Richard Côté, OMI, Joins CCCB Staff as Director of Theology Office

Friday, January 26 2001

(Ottawa – CCCB) Rev. Richard Côté, OMI, until recently associate professor with the Institute of Mission Studies at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, has been appointed director of the Office of Theology for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). Holding degrees from Strasbourg and Angers, he fills a CCCB position that has been vacant since the October 2000 retirement of Rev Gilles Langevin, SJ.

After obtaining in 1967 a licentiate in theology from the University of Angers, France, and a doctorate in religious studies from the University of Strasbourg, France, Father Côté began his teaching career that same year at the National University of Lesotho in South Africa. He has also taught at Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, Mass.; Xavier University and Loyola University, New Orleans, and Pope John XXIII Seminary, Weston, Mass. On staff at Saint Paul University since 1987, he has been instrumental there in the growth of its Institute for Mission Studies, especially its ad intra program.

He has published extensively, with Paulist Press just having released his most recent book, Lazarus, Come Out! Reclaiming the Christian Imagination. A 1986 book, Holy Mirth: A Theology of Laughter, published by Twenty-Third Publications, was later translated and published in Japanese in 1992. He is also the author of Re-Visioning Mission: The Catholic Church and Culture in Postmodern America (Paulist Press, 1996), Universal Grace: Myth or Reality? (Orbis Books, 1977), and Could It Be? A Theological Reflection on American Values (Alba House, 1976). He has also been published in French, including the Dictionnaire des valeurs oblates and Communauté chrétienne.

In addition to having worked with and prepared reports for the Assemblée des évêques du Québec, Father Côté has for a number of years served on the advisory committee of Concilium, an international journal of theology, as well as associate editor of Mission, formerly Kerygma, a biannual journal of mission studies, and also associate editor of Ministry, a quarterly theological review for Africa.

In demand as a resource-person and speaker throughout Canada and Europe, he has served as provincial counsellor for the Lesotho province (1967-69) and the Northern USA province (1980-86) of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, as well as on the executive board of the USA Oblate formation conference.

Father Côté will begin his work with the CCCB on February 1, 2001. While his central role will be secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Theology, he will also assist the General Secretariat in other work relating to Conference activities.