Gérald Lacroix

His Eminence Gérald Lacroix, ISPX
Cardinal Archbishop of Quebec
Archdiocese	Quebec
Appointed	22 February 2011
Installed	25 March 2011
Predecessor	Marc Ouellet
Other posts	Cardinal Priest of San Giuseppe all’Aurelio Primate of Canada
Orders
Ordination	8 October 1988 by Maurice Couture
Consecration	24 May 2009 by Marc Ouellet, PSS
Created Cardinal	22 February 2014 by Pope Francis
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born	(1957-07-27) 27 July 1957 Saint-Hilaire-de-Dorset, Quebec, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Brigitte Laurendeau & Raymond Lacroix
Previous post	Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec (2009–2011) Titular Bishop of Hilta (2009–2011)
Alma mater	St. Anselm's College, Laval University
Motto	mane nobiscum Domine (Stay with us, Lord)
Coat of arms

Styles of Gérald Cyprien Lacroix
Spoken style	Your Eminence (English) Monseigneur (French)
Informal style	Cardinal

Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, ISPX,^[1] (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, and (as of 22 February 2014) a Cardinal. He had previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec.^[2]

Early life

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 in Manchester, New Hampshire, and Saint Anselm College in the neighbouring town of Goffstown. He then studied for his theological training at Laval University, 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.

Priesthood

In 1982 Lacroix 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 center. He was ordained priest on 8 October 1988 by Archbishop Maurice Couture in the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-la-Récouvrance.

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

Episcopacy

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

On 22 February 2011 Lacroix was appointed Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada, replacing Marc Ouellet, who had been appointed Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on 30 June 2010. During the sede vacante after the death of Pope John Paul II, 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.^[3]

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.^[4]

Lacroix 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. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis at the consistory on 22 February 2014.^[5]

See also

• Cardinals created by Francis

References