This morning, the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), asked me to bring you up to date on the release of Asbestos, Québec native Soeur Gilberte Bussiere, C.N.D., and to ask all of you to join him in offering thanks to God for this wonderful news.

As you know, she, along with two Italian priests, had been working as missionaries in Cameroun. All three were released on Sunday, having been in captivity since April 5, 2014. The Congregation of Notre-Dame, on their website, has expressed their great joy that, in addition to being freed, she appears to be in good health.

Echoing words of Vatican officials who reacted to the news, Archbishop Durocher asked also that we continue to pray for those so many others who have been or are victims of abduction, violence and hatred in various conflict zones, in Africa and other parts of the world.

(Rev. Msgr.) Patrick Powers, P.H.
CCCB General Secretary