He was ordained in Aix en Provence on May 26, 1828 by Bishop Fortune de Mazenod, Bishop of Marseilles. From then until 1844 he served in the diocese of Aix, Marseille, Tréguier Gap, Grenoble and Valence. He was appointed Provincial Superior of the Oblates in Longueuil, Canada and arrived in the country in 1844. Pope Pius IX promoted him to Bishop of Bytown (Ottawa) in 1847. He was consecrated in the Cathedral, July 30, 1848 by Bishop Remi Gaulin. Among his achievements he built the Cathedral of Notre Dame in 1856, he built the Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa in 1872 and he founded the College of Bytown, which was the forerunner of the University of Ottawa.
More information about Joseph Guigues can be found at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography web site.
His statue stands on the grounds of Notre Dame Cathedral on the northeast corner of Sussex Drive and Saint Patrick Street in Ottawa.
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| JOSEPH EUGENE GUIGUES O.M. 1er Eveque d'Ottawa 1848 - 1874 (English translation) JOSEPH EUGENE GUIGUES O.M. First bishop of Ottawa 1848 - 1874 |
