At noon on September 14th, 2010 on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, it was announced in Rome that our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Most Reverend Gerard Paul Bergie, presently Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines.  Bishop Bergie becomes the fifth Bishop of our Diocese succeeding Bishop James M. Wingle who resigned as Bishop of our Diocese on April 7, 2010. 
 
It is with great joy that we receive this news of Bishop Bergie’s appointment as our new Bishop.  Born in Hamilton, Ontario on January 4, 1959, Bishop Bergie was raised and educated in Hamilton.  He studied at St. Jerome’s College, the University of Waterloo and St. Peter’s Seminary, London, Ontario. He received a Master’s degree of Divinity from the University of Western Ontario in 1983 and a Licentiate in Canon Law from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome in 1991. Ordained to the priesthood on May 12, 1984, he has served in parishes of Our Lady of Lourdes (Hamilton), St. Francis Xavier (Stoney Creek) and St. Margaret Mary (Hamilton) where he was pastor at the time of his nomination to the episcopacy. He has occupied various positions within the Diocese of Hamilton, including Chancellor.  He was ordained to the episcopacy on August 24, 2005 at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Hamilton by Bishop Anthony Tonnos, Bishop of Hamilton.  
 
Bishop Bergie was the first Canadian Bishop appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.  Some from our Diocese will recall that Bishop Bergie was the guest speaker at the Niagara Catholic District School Board’s Annual Faith Formation in December 2009.
 
It is expected that Bishop Bergie will be installed as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines in a solemn liturgical ceremony within the next two months.
 
 
Sincerely yours in Christ,
 
 
 
(Rev. Msgr.) Wayne Kirkpatrick,
Diocesan Administrator