New Bishop for Diocese of Baie-Comeau, Quebec

Friday, December 12 2008

(CCCB – Ottawa)… Pope Benedict XVI today named Bishop Jean-Pierre Blais as Bishop of Baie-Comeau, Quebec.  Since his episcopal ordination in January 1995, he has served as Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec City. He succeeds Bishop Pierre Morissette who was named Bishop of Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, on 5 July 2008, after having served as Bishop of Baie-Comeau for 18 years.

(CCCB – Ottawa)… Pope Benedict XVI today named Bishop Jean-Pierre Blais as Bishop of Baie-Comeau, Quebec.  Since his episcopal ordination in January 1995, he has served as Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec City. He succeeds Bishop Pierre Morissette who was named Bishop of Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, on 5 July 2008, after having served as Bishop of Baie-Comeau for 18 years.

Bishop Blais was born in Saint-Anselme, Quebec, on 21 May 1949. Ordained to the priesthood in 1974, he holds a master’s degree in theology from Laval University, Quebec City, and has also studied in education. He has been involved in pastoral ministry at the parish level and also in the educational system, and held the position of director of Office de catéchèse du Québec for eight years.  He has also served on the French Sector Commission for Christian Education of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Diocese of Baie-Comeau has 41 diocesan priests, 11 priests who are members of religious communities, 8 permanent deacons, 62 religious Brothers and Sisters and 24 lay pastoral assistants, serving a population of over 86,800 Catholics in 56 parishes and missions.