Jacques-Maurice De Saint Palais
Jacques-Maurice des Landes d’Aussac de Saint Palais was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Vincennes, currently known as the Archbishop of Indianapolis, from 1848 until his death.Biography
De Saint Palais was born in La Salvetat, and ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 1836 in the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris. In July 1836 he followed Bishop Simon Bruté to the new Diocese of Vincennes. He served in various parishes and after the death of the third bishop, Bishop Jean Bazin he was named the fourth Bishop On October 3, 1848 by Pope Pius IX. He received his episcopal consecration on January 14, 1849 from Bishop Richard Miles, OP, with Bishops Martin Spalding and Hippolyte Du Pontavice serving as co-consecrators.
De Saint Palais introduced to the diocese a foundation of Benedictine monks from the Swiss Abbey of Einsiedeln in 1849. He also closed the diocesan seminary at St. Gabriel's College and began an orphan asylum called St. Vincent's using the seminary building. He championed the building of a new motherhouse for the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and was in frequent correspondence with their foundress, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. During his time in the diocese, the Catholic population grew from about 30,000 to 80,000.
The Bishop died on the Sisters of Providence grounds at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, at the age of 65. He is buried in the crypt of the Old Cathedral in Vincennes.
