Memo to All from Bishop Luc Bouchard
Dear Brother Bishops, dear Faithful of the Diocese of St. Paul, my dear Priests, Deacons, dear Seminarians, dear Religious, dear Family members and Friends,
I received yesterday my leave of absence from the rehabilitation center. I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, your mass offerings, your support, your visits and the kind wishes that were expressed to me during my recent stroke. I can say that I am 90% back to normal.
I wish also to acknowledge the excellent care that was given to me by the personnel of St. Therese Health Center in St. Paul as well as the excellent care of the personnel of the Rehabilitation Center of S.A.G.E in Two Hills.
Thanks to your prayers and good care I am much better today even though I will still need some time to fully recuperate. This is why I wish to announce that upon the recommendation of the doctors and with the approval of the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada His Excellency Most Reverend Pedro López Quintana, I will be taking a leave of absence of four months outside of the Diocese and of the province for a complete period of rest from July to October inclusively. Rev. Gérard Gauthier, Vicar General of the Diocese is herewith appointed Administrator for the month of July and Rev. Peter Tran, Chancellor of the Diocese is appointed Administrator for the months of August, September and October without prejudice to their present functions. I most heartedly thank them for having accepted these extra responsibilities. All pastoral matters should be referred to them. Keep them as well in your prayers.
Please continue to keep me also in your prayers during this period of convalescence as I will keep you in mine.
With my fraternal blessing to all,
[Bishop Luc Bouchard: Bishop of Diocese of St. Paul, Alberta]