Born: Lestelle, Basses-Pyrénées, September 14, 1832.
Took the habit: N.-D. de l’Osier, July 1, 1854.
Vows: N.-D. de l’Osier, July 2, 1855 (N. 390).
Priestly ordination: Marseilles, July 27, 1858.
Died: Pointe-Bleue, Canada, July 7, 1906.
Laurent Simonet was born in Lestelle, diocese of Bayonne, France, on September 14, 1832. After studies in the college of Bétharram and Saint-Palais, he began his novitiate in Notre-Dame de l’Osier on July 1, 1854 and took vows there on July 2, 1855. At first the novice master, Father Florent Vandenberghe was quite favourable in his opinion about him, but on sending him to Marseilles, he wrote, on July 3, that “Simonet is a candidate with ordinary virtues and mediocre possibilities. There is nothing very outstanding about him. He has a little of all the faults in him. Nevertheless, he is sincerely attached to his duty. … At certain times he is quite generous, at other times much less so. He is not a difficult character.”
Laurent Simonet did his scholasticate in Montolivet from 1855 to 1858. Father Mouchette, moderator of scholastics, found that he was good, regular and attached to his duty. The note about him in the Personnel register of 1862 sums him up as follows: “Simonet: of ordinary build, good health, somewhat shy and embarrassed, a real sustained piety, calm and good character, not very deep judgement …” Bishop de Mazenod ordained him to the priesthood on June 27 and sent him to Ireland.
He first resided in Dublin (1858-1859 and then in Leith, Edinburgh (1859-1860). He then received his obedience for Western Canada. During a brief stay in Saint-Boniface, Manitoba (1860-1863), he had charge of all the missions of Manitoba and Winnipegosis. He was then at Duck Bay (Saint Lawrence) (1863-1870) before moving to the mission of Saint-Joseph de Pembina, North Dakota 1870-1877).
Moving back to Eastern Canada, he ministered in Maniwaki (1877-1885) and that included Bois-Francs (1879-1885), and Sainte-Famille-d’Aumond (1877-1885) as well as the mission to the Amerindians and the loggers’ camps. He then went to Mattawa, Ontario (1815-1895) and he became director of Pointe-Bleue, Quebec (1895-1906).
On July 2, 1905 he was celebrating his Golden Jubilee of religious life in Liege with Fathers Célestin Augier and Pierre Avignon, his co-novices. He died in Pointe-Bleue on July 7, 1906. He is buried in the Oblate cemetery of Jésus-Ouvrier.
Yvon Beaudoin
and Gaston Carrière, o.m.i.
