STE MARIE AMONG THE HURONS During the
early years of the mission under Father Brébeuf, the Jesuits
lived and worked in Wyandot villages where their hosts built them
homes.
In
1639, administration of the mission passed to Father Lalement who
felt that life among the natives offered too many distractions.
French workers fell into bad habits and the priests suffered constant
interruptions that intruded on their duties of prayer and meditation.
As well, rival families fought over who would have the honour of
hosting the priests, creating political tensions. Lalement determined
on a central mission to which the Fathers could retire. They started
small, with a single house built by French carpenters in land aquired
from the Ataronchronons on the Wye.
