Chatlain succeeds Archbishop Sylvain Lavoie, who stepped down in July due to health reasons. Fr. William Stang, OMI, has been apostolic administrator of the archdiocese since then.

Announcing the new assignment Dec. 6, the Vatican said the Pope had asked Chatlain to remain as apostolic administrator of Mackenzie-Fort Smith until a new bishop is named.

Chatlain, who will turn 50 in January, was born in Saskatoon and earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Saskatchewan before entering St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ont.

Ordained a priest for the diocese of Saskatoon in 1987, he ministered at parishes in the diocese as well as parishes in northern Saskatchewan that are part of the diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith.

Pope Benedict named him coadjutor bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith in 2007 and he became bishop of the diocese a year later. Since 2008, he has been a member of the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas has 45 parishes and missions, with a Catholic population of 37,380. It is served by four diocesan priests, 11 religious-order priests and seven religious women.