A central figure in the religious and political life of the Crown Colony of Canada, Macdonell was appointed vicar general in 1807 and vicar apostolic in 1820 and was consecrated bishop or Regiopolis in 1826.
During his tenure thousands of Irish immigrants arrived, and by 1840, there were 34 priests and 48 parishes in Upper Canada (today's province of Ontario) for which Macdonell had secured financial assistance from the local and British governments.
A firm conservative, Macdonell was a legislative counsellor from 1831, and soon came under fire from the Reform Movement.
He died while in Britain attempting to secure funds for the Regiopolis College and recruiting more Catholic emigrants. Alexander Macdonell was buried at St. Margaret's Convent in Edinburgh, Scotland, but his remains were removed to St. Mary's in Kingston in 1861.
--Brock-Perry
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