Listed in Voyage de La Pérouse Autour du Monde, Vol 1, 1797, p 9, as “Le Père Receveur, Religieux Cordelier, naturaliste et faisant les fonctions d'aumônier” (Father Receveur, Franciscan religious, naturalist, performing the role of chaplain).

Wounded in a fracas at Tutuila, Samoa, on 11 December 1787 where 11 others were killed, Fr Receveur died at Botany Bay, where the La Perouse expedition had arrived on 26 January 1788.

First Catholic priest and the second non-indigenous person to be buried in Australia. His funeral is considered to have constituted the first Catholic religious ceremony held in Australia.

Dictionary of Sydney entry by Edward Duyker: https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/receveur_laurent.

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Michaud, Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne, 1843, vol 35, pp 304-305:

Receveur (Laurent), religieux de l'ordre des Minimes, fut du nombre de ceux qui accompagnèrent la Pérouse dans son funeste voyage de découvertes. Le P. Receveur, physicien et botaniste, périt à la baie de Botanique ainsi que dix-huit autres, notamment les frères de la Borde, qui furent massacrés par les naturels du pays. La Pérouse fit graver, à l'endroit où son corps fut enterré, l'inscription suivante:

Hic jacet L. Receveur,
e FF. minimis, Galliæ sacerdos physicus, in circumnavigatione mundi; Duce De La Perouse.
Obiit die 17 februarii anno 1788.

(Voy. le Journal de Paris du vendredi 26 juin 1789). C'était un savant très-distingué et qui avait déjà réuni d'immenses matériaux, lesquels malheureusement ne seront jamais publiés. Z.

Translation:

Receveur (Laurent), religious in the order of Minims, was amongst those who accompanied La Perouse in his disastrous voyage of discovery. Fr Receveur, Physicist and botanist, perished at Botany Bay along with 18 others, notably the brothers De La Borde, who were massacred by the natives of the country. La Perouse caused the following inscription to be engraved at the place where his body was buried:

Here lies L. Receveur, of the Minim Friars, priest of France, physicist, in the circumnavigation of the world; led by La Perouse. Died 17 February 1788.

(See Le Journal de Paris, Friday, 26 June 1789). He was a very distinguished scientist, who has already gathered immense materials, which sadly will never be published. Z (Anonymous) (Translation by Patrick N. O’Neill, 2025).