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Association Les Dionne d'Amérique Inc. (Quebec) (Canada)

image by Ivan Sache, 2 April 2017

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The association Les Dionne d'Amérique Inc., founded on 4 December 1986, is member of the Fédération des associations de familles du Québec (FAFQ, known until 26 April 2014 as the Fédération des familles souches du Québec, FFSQ).

The ancestor of the Dionne d'Amérique are Antoine Dionne and his wife, Catherine Ivory, who settled on Orleans Island around 1662. Six of their twelve children died during infancy. The 5th child, Jean Dionne (1670-1752) was the only surviving male child. Among the famous members of the Dionne lineage are Gérard Dionne (b. 1919), Bishop of Edmunston (New Brunswick) from 1983 to 1993; Rita Dionne-Marsolais (b. 1947), Representative at the Quebec National Assembly (1994-2008), Minister of Culture and Communication, in charge of the Charter of French Language (1994-1995) and Ministry of Revenue (1998-1999); France Dionne (1947), Representative at the Quebec National Assembly (1985-1997); and Deidra Dionne (b. 1982), bronze medalist in the 2002 Winter Olympics in freestyle aerial ski and the 2001 and 2003 FIS World Freestyle Ski Championships.
http://www.famillesdionne.com/ - Association website

The flag of the association is white with the association's coat of arms.

Photo: http://www.famillesdionne.com/FR/activites/2009/index.html

The arms, designed by the priest Lucien Godbout, President of the Canadian Society of Heraldry, are:
"Azure a cross argent superimposed to a base wavy of the same cantonned first by a fleur-de-lis, second by a grapevine, third by an old house and fourth by a garb of wheat all or and charged by twelve stars gules. The shield surmounted by a scroll or inscribed "Dionne" the initial gules and the other letters sable. Beneath the shield a scroll or inscribed with the motto "Avec Dieu Servir" the initial gules and the other letters sable."

The symbolism of the arms was described by Alfred Levasseur.
The background of the shield represents Quebec, most of all Orleans Island,where the ancestors settled.
The cross is a symbol of the Christian faith of the ancestors and their relatives.
The base wavy recalls that the ancestors sailed to Orleans Island through the river. It also recalls a fountain called Divona / Dionne.
The point shape of the shield recalls the keel of the ship that transported the ancestors.

The fleur-de-lis recalls the French origin of the ancestors. It was once shown on the arms of the kings and princes of France and is featured on the flag of Quebec.
The grapevine recalls that the first French settlers called Orleans Island, where the ancestors settled, Bacchus Island.
The old house represents the house, built in Normand style, where Antoine Dionne and Catherine Ivory spent their last years; Antoine died on 25 December 1721 in the house that belonged to their son-in-law, Barthélemy Gobeil.
The garb of wheat recalls that the first Dionne were farmers.
The twelve stars stand for the twelve children of Antoine Dionne and Catherine Ivory. Around 1680, all families with at least twelve children were offered a rent by king Louis XIV.

Azure is a symbol of France and Quebec, of peace, of the sky, and of the heavens.
Gules is a symbol of ardor, courage and force, fire and power.
Or is a symbol of spiritual resources, of the soul and of the heart.
Argent is a symbol of material resources, such as agriculture, economy, national life. Argent is also the colour of the river's
water, and the image of purity and power.

The motto, To Serve With God, calls for the protection of the Holy Ghost on the Dionne lineage.
http://www.famillesdionne.com/FR/armoiries.html - Association's website
Ivan Sache, 2 April 2017