It is with sadness that we announce the death of Most Rev. Gérard Tremblay, P.S.S., Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Montreal. He died September 28, 2019, at the Service de santé de Saint-Sulpice in Montreal, one month prior to his 101st birthday.
He is survived by his family, friends, brother bishops, and the members of his Sulpician family, to whom we offer our sincere condolences.
Biographical notes
Birth: October 27, 1918
Priestly ordination: June 16, 1946
Episcopal ordination: May 22,1981
Motto: "Heureux dans la foi" (Cheerful in the faith)
Resignation: 1991
Death: September 28, 2019
Gérard Tremblay was born in Montréal, in the parish of La Nativité d’Hochélaga, on October 27, 1918. He is the son of François Tremblay, an entrepreneur, and Rose-Anna Fortin, both deceased. In his early childhood, he moved with his family to the parish of Saint-Marc de Rosemont. He is the youngest of a family of nine children.
After his classical studies at Collège André-Grasset (1933 – 1941), he pursued his studies in theology at the Grand Seminary of Montreal. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1946 at Saint-Marc de Rosemont Church, by Mgsr. Joseph Charbonneau.
As a member of the Society of the Priests of Saint-Sulpice, Msgr. Tremblay spent all of his priestly career in the two fields of education and social action. From 1946 to 1958, he was a teacher at Collège André-Grasset. He later became financial administrator and professor at the Grand Seminary of Montreal, until 1966, while also taking on the duties of teaching religious studies at the Collège de Montréal, for four years. During this period, he pursued studies in various fields: spirituality, during his year in “Solitude”, science, at the University of Montreal, theology, at the University of Ottawa, and catechism, at the University of Montreal.
In 1966, he was appointed pastor of the parish of the Annunciation in Oka, where he served as pastor for seven years. He later became vicar and financial administrator for the parish of Saint-Jacques in Montreal, from 1973 to 1976. From 1970 to 1976, aside from his work as pastor, he assumed the duties of Second Consultor for the Sulpician Province of Canada.
In September 1976, Msgr. Paul Grégoire designated him Episcopal Vicar for the Laval Region. He was named Prelate of Honor on June 9, 1978. On March 20, 1981, Pope John Paul II named Msgr. Gérard Tremblay Titular Bishop of Trisipa and Auxiliary Archbishop of Montreal.
Since his resignation in August 1991, Msgr. Tremblay bears the title of Bishop Emeritus of Montreal. From 1991 to 1996, he was Superior of the Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice of Montreal. He retired to the Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice in June 1996 while remaining active in ministry.