CORNWALL – A retired bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall has died.
Eugene Philippe LaRocque died Sunday (Dec. 16) morning at the Windsor Regional Hospital, after a stay in the critical care unit.
He was 91.
LaRocque was a bishop with the local diocese from 1974-2002 until he retired to the Windsor-area – his birthplace. He was ordained a priest in 1952 and then a bishop in 1974 to the then-Diocese of Alexandria.
The diocese says he was a strong proponent of a fully funded Catholic school system and encouraged the building of St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School. He was also a strong supporter of the Children’s Treatment Center.
He also steered the church through a dark moment in time, being a participant in the Cornwall Public Inquiry, which looked into allegations of sexual abuse by prominent people in the community, including priests.
The funeral is Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the Nativity Co-Cathedral.