Charles-Amador Martin

Who was Charles-Amador Martin?

Charles-Amador Martin, second Canadian to be ordained a priest, the first being Germain Morin.

Martin was ordained by Bishop Laval in March 1671, and spent most of his prieshood in or near Quebec City. He was to become well known for his participation in church services as a musician. It has been noted that he raised the musical quality of the religious ceremonies at the Quebec Cathedral.

Martin's first posting was at Beauport in 1672 and he assisted with elections at the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec in 1673. He taught at the Quebec seminary for a number of years and also acted as bursar for a period. His singing ability is mentioned by Father Jérôme Lalemant at one point in his career.

There has been research into certain musical compositions that have been attributed to Father Martin but no definitive conclusions have been reached. The first preserved Canadian musical composition has been attributed to him but the evidence is inconclusive.