announced that a new and immense territory had recently been discovered in the Northwest, where he had just sent a missionary [Tabeau]. Items 1-3 of the Sommario are the royal appointment of Plessis to the bishopric of Québec, Plessis's counterproposal, and Plessis's revised proposal such as it was sent to London. R [of the CG of 23 November 1818]: [1-2] On the bp. [of Québec, Plessis]'s appointment to the Legislative Council, the decision is deferred, and write to the bp. according to the instruction [see SOCG 080]; [3] See no. 6; [4] No royal consent for the new bp. is to be sought;
[5] The archbishopric of Québec is to be erected; [6] Two vicars to the bp. of Québec are to be appointed, as suffragan and auxiliary bp.s to the bishopric of Québec; [7] Approved [McDonell is to be appointed suffragan and auxiliary bp. to the abp. of Québec in Upper Canada]; [8] Approved [MacEachern is to be appointed suffragan and auxiliary bp. to the abp. of Québec in Prince Edward Island, with jurisdiction over New Brunswick and Iles-de-la-Madeleine]. Signed by Pedicini, [PF] Secretary. PF notes ([CG of] 23 November 1819; originals). Re PF [Fontana's] letter [to Plessis] of 13 March 1819 [see Lettere 076]. Bs: fol. 123v-128rv.
![[PM. Ponenza [prepared for the CG of 21 September, then ...]](/images/folder-80.png){kind=small}