Father Perrault resided at Cape Breton during the years 1634 and 1635, and Fathers Richard and d’Endemare came in the following year and took up their residence at Fort Ste. Anne in Grand Cibou Bay.  This place had many advantages, as it was naturally fortified, and three thousand small vessels could anchor safely in the bay.  The Jesuits remained at Cape Breton until the arrival of Bishop de Laval in 1659.  These various missions which we have recorded, constitute the religious history of the islands and coasts of the gulf of St. Lawrence during the greater part of the seventeenth century, and they were all founded by Champlain or under his administration, and he certainly took an active part in the civilization of the Micmacs.

In a memorandum addressed to the king, Champlain had set forth his intention to erect a church at Quebec, to be dedicated to the Redeemer.  He was, however, unable to accomplish his design.  He had also made a solemn promise to the Blessed Virgin, between the years 1629 and 1632, to erect a church in honour of Notre Dame de la Recouvrance, and on his return to Quebec he set out to fulfil his obligation.  The occasion was favourable, as the chapel near the habitation in Lower Town had been completely ruined.

The chapel of Notre Dame de la Recouvrance was erected during the summer of 1633, and in the autumn of the same year the Jesuits said mass for the inhabitants within the building.  The increase of the population and of their religious zeal within the two following years, induced Champlain to raise this humble chapel into a small church.  The building was therefore enlarged, and from that date the services assumed a character of solemnity which had been unknown before.  Grand mass was celebrated every Sunday by a Jesuit, and the inhabitants each in turn offered consecrated loaves.  In the afternoon, after vespers, the catechism was explained by the fathers.  The French were very regular in their attendance at these ceremonies, and also at the religious instructions.

Father Charles Lalemant was the first Jesuit who lived at the presbytery as a parish priest.  His successor was Father Jean de Quen.  Father Le Jeune wrote at that time:—­“As soon as we had been lodged near the church (Notre Dame de la Recouvrance) Father Lalemant who had just begun to live at the residence, at the same time initiated its solemnities; Father de Quen has succeeded him with the same inclination for ceremony.  I frankly confess that my heart melted the first time I assisted in this divine service, at the sight of our Frenchmen so greatly rejoicing to hear sung aloud and publicly the praises of the great God in the midst of a barbarous people, at the sight of little children speaking the Christian language in another world....  Monsieur Gand’s zeal in exercising all his energies to cause our French to love these solemn and public devotions, seems to me very praiseworthy.  But the regulations of Monsieur our governor, his very remarkable example, and the piety of the more prominent people, hold all in the line of duty.”