In a decision that confirms its right to proactively reach out to victims of sexual abuse by priests, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst, N.B., has been awarded $3.4 million in a dispute with its insurance company.

QUEBEC CITY – As many Canadians mark National Acadian Day Aug. 15, the biggest Acadian diocese in the world is going through the greatest crisis in its history.

Cold waters, an overnight storm and countless jelly fish were not enough to slow down swimmer Marilyn Korzekwa during her historic three-province Atlantic Ocean swim to raise funds for the Good Shepherd in Hamilton, Ont.

For years the outdated library in the basement of the Bathurst diocesan offices saw more mice and rats than readers, said Bishop Daniel Jodoin. But when pipes burst during the spring thaw, new doors were opened to our nation’s past.

New Brunswick's Liberal government is removing restrictions to make access to abortion easier in the Maritime province. 

New Brunswick’s pro-life community plans to use the recent election of a pro-abortion Liberal government to reenergize efforts “to stand up for what is right.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Valery Vienneau of Bathurst, New Brunswick, to be the new archbishop of Moncton.

The Vatican announced June 15 that Pope Benedict had accepted the resignation of Archbishop Andre Richard, who will reach the usual retirement age of 75 June 30.

Archbishop Vienneau, 64, had led the Diocese of Bathurst since 2002.

Born in Cap-Pele, he earned degrees in philosophy and in education from the University of Moncton and taught in public schools for nine years. He later entered the seminary, studying in Ottawa, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1982 for the Archdiocese of Moncton.

He served in parish ministry and as a university chaplain until 2000, when he was appointed to lead a reorganization of several parishes and to train members of parish pastoral teams.

Archbishop Richard leaves the archdiocese after appointing former Supreme Court Judge Michel Bastarache to finish conducting a conciliation process with sexual abuse victims in the archdiocese within a year. The victims allegedly were abused by the late Father Camille Leger between 1957 and 1980. Father Leger, who died in 1990, was never convicted of any crimes.

Bastarache led a similar process with more than 90 sexual abuse victims in the Diocese of Bathurst in 2010. Nearly 80 of those victims chose to settle through the conciliation process.