Ah. Well, I got some explanation from my parents. The Jesuits were “not very nice” and were not above using violence to impose the rules of Catholicism on the people of Québec. During my Grandmother’s generation, the expression “mon Jésuite” came to be used as an exclamation, or oath, when scolding a mischievous youngster.

This page has a good explanation as to why my parents would thing that the Jesuits were not very nice.
Jesuits were not very nice

FROM THE PAGE...

The Jesuits were despised by most of the French in New France and they were resented by the Natives. The Jesuits considered the Natives nothing less than savages and, therefore, deserving of nothing less than subjugation. Although subjugation was considered deplorable by most, the Jesuits considered it a virtue - as long as it was the Roman Catholic Church which was doing the subjugating. The French of New France considered the Jesuits extremely wicked and dangerous men who should be driven out of the country. Eventually, all of Europe would come to feel the same way about the Jesuits and they would be driven from there, also.

Last edited by belMarduk; 01/16/2006 12:48 AM.