New Bishop of Amos

Tuesday, February 22 2011

The Holy Father today also accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Eugène Tremblay, having reached the age of retirement, and appointed the Most Reverend Gilles Lemay as his successor. At the time of his nomination, Bishop Lemay was Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec City.

Bishop Tremblay was a member of the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy (French Sector), from 2000 to 2005. From 2002 to 2006, he served as the CCCB liaison Bishop for French-language seminaries. From 2003 to 2005, he was Co-Chair of the CCCB Special Taskforce for the review of From Pain to Hope, a document on sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy. He also served as a member of the former Episcopal Commission for the Evangelization of Peoples from 2005 to 2008. From 2008 to today, he has been a member of the CCCB Permanent Council. He currently is the CCCB Bishop ponens with the French Sector of the Pontifical Missions Societies.

Born February 24, 1948 in Sainte-Emmélie, Quebec, Bishop Lemay studied theology at the Grand Séminaire in Quebec City, where he earned his master’s degree in theology from Laval University. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 18, 1972, and began his ministry at Saint Eugène parish in Vanier, and then was secretary-coordinator for the pastoral region of Lotbinière/Bois-Franc. From 1984 to 1999, he was member and then superior of the team of diocesan priests ministering as missionaries in Paraguay. Since his return to Quebec in 1999, he served as pastor of several parishes before being named Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec City on February 10, 2005.

The Diocese of Amos has a Catholic population of 95,030 in 60 parishes and missions, served by 8 diocesan priests, 15 religious order priests and 78 religious Sisters and Brothers.