A real Quebec Heritage book published in 1944 by JJ Harpell and authorized by Montreal Archbishop Joseph Charbonneau.

Missae defunctorum ex missali romano desumptae quibus accedit ritus absolutionis pro defunctis ex rituali romano, Editio Marianopolitana, Sumptibus et Typis J.J. Harpell, La presse catholique panaméricaine. Gardenvale, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, P.Q. Canada, 1944. Simili-leather hard cover. 62 pages with Index. Text in latin on 2 columns in black and red with red line border. Litho and engraving on page 9 CANON MISSAE. Several black and white engravings within text. 13 leather tabs on front edge of which 2 are damaged.  Silver stamped symbol on front and back covers.

Archbishop Charbonneau is famous for his opposition to Quebec Prime Minister Maurice Duplessis during the Asbestos labor strike in 1949 during which he sided with the strikers with intellectuals such as Pierre-Elliott Trudeau. He soon had to resign as Archbishop of Montreal.

John Thomas McDonough a former Dominican studying at Laval University wrote a play inspired by these events titled Charbonneau and « le Chef » which became Charbonneau et le chef when it was played at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in Montreal.

J J Harpell is an anglo-Irishman from the West-Island who published books at Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. Little is known about him.

Dimensions: 9" X 11 3/4"

Condition: Very good overall condition. Clean cover and binding and quite fresh interior. 13 leather tabs attached with glued fabric strips showing some tanning. 2 tabs are damaged. Paper strip with latin text added on page 10,