Thursday, April 5, 2018

BISHOP-ELECT MARC TRUDEAU

It is a joy to thank God for the appointment of Monsignor Marc Trudeau to serve as an Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles!

It was my privilege to ordain our Bishop-Elect to the Sacred Priesthood in 1991, and to have worked closely with him over the years.

His pastoral heart has always been in serving as a parish priest, and he has done that so well over the years.  His two pastorates, St. Pius X in Santa Fe Springs, and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in Lomita, is where he wanted to spend all of his priestly years. 

In between those two pastorates, I was privileged to have him as my priest secretary in service to the entire Archdiocese.  His pastoral experience and his great love for people endeared him to everyone who had contact with the Archbishop’s office.  He was a great support during those tumultuous years when the clergy scandal was in its settlement phases.

While serving with me, the doctor’s discovered cancer.  Fortunately, he had a form which was curable.  However, those many weeks of chemotherapy were very difficult.  We were blessed to have him with us at the Cathedral residence during his treatment protocol.  He showed great humility, patience, and lessons in how to suffer after the manner of Jesus.  His witness touched all of us in the residence.

It was not long before Archbishop Jose Gomez recognized Bishop-Elect Trudeau’s gifts and talents, and he was assigned to St. John’s Seminary to prepare to take over as the Rector.  His priestly and pastoral gifts were a great grace in the ensuing years in the formation of young men for the priesthood.

When I spoke with the Bishop-Elect about his appointment, he stated “I would prefer to be going back to serve in a parish.”  I responded—you are, except there are many more parishes in your Pastoral Region than in just one parish!!  


May Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, continue to shape the heart and ministry of Bishop-Elect Marc Trudeau!