Episcopal Resignation and Appointment for the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil

Saturday, July 11 2026

(Ottawa) – Today, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Claude Hamelin, Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, and appointed the Most Reverend Martin Laliberté, P.M.É. as Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil. At the time of his appointment, Bishop Laliberté was Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil.

Bishop Laliberté

Bishop Laliberté was born in Charlesbourg, Québec on 13 December 1964. He obtained a Bachelor of Theology and a diploma in Education from the University of Laval in 1987. He worked as a lay missionary in Haiti for two years before joining the Société des Missions Étrangères du Québec (Québec Foreign Mission Society) in 1990 as a youth missionary animator for the province of Québec. He then pursued additional studies and obtained a Master’s degree in Missiology from the University of Saint Paul. He was ordained to the priesthood on 28 October 1995 and, from 1996 until 2004, his pastoral ministry focused on missionary work in the Amazon region of Brazil. Upon his return to Canada in 2004, he served as Director of the Centre international de formation missionnaire (CIFM) of the Société des Missions Étrangères (SMÉ). In 2008, he became a member of the Central Council of the SMÉ as Vicar General. He was first elected Superior General in 2013 and was re-elected for a second mandate in 2018.

On 25 November 2019, Pope Francis appointed him as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Québec. His episcopal consecration occurred on 29 December 2019. On 14 March 2022, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of the Diocese of Trois-Rivières and his episcopal consecration occurred on 8 April 2022. On 11 February 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed him as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil.

As a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Bishop Laliberté has held the position of Bishop ponens for the Pontifical Missions Societies’ French sector since June 2020. He has also been the CCCB’s representative for the Quebec region on the National Council of Development and Peace—Caritas Canada since February 2024.

Bishop Hamelin

Bishop Hamelin was born on 10 July 1951 in Sherrington, Québec. He attended the Université de Montréal from which he obtained a Baccalaureate in Theology, followed by the completion of a Master of Pastoral Theology. On 3 December 1977, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Saint-Jean-de-Québec (later renamed the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil). He then obtained a Licentiate in Moral Theology from the Pontifical Lateran University (Alphonsian Academy) in Rome.

Following his ordination, he served in a number of diocesan ministries, including that of pastoral animator at the secondary school level, pastor, head of the diocesan committee for the ministry of life of priests and deacons, Episcopal Vicar (for pastoral regions and human resources), Moderator of the diocesan curia, and Vicar General. On 22 December 2015, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil and, on 18 March 2016, was ordained Bishop in the Cathedral of Saint-Jean-l’Évangéliste at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu by Bishop Gendron. On 5 November 2019, he was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, and, on 10 January 2020, his episcopal ministry was inaugurated.

In his capacity as a member of the CCCB, Bishop Hamelin represented the province of Québec on the Permanent Council for two consecutive two-year terms (2019–2021 and 2021–2023). He has also held the position of Assistant Bishop ponens in charge of Catholic prison chaplains.

Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil

The Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil has 43 parishes and missions, with a Catholic population of 462,466 served by 40 diocesan priests, 20 priests who are members of institutes of consecrated life, 6 permanent deacons, as well as 20 Brothers and 190 Sisters who are members of religious institutes, in addition to lay pastoral workers.

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Media Inquiries:

Pomeline Martinoski
Director of Communications
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB)
Email: communications@cccb.ca
Telephone: 613-241-9461, ext. 225