His Eminence Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte was born in Montreal in Sainte-Marguerite-Marie Parish on June 26, 1936.

He attended Collège André-Grasset from 1947 until 1955. He obtained a Licence in Theology at the end of his theological studies and seminary formation at the Grand Séminaire de Montreal. He was ordained to the priesthood May 24, 1959 in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Church by Bishop Laurent Morin, auxiliary bishop of Montreal.

From 1959 to 1961, he was curate at Saint-Mathias Parish. In 1961, he was appointed assistant diocesan chaplain of the Young Christian Workers. In 1964, he continued his studies at the Catholic Faculties of Lille, France, where he obtained a certificate in social pastoral sciences. Upon his return to the archdiocese, he was named diocesan chaplain of JICF (Jeunesse indépendante catholique féminine) and of the Christian Worker Movement.

From 1967 to 1974, he was responsible for a number of areas within the Office for Clergy: in charge of seminarians for the Diocese of Montreal, secretary to the Salary Commission for the Clergy, responsible for the continuing education of the clergy. In 1974, he became director of the Office for Parishes, and in 1977 he was named diocesan bursar.

Archbishop Paul Grégoire appointed him Vicar General of the archdiocese and general coordinator for pastoral activities, September 25, 1981. Pope John Paul II promoted him April 15, 1982 to the See of Suas and to the office of Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal.

He was the Quebec Bishops’ delegate to the provincial government on the occasion of the papal visit to Canada in 1984. He was also responsible for coordinating the visit in the Archdiocese of Montreal.

Pope John Paul II named Bishop Turcotte the Archbishop of Montreal on March 17, 1990. The pope announced Archbishop Turcotte’s elevation to the rank of Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church on October 30, 1994. He became a member of the College of Cardinals on November 26, 1994, in Rome.  He participated in the Conclave that led to the election of Pope Benedict XVI in April 2005.

Very active at the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), he was elected vice-president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, October, 1995, and president October, 1997, for a two-year term. An invited catechist at several World Youth Days, he is a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, and the Special Pontifical Committee for America of the Synod of Bishops.

A Member of the Order of Canada, Archbishop Turcotte participated in the Synod of Bishops on “The Consecrated Life and its Role in the Church and in the World” and in the Special Assembly of the Synod for the Church in America.