Volume III - ElectricCanadian.com

2IO 1VIEN ORALPHONSUS AVILACHERRIER, Parish Priest oftne Immaculate Conception,of Winnipeg, Man., was born September26th, 1849, at Laprairie, P.Q. Hisparents were Leon T. Cherrier andLena F. Yian dit L'Esperance, bothFrench Canadians, and stillliving(1893). Father Cherrier took his elementaryeducation at Beauharnois, andhis classical course at the College ofSte. Therese de Blainville, County ofTerrebonne, and graduated, in 1871, asBachelor of Sciences of the Laval University.He was ordained priest byBishop Fabre, of Montreal, in the Jesuits'Church, at Montreal,August 3oth, 1874. Hespent three years as a professorof Literature, and asimilar period as professorof Natural Sciences at theabove College of Ste. Therese.In 1878, he went toSt. Boniface, Manitoba, andspent three years as cured^ office of the Cathedral,and steward of the ArchiepiscopalPalace. In 1881,he accepted the presidencyof the new College of St.Boniface, and directorshipof the Seminary in connectiontherewith, and at thesame time taught theology.He was also a member ofthe Board of Education,from 1878, until it wasabolished in 1890, a memberof the Council of theUniversity of Manitobasince 1878, and presidentof the Board of Studies since1883. In 1884, owing toill health, he left the collegeand took charge of theparish of the ImmaculateConception, of Winnipeg,where he has been ever since. In 1890,he went to Europe, visiting Ireland,Scotland, England, France, Switzerland,Bavaria and Italy. In September,1890, as the delegate of His Grace, theArchbishop of St. Boniface, he paid the"visit ad"Liniina Apostolorum inRome, and was favored with a privateaudience from Pope Leo XIII. InSeptember, 1891, he began the buildingof the new church of the ImmaculateConception, which was finished in lessthan two years,itbeing blessed anddedicated on the i7th of March, 1893.This church is one of the finest inWinnipeg.