Baie-Comeau (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Jean-Pierre Blais, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 14 July 1986
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Rimouski
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Province: Québec
Country: Canada
Square Kilometers: 300,281 (115,983 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Quebec
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: BC
Official Web Site: https://diocese-bc.net/
Mailing Address: Eveche, 639 rue de Bretagne, Baie-Comeau, QC G5C 1X2, Canada
Telephone: (418)589-5744
Fax: 295-3145

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent
- Latin Name: Sinus Sancti Laurentii
- Erected: 29 May 1882
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Québec
- Province: Québec
- Country: Canada
Vicariate Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent
- Latin Name: Sinus Sancti Laurentii
- Elevated: 12 September 1905
- Vicariate
- Province: Québec
- Country: Canada
Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent
- Latin Name: Sinus Sancti Laurentii
- Elevated: 24 November 1945
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Rimouski
- Province: Québec
- Country: Canada
Diocese of Hauterive
- Latin Name: Altaripensis
- Name Changed: 29 February 1960
- Province: Québec
- Country: Canada

Past and Present Ordinaries

François-Xavier Bossé † (29 May 1882 Appointed - 22 May 1892 Resigned)
Michel-Thomas Labrecque † ( 1892 Appointed - 1903 Resigned)
Gustave Marie Blanche, C.I.M. † (21 Aug 1903 Appointed - 26 Jul 1916 Died)
Patrice-Alexandre Chiasson, C.I.M. † (27 Jul 1917 Appointed - 9 Sep 1920 Appointed, Bishop of Chatham, New Brunswick)
Julien-Marie Leventoux, C.I.M. † (28 Mar 1922 Appointed - Jan 1938 Retired)
Napoléon-Alexandre Labrie, C.I.M. † (30 Mar 1938 Appointed - 1 Dec 1956 Resigned)
Gérard Couturier † (27 Dec 1956 Appointed - 7 Sep 1974 Resigned)
Jean-Guy Couture † (21 Jun 1975 Appointed - 5 Apr 1979 Appointed, Bishop of Chicoutimi, Québec)
Roger Ébacher (30 Jun 1979 Appointed - 30 Mar 1988 Appointed, Bishop of Gatineau-Hull, Québec)
Maurice Couture, R.S.V. † (1 Dec 1988 Appointed - 17 Mar 1990 Appointed, Archbishop of Québec)
Joseph Paul Pierre Morissette (17 Mar 1990 Appointed - 3 Jul 2008 Appointed, Bishop of Saint-Jérôme, Québec)
Jean-Pierre Blais (12 Dec 2008 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent
29 May 1882	Erected	Diocese of Rimouski (St. Germain of) (Territory between Saguenay and Natashquan rivers)	Prefecture Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent
12 September 1905	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent	Vicariate Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent
15 July 1925	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent (Northern part) Vicariate Apostolic of Keewatin (Northern part) Vicariate Apostolic of Mackenzie (Eastern part)	Prefecture Apostolic of Baie d’Hudson {Hudson Bay} (erected)
13 July 1945	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Baie d’Hudson {Hudson Bay} Vicariate Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent Diocese of Harbour Grace	Vicariate Apostolic of Labrador (erected)
Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent
24 November 1945	Elevated	Diocese of Chicoutimi (Baie-Ste Catherine, Tadoussac, Les Cocumins, St. Paul du Nord (with Sault au Montón), Les Bergeronnes, and Portneuf) Vicariate Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent	Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent
9 February 1946	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent (from Québec) Diocese of Gaspé (from Québec) Vicariate Apostolic of Labrador (from Québec)
27 February 1960	Territory Lost	Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent (Wabush region)	Vicariate Apostolic of Labrador
Diocese of Hauterive
29 February 1960	Name Changed	Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent	Diocese of Hauterive
Diocese of Baie-Comeau
14 July 1986	Name Changed	Diocese of Hauterive	Diocese of Baie-Comeau
31 May 2007	Territory Added	Diocese of Labrador City-Schefferville (suppressed)	Diocese of Amos (Nunavik Territory) Diocese of Baie-Comeau (La Basse Côte-Nord Territory) Diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador (Labrador Territory)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent

