Commended to our prayers: Fr Ernst Schoenhammer, OMI, pastor of Ottawa's St Albertus Parish

Ottawa's German-speaking St Albertus Parish is in mourning following the death overnight December 29-30 of their beloved priest who served them for a half-century.

From the Catholic Ottawa list of jubilarians, Spring 2015:

"Born in Bamberg, Germany on May 16, 1938, Father Ernst Shoenhammer was ordained a priest on December 18, 1965. The following year, he began serving the German-speaking Catholic immigrants in Ottawa.

"He served as Chaplain to St. Albertus Pfarrgemeinde and is Pastor of the parish since 1977. He has also served the Archdiocese of Ottawa as Regional Vicar for the pastoral ministry of Region II of the English Sector.

"He received the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany awarded on October 31, 2003, by the President Johannes Rau for serving German-speaking Immigrants since 1966."

Funeral details are pending.

Requiescat in pace.

Death of Bishop Jean Gagnon / Décès Mgr Jean Gagnon de Gaspé

Gaspé Bishop Gaetan Proulx, OSM announced today, December 23, the death of his predecessor after a short illness and commending him to our prayers..  Funeral details will be forthcoming. Requiescat in pace.

"Je recommande à vos prières, Mgr Jean Gagnon, qui est décédé aujourd’hui le 23 décembre 2016 d’une rapide maladie au Centre hospitalier Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis. Il a été évêque au diocèse de Gaspé pendant 15 ans. Les détails des funérailles vous seront annoncés plus tard.

"Le diocèse en deuil est très reconnaissant de tout ce que Mgr Jean Gagnon a donné à son Église. Nous souhaitons à sa famille, à ses nombreux amis et à tous les diocésains et diocésaines de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine nos sincères condoléances."

† Gaétan Proulx, évêque de Gaspé