James was born at Whycocomagh, Cape Breton in 1925. He studied at St. Joseph’s College in Memramcook and joined the Congregation of the Holy Cross. Following studies at Holy Cross Seminary in Montreal he was ordained in 1953 at Woodstock, Ontario.

After serving awhile on the mission band Father MacDonald was superior of the Holy Cross Seminary at Memramcook and of the Holy Cross House ofStudies in Fredericton. He then was pastor for a number ofyears at St. Michael’s in Waterloo, Ontario.

In 1978 Father MacDonald was named Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton, Ontario and four years later was appointed Bishop of Charlottetown, being installed here in October, 1982. On the Island he followed a brisk pace of pastoral activities, including the introduction of the RCIA process to the diocese. He also launched GIFF (giving in faith together), a very successful six million dollar financial campaign for the diocese. During his time here, a bishop's residence was purchased at York Point, leaving the former one on North River Road to become a diocesan office complex.

In 1991 Bishop MacDonald was appointed Archbishop ofSt.John’s, Newfoundland and after a busy ten years there he retired in 2001 and now lives in Windsor, Ontario.

Bishop Vernon Fougere (1992 , )

Vernon is a native of Petit de Orat, Cape Breton and was born in 1943. After graduating from St. F.X. University he studied

40 a» OUR BISHOPS

at the Grand Seminary of Montreal and was

ordained in 1969 at Antigonish.

Father Fougere served his first three years as parish assistant at Mount Carmel parish, New Waterford and the next three as pastor at Louisdale. From 1975 to 1982 he was a member ofthe Antigonish diocesan missionary team in Honduras.

Following the missions he took further theological studies at the University of California. In 1984 he became parish priest at Bras d’Or and in 1988 he was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Antigonish, Director of Pastoral Services for the diocese and pastor of St. Augustine’s Parish, Sydney.

In December, 1991 Father Fougere was appointed Bishop of Charlottetown, being