1950 28,000 30,000 93.3% 24 22 46 608 32 110 27 ap1951

Diocese of Hauterive

1966 83,950 85,857 97.8% 82 38 120 699 55 329 42 ap1967

1970 86,000 90,000 95.6% 78 40 118 728 76 308 44 ap1971

1976 97,483 102,824 94.8% 56 35 91 1,071 64 275 52 ap1977

1980 120,000 121,900 98.4% 53 30 83 1,445 56 295 50 ap1981

Diocese of Baie-Comeau

1990 96,128 98,521 97.6% 44 21 65 1,478 8 42 152 50 ap1991

1999 92,665 95,642 96.9% 31 19 50 1,853 7 28 93 49 ap2000

2000 93,126 96,277 96.7% 31 18 49 1,900 7 27 88 49 ap2001

2001 94,369 96,277 98.0% 31 17 48 1,966 7 26 83 45 ap2002

2002 89,298 90,859 98.3% 28 18 46 1,941 7 27 72 45 ap2003

2003 89,261 90,907 98.2% 27 16 43 2,075 7 25 64 45 ap2004

2004 89,232 90,907 98.2% 27 14 41 2,176 7 19 64 45 ap2005

2006 90,800 92,600 98.1% 25 11 36 2,522 8 16 59 44 ap2007

2012 90,400 98,400 91.9% 25 9 34 2,658 7 9 37 55 ap2013

2015 93,500 101,700 91.9% 24 5 29 3,224 8 5 30 55 ap2016

2018 96,850 105,340 91.9% 24 8 32 3,026 7 8 18 55 ap2019

2020 99,400 108,150 91.9% 20 7 27 3,681 7 7 11 55 ap2021

2022 89,151 93,436 95.4% 20 7 27 3,301 7 7 11 55 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Golfe St-Laurent
1950	28,000	30,000	93.3%	24	22	46	608		32	110	27	ap1951
Diocese of Hauterive
1966	83,950	85,857	97.8%	82	38	120	699		55	329	42	ap1967
1970	86,000	90,000	95.6%	78	40	118	728		76	308	44	ap1971
1976	97,483	102,824	94.8%	56	35	91	1,071		64	275	52	ap1977
1980	120,000	121,900	98.4%	53	30	83	1,445		56	295	50	ap1981
Diocese of Baie-Comeau
1990	96,128	98,521	97.6%	44	21	65	1,478	8	42	152	50	ap1991
1999	92,665	95,642	96.9%	31	19	50	1,853	7	28	93	49	ap2000
2000	93,126	96,277	96.7%	31	18	49	1,900	7	27	88	49	ap2001
2001	94,369	96,277	98.0%	31	17	48	1,966	7	26	83	45	ap2002
2002	89,298	90,859	98.3%	28	18	46	1,941	7	27	72	45	ap2003
2003	89,261	90,907	98.2%	27	16	43	2,075	7	25	64	45	ap2004
2004	89,232	90,907	98.2%	27	14	41	2,176	7	19	64	45	ap2005
2006	90,800	92,600	98.1%	25	11	36	2,522	8	16	59	44	ap2007
2012	90,400	98,400	91.9%	25	9	34	2,658	7	9	37	55	ap2013
2015	93,500	101,700	91.9%	24	5	29	3,224	8	5	30	55	ap2016
2018	96,850	105,340	91.9%	24	8	32	3,026	7	8	18	55	ap2019
2020	99,400	108,150	91.9%	20	7	27	3,681	7	7	11	55	ap2021
2022	89,151	93,436	95.4%	20	7	27	3,301	7	7	11	55	ap2023