Père Dagobert) was a Capuchin friar who arrived in New Orleans from Quebec in 1722.
In 1745, he became priest of the Parish Church of St. Louis (dedicated as a Cathedral in 1794) and later was appointed as vicar general of the diocese.
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.
[citation needed] He was: The consensus in historical texts is that his substantial political and social influence came, in large part, from his popularity.