Jean-Baptiste Brondel
Jean-Baptiste Brondel was a Belgian-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Vancouver Island|Diocese of Vancouver Island] in British Columbia and Alaska and as vicar apostolic and bishop of the Diocese of Helena in Montana.
Biography
Early life
Jean-Baptiste Brondel was born on 23 February 1842 in Bruges in the Kingdom of Belgium to Charles Joseph and Isabella Brondel. One of seven children, Jean-Baptiste was the youngest of his parents' five sons; his eldest brother and one of his sisters also pursued religious careers. He received his early education from the Xaverian Brothers in his native city. In 1852, Brondel entered the College of St. Louis in Bruges, where he studied for ten years. Inspired by the works of the missionary Reverend Pierre-Jean De Smet in the American West, Brondel decided to become a missionary to the Native American peoples. He then studied philosophy and theology at the American College of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium.Priesthood
Brondel was ordained to the priesthood in Mechelen, Belgium, by Cardinal Engelbert Sterckx on 17 December 1864. At age 24, he was below the age requirement for ordination, but was granted a dispensation by Pope Pius IX. He continued his studies at the American College for two more years.Brondel arrived at Vancouver in the Washington Territory of the United States in 1866. At that time, the territory was part of the Diocese of Nesqually. The diocese assigned him to teach at Holy Angels College in Vancouver. He was then transferred after 12 months to Steilacoom, Washington, to serve as rector of its church and mission for the next ten years. During his tenure in Steilacoom, Brondel also built churches in Tacoma and Olympia, both in Washington. Brondel was transferred to Walla Walla, Washington, in 1877, but returned to Steilacoom the following year.
Bishop of Vancouver Island
On 26 September 1879, Brondel was appointed the third bishop of Vancouver Island by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration at Saint Andrew's Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia, on 14 December 1879 from Archbishop Charles J. Seghers. The diocese included Vancouver Island, a part of British Columbia, as well as Alaska, an American territory.Vicar Apostolic of Montana
On 7 April 1883, Leo XIII named Brondel as vicar apostolic of Montana.Bishop of Helena
The vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of Helena on 7 March 1884 by Leo XIII, with Brondel becoming its first bishop. At that time, the diocese included the entire Montana Territory.During his tenure, Brondel traveled throughout the territory, establishing several new parishes and building churches. He also significantly increased the number of priests; by 1903, the number of seminarians in Montana increased from one to thirteen. He took a particular interest in the evangelization of Native Americans. The United States government often used his popularity among that community to further its aims in the community.
Jean-Baptiste Brondel died on 23 February 1842 at Helena at age 61, and was buried in a vault under the cathedral of that city.