New Bishop appointed for Hearst and as Apostolic Administrator of Moosonee

Tuesday, February 02 2016

(CCCB – Ottawa)… His Holiness Pope Francis accepted today the resignation of the Most Reverend Vincent Cadieux, O.M.I., as Bishop of the Diocese of Moosonee and of the Diocese of Hearst which had been united “in persona episcopi” with the Diocese of Moosonee (that is, in the person of Bishop Cadieux). To succeed Bishop Cadieux, the Holy Father appointed Father Robert Bourgon Bishop of the Diocese of Hearst and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Moosonee. At the time of his appointment, Bishop-elect Bourgon was Vicar General of the Diocese of Sault Ste-Marie.

Bishop Cadieux has been leading the Diocese of Moosonee over the past 24 years, and since 2006 the Diocese of Hearst as well. He had offered his resignation to the Holy Father when reaching the age of 75 back in 2015, as required by the Code of Canon Law. With the announcement of the acceptance of the resignation of Bishop Cadieux, the Holy Father also announced that he appointed him Apostolic Administrator of Hearst and Moosonee until the new Bishop takes canonical possession of the two Dioceses.

Bishop-elect Robert Bourgon was born on March 10, 1956, in Sudbury, Ontario, and studied at St. Peter’s Seminary in London. He obtained a Master’s of Divinity from Saint Paul University as well as a Master’s and a Doctorate in Canon Law. On May 8, 1981, he was ordained priest for the Diocese of Sault Ste-Marie by the Most Reverend Alexander Carter. He served as pastor in several parishes of the Diocese, and on February 1988 became the Judicial Vicar of the Diocesan Matrimonial Tribunal. In 1990, he was appointed to the College of Consultors. In September 1998, after his doctoral studies, he returned as the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Sault Ste-Marie and Associate Judicial Vicar for the Toronto Regional Matrimonial Tribunal. In November 2000, he was named Episcopal Vicar for Canonical Affairs while retaining all previous duties in the Tribunal and in the parishes of Levack, Cartier and Dowling. In April 2012, Bishop-elect Bourgon was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Sault Ste-Marie.

Bishop Cadieux was born in 1940 in Alfred, Ontario. A member of the religious institute of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1966. He was appointed Bishop of Moosonee on December 5, 1991. On July 20, 2006, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Hearst, following the retirement of Bishop André Vallée, P.M.E., in November 2005. On 25 July 2007, Bishop Cadieux also became Bishop of the Diocese of Hearst. As a member of the CCCB, Bishop Cadieux served on the former Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism; the former Commission for the Evangelization of Peoples, of which he was Chairman from 2003 to 2008; and the former French Sector Commission for Christian Education. He also served on the former CCCB Committee for Programs and Priorities.

According to the CCCB 2016 Directory, the Diocese of Hearst has 23 diocesan priests, four religious Sisters, two permanent deacons and 13 lay pastoral assistants who serve a Catholic population of 31,790 in 28 parishes and missions. The Diocese of Moosonee has a Catholic population of 3,830, comprised mainly of Indigenous People, brought together in 14 parishes and missions. It is ministered by three priests who are members of religious communities, one permanent deacon, one religious Brother and three lay pastoral assistants.