Louis Hennepin, OFM was a Belgian Catholic priest and missionary best known for his activities in North America. A member of the Recollects, a minor branch of the Franciscans, he travelled to New France and proselytised to several Native American tribes.
Louis Hennepin
Painting by Douglas Volk, of Father Louis Hennepin seeing Saint Anthony Falls.
Illustration from the 1688 Dutch edition of Description de la Louisiane
Image: Fatherhennepin
The Recollects were a French reform branch of the Friars Minor, a Franciscan order. Denoted by their gray habits and pointed hoods, the Recollects took vows of poverty and devoted their lives to prayer, penance, and spiritual reflection. Today, they are best known for their presence as missionaries in various parts of the world, most notably in early Canada.
Former Recollect friary in Saverne, Alsace, France