La Ronge

La Ronge is a town in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, 250 km north of Prince Albert. The town lies on the western shore of Lac La Ronge and is adjacent to Lac La Ronge Provincial Park. The origin of the name is unclear, but is believed to be derived from the French word "ronger" meaning "to gnaw", perhaps a reference to the an early explorer's observation of a jagged shoreline, or trees that had been chewed by beavers. Another theory suggests the town derives its name from the french indicative "la" and the surname of Johannes Ronge (born Johannes von Rönge) a Catholic priest and the co-founder of German Catholicism. He was suspended because of his attacks against the papacy and against worshipping the Holy Shroud in Trier. In 1844 he was excommunicated, and lived in England from 1849 to 1861 as a political refugee. The rest of his family and close followers scattered to Canada, the USA and Southern Africa as Protestant Missionaries.