BISHOP PAUL DUMOUCHEL, O.M.I. -

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BISHOP PAUL DUMOUCHEL, O.M.I. 1911 - 2000 On April 15, 2000, after a lengthy illness, His Grace Archbishop Paul Dumouchel, o.m.i., died at the Casa Bonita, the retirement home of the Oblates in St. Boniface, MB. He was 88 years old. Besides the faithful of the Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas and his religious family, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he leaves to mourn his passing, Mrs. Gertrude (Joseph) Bibeau (his sister), and several nieces and nephews. Archbishop Dumouchel was born in St. Boniface on September 19, 1911. He studied at the Juniorate and at St. Boniface College. Having joined the Oblates in 1930, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 1936, in Lebret, SK. After learning the Saulteaux language, he was responsible for the 16 missions in the Lake of the Woods area. Collaborating with Fr. Joseph Brachet, o.m.i., he published a grammar of the Saulteaux language. In 1949 he was professor at the Missiology Institute at St. Pauls University in Ottawa. In 1951, he returned to Manitoba and became pastor of Camperville and principal of the school. He was also a renowned preacher of parish missions and retreats for laity, religious and priests. He was a member of the Provincial Council of the Oblate Province of Manitoba when he was named by Pope Pius XII as Vicar Apostolic of Keewatin on March 12, 1955. He was ordained bishop on May 24, 1955 by Archbishop Maurice Baudoux. On July 22, 1967 he was named Archbishop of Keewatin-Le Pas which comprises the suffragan dioceses of Churchill-Hudson Bay, Moosonee and Labrador City-Schefferville. He received the Metropolitans Pallium on May 17, 1968. His motto was "ERO ILLI IN PATREM" (I will be like a father to them) and indeed he was. He took advantage of every technological discovery that would benefit the missions and make the work of his missionaries easier. As a Council Father, he consecrated his remaining years as bishop implementing in the archdiocese the renewal called forth by Vatican II. He facilitated for the clergy and the laity the transition to collaborative ministry. In September 1986, he was moved to St. Boniface General Hospital and this necessitated his retirement as Archbishop of Keewatin-Le Pas. The Oblate retirement community at Casa Bonita has since been his home. Funeral services for Archbishop Paul Dumouchel, o.m.i., will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 18 at 10:00 a.m. in the St. Boniface Cathedral, with viewing at 9:00 a.m. Reception of the body of Archbishop Dumouchel at the Cathedral in The Pas at 7:00 p.m. Monday, April 24. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 25 at 2:00 p.m. The Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Dumouchel family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Casa Bonita for the compassionate care they have shown to Archbishop Dumouchel. Cropo Funeral Chapel, Winnipeg and Hemauer Funeral Chapel, The Pas, in care of arrangements, 586-8044. MGR PAUL DUMOUCHEL, O.M.I. 1911 - 2000 Paisiblement apres une longue maladie, Mgr Paul Dumouchel, o.m.i., est decede a la Casa Bonita a Saint-Boniface le 15 avril 2000 a lage de 88 ans. En plus de sa famille religieuse, les Oblats de Marie Immaculee, il laisse dans le deuil sa soeur, Mme Gertrude (Joseph) Bibeau ainsi que des neveux et nieces. Lont pre-decede ses parents, Theophile et Josephine Dumouchel, ses freres et soeurs: Gerard, Bernard, Marguerite (S. Jean-de-Rome, ssnjm), Therese (S. Gertrude-Marie, ssnjm), Annette (S. Theophile-Marie, ssnjm), Madeleine (Paul) Lapalme. Paul Dumouchel est ne le 19 septembre 1911 a Saint-Boniface, Manitoba. Il fit ses etudes au Juniorat de la Sainte-Famille a Saint-Boniface et au College de Saint-Boniface. Entre chez les Oblats de Marie Immaculee le 14 aout 1930. Il fit ses premiers voeux le 15 aout 1931 a Saint-Laurent, Manitoba. Il fit ses etudes en philosophie et en theologie au Scolasticat a Lebret, Saskatchewan ou il fut ordonne pretre le 24 juin 1936 par Mgr Monahan, archeveque de Regina. Apres lapprentissage du Saulteux il fut charge des missions indiennes du Lac-des-Bois dans la region de Kenora. En collaboration avec le P. Joseph Brachet, o.m.i., il publia une grammaire de la langue saulteuse. En 1949 il fut professeur a lInstitut de Missiologie de lUniversite Saint-Paul a Ottawa. En 1951 il revient au Manitoba et est nomme cure de Camperville et directeur de lecole indienne. Il a aussi ete predicateur de retraites paroissiales et religieuses. Il siegeait au Conseil provincial des Oblats du Manitoba quand sa saintete le Pape Pie XII le nomma Vicaire apostolique du Keewatin, le 12 mars 1955. Il fut consacre en la Basilique-Cathedrale de Saint-Boniface le 24 mai 1955 par Mgr Maurice Baudoux. Il fut nomme Archeveque de Keewatin-LePas ayant comme suffragants, les dioceses de Churchill-Hudson Bay, Moosonee et Labrador City-Schefferville, le 22 Juillet 1967. Il recut le Pallium de Metropolitain le 17 mai 1968. Il avait our devise: "ERO ILLI IN PATREM" (Je serai pour lui un Pere). Il fut en effet un pasteur par excellence. Il a exploite le developpement technologique a lavantage de la Mission et pour faciliter la vie de ses missionnaires. Comme Pere du Concile Vatican II, il a consacre les annees dapres Concile a implanter les changements liturgiques et pastoraux qui simposaient. Il a su inculquer a ses collaborateurs un sens accru de limportance de la collaboration dans lexercice du ministere. En septembre 1986 la maladie la amene durgence a lHopital General de Saint-Boniface et la oblige de remettre sa demission en tant que responsable de larchidiocese. Depuis ce temps il reside a la Casa Bonita, residence pour les Oblats a la retraite. La depouille mortelle Mgr Paul Dumouchel, o.m.i., sera exposee en la cathedrale de Saint-Boniface a partir de 9h le mardi 18 avril suivie des funerailles a 10h. A Le Pas, il y aura accueil du corps a la Cathedrale et veillee de priere le lundi 24 avril a 19h, et le mardi 25 avril priere du matin et visite a partir de 10h jusqua lheure des funerailles a 14h, suivies de linhumation dans la crypte. LArchidiocese de Keewatin-Le Pas, le Oblats de Marie Immaculee et la famille Dumouchel desirent exprimer leur gratitude envers le personnel de la Casa Bonita et de lHopital General de Saint-Boniface pour tous les soins quils ont donnes a Mgr Dumouchel tout au long de sa maladie. Cropo Funeral Chapel, Winnipeg, and Hemauer Funeral Chapel, The Pas, in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 18, 2000