The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB; french: Conférence des évêques catholiques du Canada) is the national assembly of the

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

s of the

Catholic Church in Canada french: Église catholique au Canada , native_name_lang = fr , image = Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame Québec.JPG , imagewidth = 200px , alt = , caption = Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Da ...

. It was founded in 1943, and was officially recognized by the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...

in 1948. Since the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

, it became part of a worldwide network of

episcopal conference An episcopal conference, sometimes called a conference of bishops, is an official assembly of the bishops of the Catholic Church in a given territory. Episcopal conferences have long existed as informal entities. The first assembly of bishops to ...

s, established in 1965. Until 1977, it was called the Canadian Catholic Conference, when the present name was adopted. According to its statutes, together the bishops exercise certain pastoral functions for Catholics in Canada, respecting the autonomy of each bishop in the service of his

particular church In metaphysics, particulars or individuals are usually contrasted with universals. Universals concern features that can be exemplified by various different particulars. Particulars are often seen as concrete, spatiotemporal entities as opposed to a ...

. Through the work of its members, the conference is involved in matters of national and international scope in areas such as ecumenism and interfaith dialogue,

social justice Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, Equal opportunity, opportunities, and Social privilege, privileges within a society. In Western Civilization, Western and Culture of Asia, Asian cultures, the concept of social ...

, aid to developing countries, the protection of human life, liturgy and Christian education. It also provides the bishops with a forum where they can share their experience and insight on the life of the church and the major events that shape society. The members of the conference include all diocesan bishops in Canada and those equivalent to them in law, all coadjutor bishops, and auxiliary bishops. Also included in the conference are

titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox ...

s of any rite within the Catholic Church who exercise in the territory a special office assigned to them by the Apostolic See or by the conference.

General secretariat

To assist them in their pastoral work, the bishops have established a permanent bilingual secretariat in Ottawa, which includes various offices and services. In the Ottawa offices of the CCCB, a staff of about 20 people, laypersons, priests and

religious Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...

, are at the service of the bishops. The secretariat assists in coordinating activities and information, and in maintaining contacts with the

and other Episcopal conferences, as well as with churches, ecclesial communities, faith groups and government authorities at the national and international levels. It also works in collaboration with the four regional Episcopal assemblies in Canada.

Episcopal commissions and Aboriginal Council

Episcopal commissions and one council are at the service of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each commission specializes in one pastoral area, to guide and support the bishops in their ministry. Driven by the work and expertise of four bishops and one secretary (consultants and observers can also join the groups), each commission studies current events, analyses the needs for the Church in Canada, and organizes projects aimed at supporting Christian communities. Six of the commissions are national – formed by bishops equally distributed between the French and English sectors – while the five others are named "sectoral" because they are divided depending on the language of the member bishops. Three of those commissions are from the English sector, while two originate from the French sector. The Catholic Aboriginal Council encourages Aboriginal leadership in the Christian community.

CCCB Publications CCCB Publications is the official publishing arm of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Its official goal is to assist the bishops in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and to share the teachings of the Church. It also serves as the ...

is the official publishing arm of the Canadian bishops.

Indigenous Reconciliation Fund

In February 2022, the Canadian Bishops announced the establishment of an Indigenous Reconciliation Fund, which will accept contributions from the 73 dioceses across the country. The announcement follows the organization's $30 million financial pledge to support healing and reconciliation initiatives for residential school survivors, their families, and communities. Rosella Kinoshameg, an elder of Ontario’s Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation, will be one of three Indigenous directors of the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund. She said in February 2022 that the fund represented a chance to forge new relationships between the Catholic Church and Indigenous Canadians.

List of presidents

*2021–present: Raymond Poisson, Bishop of Saint-Jerome and Mont Laurier *2019–2021 :

Richard Gagnon Richard Joseph Gagnon (born June 17, 1948) is a Canadian bishop of the Catholic Church. He is the Archbishop of Winnipeg, appointed to the position in 2014 after previously serving as the Bishop of Victoria. He has also served as President ...

, Archbishop of

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...

*2017–2019 : Lionel Gendron, Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil *2015-2017 :

David Crosby David Van Cortlandt Crosby (born August 14, 1941) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Crosby joined the Byrds in 1964. They got ...

, Bishop of

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

*2013-2015 :

Paul-André Durocher Paul-André Durocher (born May 28, 1954) is a Canadian bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. Life and career Paul-André Durocher was born in Windsor, Ontario, on May 28, 1954. He was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Timmins, On ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of Gatineau *2011-2013 : Richard Smith, Metropolitan Archbishop of

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

*2009-2011 : Pierre Morissette, Bishop of

Saint-Jérôme Saint-Jérôme () ( 2021 population 80,213) is a suburban city located about northwest of Montreal on the Rivière du Nord. It is part of the Montreal of Greater Montreal. It is a gateway to the Laurentian Mountains and its resorts via the ...

