New Archbishop for Keewatin - Le Pas

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today named the Most Reverend Murray Chatlain Archbishop of Keewatin-Le Pas, Manitoba, and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories. At the time of his appointment, he was Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith.

He succeeds the Most Reverend Sylvain Lavoie, O.M.I., whose resignation had been accepted by the Holy Father on 16 July 2012 for reasons of health.  Since then, Father William Stang, O.M.I., has served as the Apostolic Administrator of Keewatin-Le Pas.

Archbishop Murray Chatlain

Born in Saskatoon, 19 January 1963, Archbishop-elect Chatlain completed a BA at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, and then studied at St. Peter’s Seminary, London, Ontario, where he completed a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Saskatoon in 1987. He served a number of parishes in his home diocese as well as parishes in northern Saskatchewan which are part of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. He has also studied the Dene language at La Loche, Sask., which is in the Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas.

He was named Coadjutor Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith on 23 June 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI. He succeeded as Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith on 10 May 2008, when  the Holy Father accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Denis Croteau, O.M.I., who had served as Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith for 22 years. Since 2008, Archbishop-elect Chatlain has been a member of the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas has 45 parishes and missions, with a Catholic population of 37,380, which is served by 2 diocesan priests, 2 visiting priests from other dioceses, 9 priests who are members of religious communities, and seven Sisters from religious communities.