Father Dagobert de Longuory (a.k.a. Père Dagobert) was a
Capuchin friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ...
who arrived in
from
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
in 1722. In 1745, he became priest of St. Louis Cathedral, and later was appointed as
vicar general
A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop' ...
of the diocese. He was active regionally for over 50 years and died in 1776.
While largely overlooked today, his contributions to New Orleans and its people are significant and enduring. One finds numerous references to him in historical accounts of 18th-century New Orleans, and despite sometimes conflicting information, it is agreed by the majority of historians that he was a seminal figure in the spiritual and social life of the city.
Following are some themes that reoccur throughout historical documents.
He was:
* Regarded as a great champion of the poor, and beloved by the people of New Orleans
* Praised for his kindness and love of the people of New Orleans, and their customs.
* A little "rotund" and described as "jolly."
* A great lover of food and wine, and was even described as a "gastronome."
* Criticized by the Spanish clergy for being too lax with regard to Catholic ritual.
* Non-traditional in that he wore a tricorn hat and other non-sanctioned garb.
[New Orleans; the Place and the People, Grace Elizabeth King - 1895]
* Noted for celebrating births and marriages at homes of his parishioners, and even frequented taverns.
* In charge of
Charity Hospital
Charity may refer to:
Giving
* Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons
* Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing
* Ch ...
for 8 years in the 1750s
* Quite famous regionally and even somewhat nationally well into the 20th century.
The consensus in historical texts is that his substantial political and social influence came, in large part, from his popularity.
1. A Catholic history of Alabama and the Floridas, Volume 1
2. New Orleans; the Place and the People, Grace Elizabeth King - 1895
People from New Orleans
People of New France
Capuchins
{{NewOrleans-stub