Two Auxiliary Bishops Named for Quebec

Friday, February 11 2005

(CCCB – Ottawa) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today named two auxiliary bishops to the Archdiocese of Quebec City: Rev. Pierre-André Fournier and Rev. Gilles Lemay. They will be assisting His Eminence Marc Cardinal Ouellet, Archbishop of Quebec. These nominations will bring the number of auxiliary bishops for Quebec to three, with the bishops-elect to join Most Rev. Jean-Pierre Blais, who has served in this capacity since 1995.

Most Rev. Pierre-André FournierBorn 8 June 1943 in Plessisville, Quebec, Rev. Pierre-André Fournier studied theology at the Grand Séminaire in Quebec City, as well as receiving a master’s degree in educational pastoral ministry from the University of Sherbrooke. Ordained 10 June 1967 for the Archdiocese of Quebec, he has served as pastor and vicar of many different parishes including Saint Roch (1983-1995). He also served as a pastoral assistant within the school system, as having been responsible for two of the dioceses pastoral regions, and as diocesan pastoral coordinator for Young Christian Workers. At the time of his appointment, he was director of the Diocesan Pastoral Office and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Affairs.

Most Rev. Gilles LemayBorn 24 February 1948 in Sainte-Emmélie, Quebec, Bishop-elect Lemay studied theology at the Grand Séminaire in Quebec City. He was ordained to the priesthood on 18 June 1972, starting 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, and up to the time of his nomination, he was pastor of the parishes of Saint-Étienne de Lauzon, Saint-Nicolas and Très-Saint-Rédempteur.

The Archdiocese of Quebec has a Catholic population of 917,000 in 224 parishes and missions, served by 461 diocesan priests, 320 religious order priests, 90 permanent deacons, 3,517 religious sisters and brothers, and 186 lay pastoral assistants.

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