New Bishop for Saskatoon

Thursday, July 26 2001

(CCCB – Ottawa) – His Holiness Pope John Paul II today named Rev. Albert LeGatt, Rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, as Bishop of Saskatoon.  The Diocese of Saskatoon has been vacant since the appointment of Most Rev. James Weisgerber as Archbishop of Winnipeg in June 2000.

Born on May 6, 1953, in Melfort, Saskatchewan, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 19, 1983, for the Diocese of Prince Albert.  He has served in several parishes since his ordination and has held the office of Diocesan Consultor, Director of Vocations and Coordinator of the Diocesan Commission for Liturgy.

Bishop-elect LeGatt studied at the College of Saint Boniface where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy.   He worked with Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO) where he taught young people in Ghana for three years, before returning to Canada for his theological studies at Laval University (Grand Seminaire) in Quebec City.

The Diocese of Saskatoon has a Catholic population of 90,908 served by 42 diocesan priests, 57 religious order priests and 250 religious sisters and brothers in 112 parishes and missions.