Pierre Goursat and brother Albert, wedding of Guy and Isabelle de la Barthe, 1986
(© Emmanuel Community)

Pierre Goursat and brother Albert, encounter of the community, 1990
(© Emmanuel Community)

BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF FRANCE
THE DEATH IS ANNOUNCED OF BISHOP ALBERT-MARIE DE MONLÉON,o.p.,
BISHOP EMERITUS OF MEAUX

Bishop Albert-Marie de Monléon, Bishop Emeritus of Meaux died in his 83rd year on Monday, 29th April 2019. Born on 20th January 1937 in Paris, Bishop Albert-Marie de Monléon made his profession in the Dominican Order on 29th September 1958 before being ordained priest on 5th July 1964 at the Dominican Convent at Saulchoir. Bishop de Monléon was a member of the Dominican Centre for Ecumenical Studies ISTINA in Paris from 1966 to 1988 and chaplain of the équipes Saint-Dominique (teams of Saint Dominic) from 1968 to 1980. He was also founder and leader of the Weeks of Prayer for Priests in Cluny between 1983 and 1990.

Bishop de Monléon participated in the beginnings of the Charismatic Renewal in France in 1972 and was the Spiritual Assistant of the Emmanuel Community and the Fraternity of Jesus between 1972 and 1988. In 1983, he became responsible for the priests and seminarians of the Emmanuel Community, a position he held until 1988. From 1972, Bishop de Monléon was the spiritual companion of Pierre Goursat, founder of the Emmanuel Community and the Fraternity of Jesus, until the death of the latter in 1991.

On 5th August 1988, Pope Saint John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Pamiers (Ariège), a position he held until 1999. In parallel with his position as Bishop of Pamiers, Bishop de Monléon was appointed by the Pontifical Council for the Laity to be, from 1990 to 2007, Spiritual Adviser to the Catholic Fraternity – the International Fraternity of Catholic Communities of the Charismatic Renewal. In 1999, Bishop de Monléon was appointed Bishop of Meaux, a position he held until his retirement in 2012.

Between 2008 and 2019, Bishop de Monléon was coordinator for France of the Congress of Mercy and was one of the founders of the World Congresses of Mercy.

Within the Bishops’ Conference of France, Bishop de Monléon was, in addition to his other functions, a member of the Episcopal Commission for Migrants from 1988 to 1990 and a member of the Episcopal Commission for the Liturgy and the Sacraments from 1991 to1996 before becoming its President between 1997 and 2005. Finally, he was a member of the Doctrinal Commission from 2006 to 2011.

At the Vatican, Bishop de Monléon was a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments between 1999 and 2005.

The funeral of Bishop Albert-Marie de Monléon will take place at 10:30 am on Saturday, 4th May in the Cathedral at Meaux.

Bibliography: Jésus-Christ est Seigneur (Mame, 1980), Charismes et ministères (DDB, 1995), Rendez témoignage (Mame, 1998), Miséricorde, bonheur pour l’homme (Lethielleux, 2011), Sur les pas du Christ (Parole et Silence, 2014), Au cœur de la Miséricorde (Parole et Silence, 2015).
Collective works: l’Esprit Saint, international Catholic review COMMUNIO XI, January-February 1986 – Eurocatéchèse pour le Jubilé (Nouvelle Cité, 1999) – Miséricorde, approches pastorales et interreligieuses (Parole et Silence, 2009) –, Bienheureux Jean-Paul II Documents Episcopat n°4, 2011 – Oser le défi de la réconciliation (Parole et Silence, 2014) – La Miséricorde, doctrinal session of the Bishops of France n° 9/10, 2016 – La Miséricorde aux périphéries (Parole et Silence, 2017).