Background
De Saint Palais was born in Louisiana Salvetat, and ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 1836 in the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris.
De Saint Palais was born in Louisiana Salvetat, and ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 1836 in the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris.
He served as Bishop of Vincennes, currently known as the Archbishop of Indianapolis, from 1848 until his death. In July 1836 he followed Bishop Simon Bruté to the new Diocese of Vincennes. He served in various parishes and after the death of the third bishop, Bishop Jean Bazin he was named the fourth Bishop On October 3, 1848 by Pope Pius IX. He received his episcopal consecration on January 14, 1849 from Bishop Richard Miles, OP, with Bishops Martin Spalding and Hippolyte Du Pontavice serving as co-consecrators.
He also closed the diocesan seminary at Saint Gabriel"s College and began an orphan asylum called Saint Vincent"s using the seminary building.
During his time in the diocese, the Catholic population grew from about 30,000 to 80,000. The Bishop died on the Sisters of Providence grounds at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, at the age of 65.
He is buried in the crypt of the Old Cathedral in Vincennes.