Maxime Decelles was born in Saint-Damase-sur-Yamaska, Saint-Hyacinthe county, April 30, 1849 to François and Apolline Coderre-Lacaillade Decelles. He was educated at Saint-Hyacinthe Seminary and ordained at Iberville July 21, 1872 by Bishop
Charles La Rocque. He was first assigned to Saint-Denis, and then
Beloeil. In 1875, Bishop
Louis-Zéphirin Moreau made Decelles titular canon of the
Cathédrale Saint-Hyacinthe-le-Confesseur. He resigned the canonry in 1880 and assumed charge of the church at
Saint-Roch-de-Richelieu. In 1889, he was assigned to the larger parish of St. Peter's at
Sorel. The elderly Moreau left external administration and tiring visits to his coadjutor. He died on 24 May 1901 and Decelles succeeded as bishop. ==References==