CCCB Outgoing General Secretary Takes on New Responsibilities

Thursday, December 11 2003

(CCCB-Ottawa) Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, P.H., General Secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), has been named the CCCB representative for Ontario with the Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy of the Correctional Service of Canada. Msgr. Schonenbach is completing his second term at the CCCB.

The appointment was confirmed by the CCCB Executive Committee at its last meeting. Msgr. Schonenbach replaces Rev. Edward Hughes of Hamilton who was named chaplain of the Prairie region of the Correctional Service of Canada.

Msgr. Schonenbach was born in 1937 in Ottawa, Ontario. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1971 for the Archdiocese of Ottawa and was named a Prelate of Honour (P.H.) in 1989. Before joining the CCCB as General Secretary he served as Rector of Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa, was diocesan director of vocations, diocesan pastoral coordinator (English sector), episcopal vicar and vicar general.

Before becoming a priest, Msgr. Schonenbach worked for the Government of Canada as chief of the program division at Historic Parks Canada.

Msgr. Schonenbach has been CCCB General Secretary since March 1998 and on February 27, 2004, he will have completed his second three-year term at the CCCB.