Similar to the United States, it took a while for Canada to receive its first native-born individual to be officially beatified by the Church. It took until 1926 for a Canadian-born priest to be beatified and recognized by the Vatican.
The Canadian who was beatified was Blessed André Grasset, a priest who returned to France with his family and died during the French Revolution.
Canadian martyr
Born in Montreal, Grasset was raised by a French immigrant family. His father had come to Canada to be the secretary to the Governor General of "New France."
According to a biography by the Canadian Bishops' Conference, "his father acquired a house near the chapel of Bon-Secours, which had just been founded by Marguerite Bourgeoys: this was the environment that young André knew before his family left for France, and which undoubtedly marked him forever."
When the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763, Grasset's father longed to be back in his homeland and took his entire family with him. Grasset was only six years old when his family make the trek back to France.
It was there that Grasset would eventually study to become a priest and was ordained in 1783.
However, the French Revolution broke out in 1789 and priests were particularly targeted. Grasset was one who did not escape the grasp of the revolutionaries. The Canadian Bishops' biography explains what happened next:
On September 2, 1792, during a mock trial, each of the 92 priests and 3 bishops imprisoned at the Carmelites had to answer the question: "Have you sworn the oath to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy?" Following the negative response of the accused, who replied: "My conscience forbids me to do so," he was thrown down the small steps leading into the garden where henchmen with bayonets, sabers and pikes awaited him until he breathed his last.
Grasset was beatified on October 17, 1926, along with many other priests, named the "September Martyrs."
While he did not spend much time in Canada, he is still venerated by many Canadians, as it was the location of his birth and his early faith was formed there.
