Alexandre-Antonin Taché (23 July, 1823 – 22 June, 1894) was a Roman catholic priest, missionary of the Oblate order, author and the first Archbishop of Saint Boniface, Manitoba.

In the fall of 1844 Taché entered the Oblate novitiate. He soon expressed an urge to preach to the native population of the west and was sent to Saint Boniface in the Red River Colony along with Father Pierre Aubert. They went to work with Bishop Joseph-Norbert Provencher. Provencher ordained Taché a priest on October 12, 1845. He soon learnt the basics of the Ojibwe language and was sent to start a mission in Île-à-la-Crosse . Later, he also learnt Cree and Athabaskan.

In 1847, Rome created the diocese of the North-West. In June of 1850, Taché was named bishop of Arath and Provencher's successor at the age of 27. He only learnt of his appointment in January of 1851. He was consecrated a bishop on November 23, 1851 in Marseille by Bishop Eugene de Mazenode. Provencher died on June 7, 1853, and Taché became the bishop of St. Boniface.

External links

• Biography from the Catholic encyclopedia
• Biography from the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online