Painting Mgr Plessis

Monseigneur Plessis

Early in his career, Joseph-Octave Plessis understood the importance of a high-quality education for the people. An admirer of English educational methods, he encouraged the Ursulines to provide instruction in a wide range of subjects, particularly science. Monseigneur Plessis’s moral legacy was passed down to his apprentice Thomas Maguire, the nuns’ future chaplain. He had good connections and arranged to have high quality paintings exported from France for the classes of fine arts.