"The Ursuline Monastery of Quebec, founded in 1639, is the oldest educational institution for women in North America.
History
Origins
The first members of the Order of Saint Ursula arrived in New France on August 1, 1639. A convent was established by Marie de l'Incarnation, helped by the rich widow Marie Madeleine de la Peltrie, in the lower town of Vieux -Quebec. Three years later, they moved to the current location of the monastery, a place ceded to them by the Company of New France. Their first students were Native American girls, with whom they had better results than the Jesuits had with boys. This first convent burned in 1650.
The missionary Jérôme Lalemant, who evangelized the Hurons, established operating rules for the religious institution. The first celebration of the feast of the New World took place in the convent on June 18, 1700. The register of the Brotherhood of the Sacred Heart begins in 1716. Pope Clement XI enriched it with indulgences in 1718.
The convent suffered the siege and bombardment of Quebec in 1690, and a second siege by James Wolfe in 1759. The Ursuline convent, in the heart of Upper Town, was damaged by the bombardments the first night. The sisters had to take refuge at the Quebec General Hospital in St-Charles, west of the city. After the battle of September 13, 1759, at the end of which the Quebec garrison surrendered to Wolfe's army, the French general Montcalm, killed during the fighting, was buried at night in the convent chapel.
The first English governor, Murray, used part of the monastery as his headquarters. The governors and viceroys, both English and French, were always respectful towards the institution.
Nowadays
The Ursuline convent of Quebec is recognized as a UNESCO heritage site. Today there is the Ursuline Chapel and the Ursuline Museum of Quebec. The Ursulines school in Quebec, still in operation, has also welcomed boys since 2010. This school has a second campus in Loretteville.
On September 18, it is planned that the Ursulines and employees will gradually leave the monastery. The Ursulines will move into a residence for the elderly. The City of Quebec must look into the new vocation of the monastery. It does not rule out setting up the new headquarters of the Organization of World Heritage Cities within its walls."