Gérald Lacroix

Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, ISPX (born 27 July 1957) is the current archbishop of Quebec and primate of Canada since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 22 February 2011. He had previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec.^[1]

Lacroix was born in 1957 in Saint-Hilaire de Dorset in the Archdiocese of Quebec, and completed his secondary and higher education at Trinity High School and Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. He then studied for his theological training at the University of Laval, obtaining a BA in Theology he continued with a master's degree in pastoral theology. In 1975 he was accepted at the Pius X Secular Institute and took perpetual vows in 1982.

In 1982 he became Secretary General of the Institute and, since 1985 has been Director of the General Council. From 1985 to 1987 he was appointed general manager of the Institute's Christian formation and spiritual centre. He was ordained priest on 8 October 1988 by Archbishop Maurice Couture, R.S.V. in the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-la-Recouvrance.

From 1990 to 2000 he worked in Colombia, where he opened new houses of the Institute. From 2001 to 2004 he was Director General of the Institute, and reelected for five years from 2005 to 2010.

He was appointed Titular Bishop of Ilta and Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec on 7 April 2009 and received episcopal ordination on 24 May with Cardinal Marc Ouellet as principal consecrator, the principal co-consecrators being Archbishop Maurice Couture, R.S.V. and Bishop Gilles Lemay.

On 22 February 2011 Bishop Lacroix was appointed Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada replacing Cardinal Ouellet, who had been appointed Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on 30 June 2010. During the sede vacante Bishop Lacroix was elected diocesan administrator by the College of Consultors. He is currently one of the co-chairmen of the Committee on Life and Family of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. After his appointment, Lacroix said that he would continue the work of Cardinal Ouellet and "re-evangelize" the province. Lacroix noted that he favours a discussion-based approach. "I'm going to be different. One thing is certain: I will preach the gospel. If people expect something else, they'll be disappointed," he said.^[2]

Archbishop Lacroix received an Honorary Doctorate in Divinity from Saint Anselm College at the college's 118th commencement exercises held on May 21, 2011. He was also the commencement speaker.^[3]

He received the pallium from Pope Benedict on 29 June 2011, the Feast of SS Peter and Paul in Rome along with all other metropolitan archbishops appointed since 2010.

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