Fifth Archbishop of Moncton (2002-2012)
A member of the Holy Cross Congregation, Most Reverend André Richard was born in Saint-Ignace, Kent County, in south eastern New Brunswick on June 30, 1937. He is the son of the late Olivier Richard and Eva Babineau.
Following his primary studies in Saint-Ignace, he completed classical studies at Saint Joseph University in Memramcook. From 1958 to 1959, he completed his noviciate with the Holy Cross Fathers in Montreal and his theological studies in Rome from 1959 to 1963. He was ordained to the priesthood in Rome on February 17, 1963.
Upon returning to Canada, he joined the teaching staff at Saint Joseph University. He then studied at the Centre Dominicain in Paris from 1965 to 1966, abd then specialised in catechesis in Strasbourg in 1966.
Upon his return to the Archdiocese of Moncton he was appointed curate in the parish of Cap-Pelé while working on the vocation committee in the archdiocese. From 1970 to 1976 he exercised his ministry in the diocese of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, being successively curate at the Cathedral parish, administrator of the parish of Weymouth and of Butte-Amirault.
In 1976 he was elected provincial superior of the Holy Cross Fathers in New Brunswick and in 1985 he was appointed director of ‘La Maison Sainte-Croix’, in Pré-d’en-Haut.
He was ordained Bishop on August 9, 1989 by the Most Rev. Donat Chiasson in the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bathurst, NB.
He was an active member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). He also served as a member of French sector of their Episcopal Christian education commission. He took part in the Social communications sector commission for four years.
Further, in 1999, he acted as president of the National Committee to organise the Grand Jubilee in the year 2000. He was also president of the Catholic Bishops Atlantic Assembly from 1998 to 2000.
On March 16, 2002, His Holiness Pope John Paul II named him Archbishop of Moncton and on May 14 that same year, he was installed as the fifth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Moncton.
Archbishop Richard retired in August, 2012.