Charles La Rocque

Charles La Rocque
Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
DioceseSaint-Hyacinthe
InstalledMarch 20, 1866
Term endedJuly 25, 1875
PredecessorJoseph La Rocque
SuccessorLouis-Zéphirin Moreau
Orders
OrdinationJuly 29, 1832
Personal details
Born(1809-11-15)November 15, 1809
Chambly-sur-Richelieu, Lower Canada
DiedJuly 15, 1875(1875-07-15) (aged 65)
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec

Charles La Rocque, also spelled Larocque, (November 15, 1809 – July 15, 1875) was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest and third Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe from 1866 to 1875.

Charles La Rocque was born 15 Nov. 1809 at Chambly-sur-Richelieu, L.C., the eldest son of Henri and Sophie Robert La Rocque. He attended the College of Saint-Hyacinthe on scholarship, as did his cousin Joseph La Rocque. Upon completion of his studies he decided to enter religious life. While preparing for the priesthood, he taught humanities at the College of Saint-Hyacinthe. In 1831 he went to Montreal to complete his studies in theology at the seminary of Saint-Jacques.[1]

He was ordained to the priesthood 29 July 1832, and served as vicar at Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan and Berthier; and as curé at St. Pie de Bagot, Ste. Marguerite de Blainville, and St. John Dorchester.[2] On 15 September 1863, Father Charles was at Burlington, Vermont for the laying of the cornerstone of St. Mary's Cathedral. The Mass was sung by Rev. La Rocque in the open air with the altar placed in the same location as planned once the cathedral was completed.[3] (In 2018 the Diocese of Burlington announced plans to merge the parish with St. Joseph's due to low attendance and sell the property.)