Ordination of new Auxiliary Bishop for Ottawa

Friday, March 21, 2014

The episcopal ordination of the Most Reverend Christian Riesbeck, C.C., as Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa took place March 19, 2014, at Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa. The Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast, S.J., Archbishop of Ottawa, was the presiding celebrant, assisted by the Most Reverend Marcel Gervais, Archbishop Emeritus of Ottawa, and the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Apostolic Nuncio, the Most Reverend Luigi Bonazzi, was present along with 40 Canadian Bishops, including His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins and His Eminence Gérald Cyprien Cardinal Lacroix. At the time of his appointment on January 7, 2014, Bishop Riesbeck was the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Ottawa and Assistant General Superior of the Companions of the Cross, a Society of Apostolic Life for priests which was founded in Ottawa.