Born to a very wealthy and well-connected family, François de Laval had a glimmering future in the 17th-century French Catholic Church. By the age of 24, Laval was ordained a priest; he was quickly named an archdeacon and eventually a bishop. According to his biographers, however, Laval dreamed of doing something with his life that would expand the mission of the church more meaningfully.
In 1659, Laval moved to Quebec on a mission to become the first Roman Catholic bishop in Canada. Soon after, he approached his superiors with a pressing theological query: Could beaver be eaten during Lent?
