Right Reverend Dr. Casimir F. Durand
Bishop Durand was born in La Révolte (Drôme), France, on September 19, 1879, the son of Jean-Antoine Durand and Julie Chancel.
He joined the
Christian Catholic Rite at the turn of the century and took charge of the
Prairie Mission in St. Boniface, where he was ordained priest in 1909 (+Vilatte).
He had come to Canada as a Canon Regular (left)
(of St. Augustine) of the Immaculate Conception (C.R.I.C.). He had joined
the order in Dauphiné (Isère), France, in 1893, and had been
sent to Manitoba in 1898. He studied at Notre Dame de Lourdes and St. Leon
CRIC Priories (1898-1899) and became assistant of Father Augustin Roux at
St. Alphonse Parish, MB, in 1900. He left the C.R.I.C.'s the same year and
went to St. Paul, Minnesota, to study for the priesthood.
Around 1914, he got married to Anna Mansipe, (right) from Drôme Department, France and became Rector of a new parish in Minnesota: Sacred Heart, Minneapolis. He also practiced Natural Medicine in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Prior Lake. Two twin sons were born in 1917: Paul and René, who are still living in Minnesota with their families.
The Most Rev. Dr. Durand has been Bishop Vilatte's Chaplain
and Executive Officer/Chancellor for the 12 years of his tenure as President
of the American Catholic (Community) Church Council (ACC). And when the
good bishop retired from the ministry, he was asked to oversee the work
of the Christian Catholic Rite. He was consecrated in the Episcopal Succession
of Bishop Vilatte on September 16, 1926, by the Mostt Rev. Dr. Axel Z. Fryxell
of the ACC Swedish constituency, headquarters in Seattle, Washington (All
Saints Church). The ceremony took place at the Polish National Catholic
Church, 2200 Fifth Street, N.E., Minneapolis. The church was under Rev.
K. Krysinski. He became "Chevalier Commandeur de l'Ordre de la couronne
d'épines et doctor christianissimus"
A Mission Board was organized on September 19, 1926. The trustees were: Most Rev. Dr. Durand, D.D., Rev. E. Eckstrom, acting as Secretary, and Prof. G.A. Montelius, D.D. and Col. William (Bill) Siple, who acted as Treasurers. The Board was to be called together as often as needed. Its object was to plan for mission work and to collect money to carry on church ministry. Bishop Durand had the right to use his own discretion to decide when the money was to be spent and where help was the most needed for extending the ministry.
In The Antiochean, the magazine of the ACC, edition of April 1928, p. 3, Bishop Durand is listed as Bishop Ordinary of the French-speaking Christian Catholics, with the Rev. Dr. J.N. Bodot as Assistant. Also in 1928, during the week of August 21-28, Bishop Durand wrote an essay called "The Old Catholic Church", which is being used as an official church document in Canada. Its French title is "Le rite catholique-chrétien".
In
the Summer of 1940, there was no canonical bishop to oversee the work of
ACC. The Rev. W. Sullivan, who was acting overseer as Church Chancellor,
asked the Most Rev. Dr. Durand to fill in as Presiding Bishop. We have in
the Church Holdings, at the National Archives of Quebec, Hull Centre, Bishop
Durand's letter of acceptance to the Rev. Sullivan, dated July 15, 1940.
It reads: "After deep thoughts and prayers to the Holy Spirit for divine
guidance and considering your insistance in your letter, I feel duty bond
to accept your invitation, trusting in your help and wisdom".
Bishop Durand passed away on January 6, 1957, in Prior Lake, Minnesota, where he had been living since 1932.
Requiescat in pace.
May he rest in peace!