He spoke of how Jesus, “the good Shepherd,” sent him to join the people of the diocese in their pilgrimage following Christ.

“We are a people in motion, on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Jesus,” he said. Though he is retiring, the people of God continue their march. He noted that in two years, the diocese would celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Ébacher said he plans to continue living in Gatineau. He told the gathering that he would first look after his health, but that he planned to continue in ministry under the new archbishop, Paul-Andre Durocher, who will be installed on Nov. 30. He also plans to do some writing.

Following the Mass, representatives of the Church community paid tribute to the archbishop’s humble service and pastoral warmth.

Ébacher stressed a ministry of a Church of Communion that included all the baptized in carrying out her mission, said Fr. Rodhain Kasuba on behalf of Gatineau’s 45 diocesan priests. Kasuba said Ébacher also witnessed to the Gospel by his attention to the most fragile in society. At the heart of his episcopal ministry was Ébacher’s confidence in his many “collaborators,” both men and women, in decisions touching the Church’s local life in Gatineau.

In our day, the ministry of a bishop has colossal responsibilities, he said, but Ébacher faced them with courage and good humour. He fostered the sense of brotherhood among priests and remembered the important anniversaries of each priest with warm telephone calls.

Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast brought greetings on behalf of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops president Richard Smith, who outlined Ébacher’s extensive service to the CCCB, including 16 years on the conference’s Permanent Council.

Over the years, Ébacher served on the CCCB’s theology commission, the French Sector liturgy commission and as a member and chairman of the social affairs commission. He also chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse which published From Pain to Hope, which Smith described as “the first Catholic guidelines in the world to be published on preventing and responding to sexual abuse.”

Ébacher also served “whenever a Catholic bishop was needed to participate in ecumenical or social justice gatherings in Ottawa, or at special events organized by various government offices.”

Smith noted his “impressive witness of humility and generosity,” and his stress on the importance of “communicating with his people and of being present to the local community.”

Lay representatives also praised the archbishop for his love and humble service to the people of the diocese.

Ébacher has spent 32 years in the episcopacy: he was first ordained bishop of Hauterive (now part of the Baie-Comeau diocese) in 1979, and then elected bishop of Baie-Comeau in 1986. He has served the Gatineau archdiocese since 1988.

He was ordained a priest in 1961 to the Amos diocese.