Késsinnimek - Roots - RacinesBlessed Dina Bélanger
by Norm Léveillée
by Norm Léveillée
On September 4, the Catholic Church of Canada will celebrate the feast day of one of its own: Blessed Dina Bélanger.
Who is this future Québecoise Saint?
Blessed Dina BÉLANGER was born at Québec on 30 April 1897, the daughter of Olivier Octave BÉLANGER & Séraphia MATTE. Her parents lived at 168 Notre Dame des Anges in the Parish of Jacques Cartier, Portneuf County. Dina was baptized at St. Roch, Québec.
Dina had a brother who died at the age of 3 months. Dina's father was an auditor and her grandfather operated a grocery store in the St Malo district of Québec. Her ancestors (Pierre, Joseph-Marie and Nicolas) all came from Charlesbourg.
She studied music and planned to become a concert pianist. While studying in New York, Dina lived with the Religious of Jesus-Mary. She returned home and decided to enter the religious life in the Congregation of Jesus-Marie at Sillery, where the nuns had their mother house. She entered the convent at the age of 24, in August 1921. She entered the order of Jesus-Marie in February 1922 and received the name Sister Marie Sainte-Cécile of Rome and took her final vows on 25 August 1923. As a nun, Dina BÉLANGER taught music.
On two occasions the sisters sent her to teach at Saint-Michel of Bellechasse but both times, illness brought her back to Sillery where she stayed (teaching music) until her death. She could have taught in many areas as she had excelled in all her studies but due to her having shown such great talent in music at a young age and her continued education at the Conservatory of New York from 1916 to 1918, her superiors judged her best qualified to teach music.
Dina died on 4 Sept 1929 at the age of 32.
In 1951 her body was exhumed and placed in a lead sarcophagus where, today, many kneel to pray. On March 20, 1993, at ceremonies in Rome, Dina BÉLANGER became the first native of Québec to be Beatified by the Church. The quiet life of this talented young woman, who lived her short adult life as a Sister of Jesus-Mary is the subject of her autobiography which has been translated into several languages.
Blessed Dina Bélanger's motto
Soeur Réjane Veilleux sent us this Novena Prayer in preparation for Blessed Dina's Feast on September 4.
Soeur Réjane Veilleux nous envoie cette Neuvaine préparatoire à la fête de la Bienheureuse Dina le 4 septembre.
Why am I including this article in this issue? What is my relationship to this holy young woman?
We both share a common ancestor: Nicolas Bélanger; two of his sons Nicolas and Paul are our direct ancestors:
Nicolas BÉLANGER was born 12 Jan 1672 and baptized 17 Jan 1672, the eighth child of Nicolas BÉLANGER & Marie DE RAINVILLE. He married Marie MAGNAN/MIGNIER on 2 Nov 1699 in Charlesbourg. He died 12 Apr 1742 in Beauport.Nicolas and Marie had thirteen children.
Jacques BÉLANGER was born on 3 Aug 1721 in Charlesbourg, Québec. He married Marie Jeanne PROTEAU on 1 Sep 1749 in Charlesbourg, Québec.
Ancestor of Blessed Dina Bélanger.Paul BÉLANGER was born 24 Mar & baptized 25 Mar 1674 in Beauport, the ninth child of Nicolas BÉLANGER & Marie DE RAINVILLE. He married Jeanne MAHEU on 7 Apr 1704 in Beauport. He died and was buried 1 May 1717 in Beauport.
Jean-Baptiste BÉLANGER was baptized 24 Jun 1709 in Beauport. He married Marie Angélique VÉSINAT/VÉZINA 10 Nov 1732 in L'Ange-Gardien. They had eleven children.
Maternal ancestor of Norm Léveillée, this author.
There is more information about and prayers to Dina on my ancestry website at:
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Created 1 Feb 2003