Frederic Baraga

Baraga, Frederic

Frederic Baraga, Catholic missionary priest (b at Mala Vas, present-day Republic of Slovenia, 29 Jun 1797; d at Marquette, Mich 19 Jan 1868). He came to the US in 1830 and dedicated his life to serving the OTTAWA and CHIPEWYAN. He also served natives on the northern shore of Lake Superior, from Fort William to Sault Ste Marie, including the area from Garden River to Bruce Mine and Goulais Bay. In 1957 he became the first bishop of Sault Ste Marie. Among his numerous books are Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language (Detroit 1850, second printing in Montréal in 1878) and Dictionary of the Ojibway Language (Cincinnati 1853, reprinted in Montréal; Part I in 1878, Part II in 1880), which was the first book in that tongue. Both books are still in use by native educators. Baraga's sermons were translated from the Otchipwe language to Maskegon by Father André Garin and published under the title Sermons de Monseigneur Baraga (Montréal 1859, reprinted in 1887). For his dedicated missionary work Bishop Baraga is at present being considered for beatification by the Roman Catholic Church.