Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Philippe Pierson Born at Ath,
Hainaut (Belgium), 4 January, 1642; died at Lorette, Quebec,
1688. At the age of eighteen he entered the Jesuit novitiate at
Tournai, and pursued his studies at Louvain, Lille, and Douay.
He was an instructor at Armentières and Bethune before he went
to Canada in 1666, where he taught grammar in the college at
Quebec, and presented a successful Latin play on the Passion of
Our Lord. After studying theology for two years he was ordained
in 1669, then worked among the Indians at Prairie de la
Madeleine and Sillery. From 1673 to 1683 he did excellent work
by spreading Christianity among the Hurons of the Makinac
mission. In a letter from St. Ignace he described how his church
increased in numbers and grew strong in faith. Later, from 1683
he was a missionary among the Sioux west of Lake Superior, and
remained as such until his death. Ed. THWAITES, Jesuit Relations
(Cleveland, 1896-1901).