The first European immigrants to Canada were French Roman Catholics who settled along the St. Lawrence valley in the 17th and 18th centuries. Catholicism was an integral part of French Canadian immigrant life that affected all aspects of society. Social and educational institutions and hospitals were established and run by the church, a tradition that continued in Quebec well into the 20th century.
Immigrants of Roman Catholic faith continued to populate much of Canada over the centuries, but the strongest presence of Catholicism in Canada remains in Quebec, where over 80% of the population self-identifies as Roman Catholic.
Included among the many Catholic artifacts in the museum's collection are several small religious objects that would have been carried or worn by the individual practitioner. The rosary is one example. A rosary is a set of small beads used in devotional prayer. It is customary to use the beads to count prayers. Rosary beads can be made of a variety of materials including precious stones, seeds, wood, glass, precious metals, and (today) plastic.
Small devotional medals, also portable and wearable by the owner, often are made to commemorate saints, famous places and buildings. They also mays be used to bless or protect the wearer. Often coin-like in shape and size, a religious medal may be worn on a chain around the neck. Common images on French Canadian Catholic medals include the Oratory of St. Joseph's in Montreal, the Madonna and Child, and the Marian Cross.