Paul Andre Durocher
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Durocher was installed as Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall April 2002. He has been the serving bishop since the Cornwall Public Inquiry commenced. It is Durocher who is responsible for the direction taken by the diocesan lawyers at the Cornwall Public Inquiry. (Many believe there are also outsiders giving advice and direction to the legal team, possibly from the Nuncio’s office and the Vatican.)
DOB: 28 May 1954, Windsor, Ontario (Diocese of London)
1965 or 1966: moved to Timmins, Ontario (age 10 at the time)
1977: Bachelor in Musical Arts from University of Western Ontario
Sang opera around the province of Ontario
1979: Actively involved in liturgical activities in the Archdiocese of Ottawa
1980: Bachelor of Education from Saint Paul University Ottawa. While acquiring his degree in education at Ottawa U he was simultaneously studying Theology at Saint Paul’s University.
Attended Ottawa U. at same time as Normand Glaude, commissioner for the Cornwall Public Inquiry.
1981: “did the school work for the Master of Arts in Theology” which would mean he was attending Saint Paul University in Ottawa.
Priest for the Diocese of Timmins
02 July 1982: ordained to the priesthood for Diocese of Timmins (Bishop Jacques Landriault)
1982 – 1985: Taught music and Values Clarificiation at École secondaire Thériault,a French public high school in Timmins, Ontario.
1984: defended his thesis for a masters of Arts in Theology. Wrote his thesis during the previous summers.
1985-1990: served as priest at Holy Cross Church (Ste. Croix), a bilingual parish in Haileybury, Ontario.
1990: appointed Episcopal Vicar for the Diocese of Timmins
1991-1992: spent a year taking a “correspondence course” to obtain a Civil Licentiate in Canon Law. Pursued his studies predominantly at libraries in Montreal and Ottawa and also at the University of Strasbourg, France.
Mid 90s: was given a sabbatical to pursue a Doctorate in Theology at the Jesuit-run Gregorian University in Rome. Durocher was appointed bishop before completing his thesis.
Additional activities during his years as a priest in the Timmins diocese:
Involved with and co-coordinator for youth ministry during his years with the Timmins diocese.
Involved with the diocesan office for liturgy during his years with the Timmins diocese.
• After he stopped teaching and while he served at Holy Cross Durocher worked with the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of French Language Education Development. Sometime during this spell he did return to teach a music semester at the local high school in Timmins.
• Taught a number of extension courses in music and theology for Laurentian University and Saint Paul University.
• Served as Administrator for a year for parish in Kirkland Lake, for two years in Ramore and Holtyre, and for a year at “an English language parish” in Timmins.
• At some point was teaching “summer courses” at Saint Paul University, Ottawa .
(Paul Andre Durocher would have been about 16 or 17 when Jacques Landriault, a former Auxiliary Bishop of Alexandria, became Bishop of Timmins. Durocher pursued the priesthood and was ordained as priest for the Timmins diocese by Bishop Landriault. Durocher served under Landriault until Ladriault’s retirement in 1990.)
In Sudbury, Ontario as Auxiliary Bishop to Jean Louis Plouffe (Diocese of Sault Ste.Marie)
20 January 1997: consecrated bishop as auxiliary to Bishop Jean Louis Plouffe in the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie. Resided in Sudbury during his tenure as Auxiliary.
Additional activities during his years as Auxiliary Bishop in Sudbury:
Appointed and served as Vicar General during his tenure with the Diocese of Sault-Ste Marie.
Worked with Sudbury’s Social Planning Council while he served there as Auxiliary bishop.
(Justice Normand Glaude, a Roman Catholic, was born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario)
Installed as Bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall (replacing Bishop Eugene Larocque)
27 April 2002: installed as Bishop of Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.
Several months ago (sometime in 2006?) was invited by Phil Poirier, Cornwall’s Mayor, to assist in setting up a social planning council for the area. In that capacity Duorcher will “sit with other social service agencies, economic development, et cetera, to try to move forward on that agenda.”
Additional activities since his consecration as a bishop in 1997
Since his consecration as bishop has worked with the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops serving on its Liturgy Committee, and Education Commission. In 2006 is President of the latter which, according to Durocher, focuses on the content of religious education taught in Roman Catholic Schools across the province of Ontario.
Since his consecration as bishop has worked with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, serving on the Liturgy Commission, chairing the Theology Commission, elected as a delegate to the 2005 International Synod of Bishops, and presently is the CCCB’s delegate to the organizing committee for the 2008 International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Quebec City marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec.
• Travels the country conducting retreats for priests in various dioceses. Typically conducts two such retreats per year, his current focus being “the identity of the priest in today’s church.” Also conducts workshops focused on issue of priests and leadership.
• During the Summer of 2006 conducted a retreat for “thousands” at St. Anne de Beaupre, Quebec.
• Actively involved in Canada’s World Youth day.
Knows and was taught by Father Frank Morrissey. Refers to Morrissey as “one of the best Canon lawyers in the world.” Has retained Morrissey to provide canonical expertise for the diocese during the Cornwall Public Inquiry.
(Note: Somewhere along the line strong ties seem to have developed between the Dioceses of Sault Ste. Marie and Cornwall – particularly as they relate to the Knights of Columbus, Sudbury and Cornwall. In 1993 the Knights of Columbus of Cornwall (Council # 9695 – Chapter Nativity of the BVM Co-Cathedral) sponsored the first chapter of the Columbiettes, its female affiliate, in Canada. The Cornwall Columbiettes soon had four more chapters up and running, all in Sudbury. In 2003 Ontario became a State Council for the Columbiettes with its entire slate of state officers from Cornwall and Sudbury and Father Rejean Lebrun [Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall] as State Chaplain.
What connections Bishop Durocher and/or Justice Normand Glaude has or my have had to the Sudbury Knights of Columbus id unknown. Justice Glaude has refused to divulge if he is or ever was a member of the Knights of Columbus)
Transcripts
03 September 2008: Bishop Durocher transcript of testimony at Cornwall Public Inquiry
02 September 2008: Bishop Durocher transcript of testimony at Cornwall Public Inquiry
29 August 2008: Bishop Durocher transcript of testimony at Cornwall Public Inquiry
Media
25 January 2010: Church making progress in dealing with sexual abuse: But new cases continue to arise and systemic issues remain
21 April 2009: Bishop Paul Andre Durocher homily puts him midst of firestorm
04 September 2008: Bishop issues apology: Durocher expresses ‘deepest regret’
04 September 2008: Bishop would have committee look at priest
04 September 2008: “Bishop issues sweeping apology for abuse” & “Tracking problem priests”
03 September 2008: No priest with background of abuse would join diocese: Bishop says today’s church would not allow it
03 September 2008: Bishop to issue apology today
03 September 2008: Bishop makes recommendations of his own to public inquiry
03 September 2008: Commissioner scolds lawyer at inquiry
30 August 2008: Bishop wanted to ‘punch’ priest convicted of sex abuse
29 August 2008: Expressions of anger and shame at Inquiry
08 July 2008: Diocese has strict protocol to deal with allegations
05 July 2008: Morgentaler’s appointment polarizes community
30 May 2008: Ostler’s work went beyond Church
31 January 2008: Get the facts please: bishop
17 October 2006: CCCB can’t make rules for individual diocese
14 October 2004: Bishop now opposes inquiry
17 June 2002: Dick Nadeau accout of Bishop Paul Andre installation and victim protest
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06 October 2006: Bishop sorry for suffering (Durocher apology re Deslaurier)