The Archbishop of Montreal, Most Reverend Christian Lépine, warmly welcomes today’s appointment by Pope Francis of Most Reverend Alain Faubert, currently Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal, as Bishop of Valleyfield. Bishop Faubert will assume his new role at an installation ceremony to be held at Sainte-Cécile Cathedral, with the date to be confirmed shortly. Until then, he will continue his duties as Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal, a position he has held since April 2016.
 
Bishop Faubert succeeds Bishop Noël Simard, who has served as the eighth Bishop of Valleyfield since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI in December 2011. In accordance with the Code of Canon Law, bishops are required to submit their resignation upon reaching the age of 75. To facilitate this transition, Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Simard as Apostolic Administrator.

“I humbly and joyfully accept my appointment to the Diocese of Valleyfield and express my gratitude to Pope Francis. I am committed to dedicating my energy to my pastoral role, working alongside priests, deacons, lay pastoral agents, dedicated volunteers, and the entire People of God in Valleyfield. Despite the significant challenges facing the Church in Quebec, we are fortunate to have committed individuals making a profound impact in their communities,” said Bishop Faubert.

Bishop Faubert is one of four bishops, along with four lay faithful, to have been delegated by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to participate in the Synod Assembly on the future of the Catholic Church, which will bring together 365 participants from around the world. This decisive step for the Church was initiated by Pope Francis. The Synod Assembly will take place in the Vatican next October, and its conclusions will be made public in the summer of 2025

Archbishop Christian Lépine noted, “This appointment reflects Pope Francis' profound pastoral care for the Diocese of Valleyfield and acknowledges Bishop Alain Faubert’s remarkable qualities. His competence, kindness, and generosity have been widely recognized. While we will miss him greatly in the Archdiocese of Montreal, our thoughts and prayers will be with him in his new role.”

Bishop Faubert is a seasoned communicator, having co-hosted the television magazine “Parole et Vie” from 2004 to 2010, which explored contemporary spiritual and religious issues. 
 
He holds a doctorate in ecclesiology from the Institut catholique de Paris and Université Laval, Quebec, and has taught ecclesiology and theology of ministries at the Institut de formation théologique de Montréal. Bishop Faubert has held various roles in Montreal-area parishes and was appointed Episcopal Vicar for the Eastern Region of the Archdiocese of Montreal in January 2011. He was honoured with the title of Chaplain to His Holiness in May 2011.

As pastor of Saint-Germain d'Outremont Parish from 2012 to 2016, Bishop Faubert was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal by Pope Francis in April 2016, with the title of Vicus Pacati. He was ordained a bishop on June 15, 2016, and has served as Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Montreal.
 
In his capacity with the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec, Bishop Faubert contributed to the work of the Conseil Communautés et Ministères. At the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, he was involved with the National Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interreligious Dialogue. He has also been a member of the Francophone Episcopal Commission for Liturgy and Sacraments since last year.
 
Bishop Faubert, who invites colleagues to call him “Alain”, has walked the Camino of Compostela on several occasions. In his leisure time, he enjoys reading, music, staying active, and following history, culture, genealogy, and professional sports.
 
About the Archdiocese of Montreal -  www.diocesemontreal.org

The Archdiocese of Montreal encompasses the island of Montreal and the cities of Laval, Charlemagne, Repentigny, Le Gardeur, L'Assomption, and Saint-Sulpice. It serves over 1.5 million Catholics through 200 parishes and missions. Christian Lépine is the tenth bishop and eighth archbishop of Montreal since the diocese’s founding in 1836. The Archdiocese boasts a unique multicultural richness, with twenty-four active Catholic cultural communities representing countries from every continent, as well as numerous religious and monastic communities contributing to its vitality.
 
About the Diocese of Valleyfield - www.diocesevalleyfield.org
 
The Diocese of Valleyfield encompasses all Catholics—guided by the Light of Faith—residing in the Suroît region, in the southwest of Quebec. Predominantly French-speaking, it also includes an English-speaking, Spanish-speaking population, as well as an Iroquois mission. The Diocese of Valleyfield was canonically established on April 5, 1892, by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese covers an area of 3,225 km² and is divided into 22 parishes spread across 6 pastoral regions: Châteauguay, Valleyfield, Soulanges, Vaudreuil-Dorion–L’Île-Perrot, Beauharnois, Huntingdon, and a region encompassing English-speaking communities. The diocese has 40 priests, 16 permanent deacons, 5 pastoral agents, and 12 pastoral workers.

Source: Archdiocese of Montreal
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Communications@diocesemontreal.org