The late Bishop Louis E. Gelineau remembered as 'The People's Bishop' at his funeral Mass

PROVIDENCE — On Saturday, Nov. 16, the Diocese of Providence bid farewell to Bishop Louis E. Gelineau during a Mass of Christian Burial at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul.
Many bishops, clergy and religious, including many senior priests who had served under Bishop Gelineau, were in attendance, as well as Archbishop Richard G. Henning, archbishop of Boston and former bishop of Providence, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, bishop emeritus of Providence, Bishop Robert C. Evans, former auxiliary bishop of Providence, Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester, who served as Auxiliary Bishop of Providence, and Bishop Salvatore R. Matano of Rochester, who was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Providence.
Bishop Evans celebrated the Rite of Reception and Solemn Office of the Dead, with a silent visitation period following. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne, metropolitan archbishop of Hartford.
Msgr. Albert A. Kenney, diocesan administrator, welcomed all to the cathedral and offered his condolences to all those mourning the loss of Bishop Gelineau. He read aloud a letter from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who conveyed the condolence and prayers of the Holy Father, Pope Francis.
“In acknowledging his many years of episcopal ministry to the church in Providence, characterized by his zeal of the spread of the Gospel, as well as care for the poor and needy, His Holiness Pope Francis entrusts the late bishop’s soul to the loving mercy of Jesus Christ, the good shepherd,” Msgr. Kenney read.
Archbishop Conye expressed that it was an honor to celebrate the funeral for the repose of the soul of Bishop Gelineau.
Gesturing to the empty cathedra, Archbishop Conye said, “We also continue to pray for the next bishop who will take that chair and serve you well, as we lay one of the bishops that have served you so well to rest.”
In his homily, Bishop Evans emphasized how Bishop Gelineau’s leadership style had a strong emphasis on maintaining a close relationship with the people, noting how this was seen in Bishop Gelineau’s choice to include a quote from the Second Vatican Council in the booklet published on the occasion of his episcopal consecration. This described a bishop as a “father” and “pastor” who “stand[s] in the midst of his people as one who serves.” Bishop Evans shared examples from the life and ministry of Bishop Gelineau that exemplified his episcopate.
“We cannot forget that the essential mission of a bishop is to be an apostle,” he said, summarizing the attitude of Bishop Gelineau, noting how the latter balanced the administrative and material needs of the diocese with a strong emphasis on the spiritual life. “Yes, he must be aware of the material needs of his diocesan family … I knew Bishop Gelineau to be a man of profound prayer and enormous self-discipline.”
Bishop Evans noted that Bishop Gelineau was profoundly shaped by the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which he saw as being rooted in a desire to carry out its mission in a manner anchored in mercy and awareness of the spiritual needs of her people.
“Never was there a moment when he did not live his priesthood proudly and joyfully.”
Deacon Robert Lafond, and his wife Diane, were close personal friends of Bishop Gelineau.
“We treated him like he was our father,” said Deacon Lafond, who first came to know the late bishop when Diane worked as a receptionist at St. Antoine.
For the last 10-15 years, the couple helped Bishop Gelineau with his books and even took him to visit his friend, Bishop Matano in Rochester, N.Y.
“He was a great man, we enjoyed helping him,” Deacon Lafond said.
He credits Bishop Gelineau for him becoming a deacon in 2013. And he is grateful for all the support that the late bishop gave to him when he was being treated with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma with three classes to go in the diaconate program at Providence College.
“He offered a Mass at my house with all the deacon candidates,” he recalled, and when his treatments ended, Bishop Gelineau returned to the Lafond home with the candidates to offer a Mass of Thanksgiving.
“We developed a great friendship,” he said.
Many of those present at his funeral shared their memories of the late bishop.
“He was a people’s bishop,” said David Lachapelle, a parishioner at St. Therese’s Shrine in Nasonville. “He loved people. He loved to be with people. His ministry was people.”
“People were always the center of the church,” said Lisa Gelineau, niece of the late bishop, describing the spiritual and pastoral attitude of her uncle. “If we ever sat and watched television and there was something about the church, he would say, ‘These people don’t get it. The congregation is the church. That’s the whole center of the thing.’ He would just be so appalled by all of the politics and the gossip about something going on in the church. … People were really important to him.”
Many noted how this was demonstrated in a firm adherence to church teaching and his episcopal mission. This is reflected in the words of Sister Grace, a consecrated virgin for the Diocese of Providence who made her vows under Bishop Gelineau. When asked what she saw as the biggest lesson to be learned from the life and ministry of Bishop Gelineau, she responded simply, “Faithfulness.”
Born in 1928 in Burlington, Vermont, Bishop Gelineau was raised in a devout Catholic family. He received most of his education through Catholic schools and was ordained a priest in 1954.
Bishop Gelineau spent most of his early ecclesiastical career serving the Diocese of Burlington before being appointed the Bishop of Providence in 1971. Ordained to the episcopate on January 26, 1972, Bishop Gelineau would serve in that role for the next 25 years until his retirement in 1997. In the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council, Bishop Gelineau served as bishop during a time of much change in the Church. As a result, he quickly became known for his ability to steer the Church in the right direction during this often tumultuous time, coupling a pastoral approach to leadership with a desire to speak the truths of the Catholic faith boldly.

To watch a recording of the Funeral of Most Reverend Louis E. Gelineau, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Providence, visit www.provd.io/gelineau.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Priest Retirement Fund, One Cathedral Square, Providence, RI 02903 or via www.srpriestri.com.