1911
Native Cultural Arts Museum
This rosary and its case belonged to Bishop Emile Grouard, the namesake of Grouard, Alberta and bishop of the Athabaska diocese from 1901 to 1929, whose headquarters was at the St. Bernard’s Mission of Lesser Slave Lake (now Grouard). The rosary was originally given to Bishop Grouard by his niece, who had been cured at Lourdes in 1911-1912. The rosary was returned to her in 1931 upon Bishop Grouard’s death. The family decided to return the rosary to Grouard on Oct. 4, 2004 and donated it to the Native Cultural Arts Museum. Bishop Grouard was instrumental in establishing missionary efforts in the Peace Country. The town of Grouard was named after him in 1909, and the Diocese was renamed from Athabaska to Grouard in 1927.