*2007-2009 :

James Weisgerber Vernon James Weisgerber (born May 1, 1938) is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the retired sixth Archbishop of Winnipeg, serving from August 2000 until October 2013. Early life and education Weisgerber was born in Vibank, ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of

*2005-2007 :

André Gaumond André Gaumond (3 June 1936 – 14 December 2019) was a Canadian Roman Catholic bishop. Gaumond was born in Canada and was ordained to the priesthood in 1961. He served as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of

Sherbrooke Sherbrooke ( ; ) is a city in southern Quebec, Canada. It is at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional cou ...

*2003-2005 :

Brendan O'Brien Brendan O'Brien may refer to: *Brendan O'Brien (bishop) (born 1943), Roman Catholic archbishop of Kingston, Ontario, Canada *Brendan O'Brien (cricketer) (born 1942), Irish former cricketer *Brendan O'Brien (journalist), senior Irish journalist on R ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of St. John's *2001-2003 :

Jacques Berthelet Jacques Berthelet (24 October 1934 – 25 January 2019) was a Canadian Roman Catholic bishop. Berthelet was born in Canada and was ordained to the priesthood in 1962. He was Superior General of the Clerics of Saint Viator The Clerics of S ...

, Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil *1999-2001 : Gerald Wiesner, Bishop of Prince George *1997-1999 :

Jean-Claude Turcotte Jean-Claude Turcotte () (26 June 1936 – 8 April 2015) was a Canadian Roman Catholic cardinal. Upon his elevation into the cardinalate he was made the Cardinal-Priest of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and the Holy Canadian Martyrs. He was ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of Montreal *1995-1997 : Francis Spence, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kingston *1993-1995 :

Jean-Guy Hamelin Jean-Guy Hamelin (October 8, 1925 – March 1, 2018) was a Canadian Catholic bishop. Born in 1925 in Saint-Sévérin-de-Proulxville, Hamelin was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1949, in Trois-Rivières, Québec and was named first bishop ...

, Bishop of Rouyn-Noranda *1991-1993 :

Marcel Gervais Marcel may refer to: People * Marcel (given name), people with the given name Marcel * Marcel (footballer, born August 1981), Marcel Silva Andrade, Brazilian midfielder * Marcel (footballer, born November 1981), Marcel Augusto Ortolan, Brazilian ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of Ottawa *1989-1991 : Robert Lebel, Bishop of Valleyfield *1987-1989 : James Hayes, Metropolitan Archbishop of Halifax *1985-1987 : Bernard Hubert, Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil *1983-1985 : John Sherlock, Bishop of London *1981-1983 : Henri Légaré, Metropolitan Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan *1979-1981 : Joseph McNeil, Metropolitan Archbishop of Edmonton *1977-1979 : Joseph Ouellet, Metropolitan Archbishop of Rimouski *1975-1977 : Gerald Carter, Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto *1973-1975 :

Jean-Marie Fortier Jean-Marie Fortier (July 1, 1920 – October 31, 2002) was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest, Bishop of Gaspé, and Archbishop of Sherbrooke. Born in Quebec City, Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of Sherbrooke *1971-1973 : William Power, Bishop of Antigonish *1970-1971 :

Joseph-Aurèle Plourde Joseph-Aurèle Plourde, (January 12, 1915 – January 5, 2013) was a Canadians, Canadian Roman Catholic Archbishop of Ottawa, Ontario. Early years Archbishop Plourde was born in Saint-François-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick to Antoine Plourde a ...

, Metropolitan Archbishop of Ottawa *1967-1970 :

Alexander Carter Alexander Carter (16 April 1909 – 17 February 2002) was a Canadian bishop, who served as head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario from 1958 to 1985. Biography Born in Montreal, Quebec, the brother of Cardinal Gera ...

, Bishop of Sault-Sainte-Marie *1964-1967 : George Flahiff, Archbishop of Winnipeg *1960-1964 : Joseph Berry, Metropolitan Archbishop of Halifax *1959-1960 :

Paul Bernier Paul Bernier (18 January 1906 – 21 November 1964) was a Canadian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the Archdiocese of Quebec and international organization, served briefly in the diplomatic service of the Holy See, and then as Bishop of ...

, Bishop of Gaspè *1958-1959 : James Cardinal McGuigan, Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria del Popolo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto

References

External links