Death of the Most Rev. Albert Thévenot, M. Afr., Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Prince Albert
Tuesday, April 15 2025OTTAWA, 15 April 2025 – His Excellency, the Most Rev. Albert Thévenot, M. Afr., Bishop Emeritus of Prince Albert, died on 13 April 2025, at the age of 79.
Born on 4 November 1945, in Somerset, Manitoba, Bishop Thévenot dedicated his life to missionary service, pastoral care, and evangelization. He entered the Society of the Missionaries of Africa in September 1964, making his first profession of vows on 19 June 1967, and his perpetual profession on 7 August 1975. He was subsequently ordained to the priesthood on 2 August 1980.
On 26 May 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Prince Albert. He was consecrated on 6 August 2008, and served the diocese with devotion until his resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on 25 March 2021.
From 1967 to 1973, he completed his classical formation at the University College of Saint-Boniface. He pursued studies in education from 1972 to 1973, and later studied Swahili in Kipalapala, Tanzania. From 1975 to 1976, he completed a year of studies in education at the University of Manitoba. From 1977 to 1980, he studied theology at the Missionary Institute of London, England. He also participated in spiritual renewal programs in Jerusalem (1989) and at the Dominican Institute of Montreal (2004).
From 1973 to 1976, he served in Tanzania, teaching at the Minor Seminary of Katoke. After his priestly ordination in 1980, he returned to Tanzania as associate pastor of Bushangaro Parish and later served at the Tabora Student Centre from 1982 to 1985. He returned to Canada to promote missionary vocations in Western Canada from 1985 to 1992, then resumed his ministry in the Diocese of Tabora, Tanzania, as pastor.
He was named Regional Assistant for the Tanzania-Kenya-Sudan region in 1996 and became a member of the General Chapter of the Missionaries of Africa in 1998. From 1998 to 2004, he served on the General Council in Rome as Assistant General, responsible for finances and the care of elderly members of his congregation.
In 2005, he was appointed by the Holy See as National Secretary of the Pontifical Mission Society for French-speaking Canada. On 1 July 2006, he became Provincial Superior of the North American province of the Missionaries of Africa.
Within the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Thévenot contributed to national dialogue and evangelization efforts. From 2009, he was a member of the Anglican / Catholic Bishops’ Dialogue, and from 2011 to 2017 served on the Commission for Evangelization and Catechesis.
His episcopal motto was Ut Vitam Habeant (“That they may have life”) (John 10:10).
Funeral arrangements will be communicated by the Diocese of Prince Albert once available.
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