Most Reverend Yvan Mathieu, S.M.
Bishop Yvan Mathieu, S.M. has spent his life helping people encounter the living Word of God. A Marist priest from Québec City, he has a gift for making Scripture come alive.
Ordained in 1987, Bishop Mathieu has taught at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, served in parish ministry, preached retreats, and contributed to liturgical and homiletical publications. Before his episcopal appointment, he was Provincial Superior of the Canadian Marist Fathers. Pope Francis appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa–Cornwall in March 2022.
Those who meet Bishop Mathieu are often struck by his warmth and down-to-earth presence. He brings the heart of a pastor and the clarity of a teacher, helping people discover how God’s Word speaks to them.
Formal Biography
The Most Reverend Yvan Mathieu was born in Québec City in 1961. After attending the Marist Fathers’ school (le Séminaire des Pères Maristes) in Sillery, Quebec, where he graduated in 1976, and the Petit Séminaire de Québec, where he did post-secondary studies, he entered the Society of Mary’s Novitiate (Marist Fathers) in Washington, D.C., in 1979. He made his first vows on July 31, 1980. From 1980 to 1984, he studied at Saint Paul University in Ottawa where he graduated with a Bachelor and a Master’s degree in Theology. In 1984 and 1985, Bishop Mathieu studied at Laval University and obtained a teaching degree as well as a teaching certificate. He was ordained to the priesthood on August 15, 1987.
In 1989, he studied in Rome, at the Pontifical Biblical Institute where he graduated with a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture (SSL) in 1993. After two years of ministry in Québec City, from 1993 to 1995, he returned to Saint Paul University and studied under the direction of Father Marcel Dumais, O.M.I. In 2000, he graduated with a Doctorate in Theology specializing in Biblical Studies (Ph.D., D.Th.). His dissertation “La figure de Pierre dans l’œuvre de Luc (Évangile et Actes des Apôtres) : Une étude synchronique”, (the figure of Peter in the writings of Luke (Gospel and Acts): a synchronic study), was published in the scholarly biblical collection Études bibliques (Gabalda editors) in 2004.
Bishop Mathieu taught at the Marist Fathers’ school (le Séminaire des Pères Maristes) in Sillery from 1984 to 1989. Since 2000, he is a professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages in the Faculty of Theology at Saint Paul University. From July 2014 until December 2018, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Theology. Bishop Mathieu also serves in parishes on weekends, preaches retreats, gives conferences and collaborates with three homiletical reviews: Prions en Église, Vie liturgique and Feuillet biblique. He had been Provincial Superior of the Canadian Marist Priests since January 2019 when he was named Bishop by His Holiness.
On March 17, 2022, Pope Francis appointed Fr. Yvan Mathieu, S.M., Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa-Cornwall. He was ordained on June 13, 2022, at Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario.
Get to know the Bishop
How did you feel when you were appointed Bishop?
I had just celebrated my birthday the night before receiving a call from the Bishop. It really came as a surprise. I’m in my early 60s and I thought they’d choose someone younger.
It provoked some difficult discernment for me. I’m part of a small community, the Marist Fathers, and there’s only 22 of us in Canada; I worried it would feel like I was abandoning them. But in my prayer, I thought about Genesis 22 when Abraham is bringing his son to sacrifice. Isaac asks his father, “Where is the lamb?” and Abraham answers, “The Lord shall provide.”
That was the answer to my discernment. I was ready to say yes to the nomination. I trust in the Lord that my community will continue to grow.
How does Mary inspire your faith and leadership?
A Bishop is someone who looks after the church with love. To learn how to do that in a gentle way, and as a Marist Father, I look to Mary. My community has formed me to do everything as Mary would do. She will teach me to be gentle enough. My challenge is to ensure I am a Bishop according to God’s heart in the ways and the footpaths of Mary.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to read, particularly my favourite comic series Asterix and Obelix. I’m an action movie fan. I also like to exercise (even though I don’t look like someone who exercises a lot). I have a bike and I like to swim.
Coat of Arms
Scrolls: The two scrolls represent the Old and New Testaments, and allude to Bishop Mathieu’s work as a biblical scholar.
Colours: The colour blue, often associated with the Virgin Mary, refers to his membership in the congregation of the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers). For Bishop Mathieu, gold evokes divinity.
Stars: The star is a symbol of the Virgin Mary, the Nativity and the Epiphany. Numbering three, the stars allude to the Holy Trinity.
Motto: This Latin phrase, meaning “Do not be afraid,” evokes two important passages in the New Testament: when Joseph is urged to accept Mary into his home, and when Jesus calls Simon, the future Peter, to join his ministry.
Pray for Bishop Mathieu
Pray for a continued love for Christ, an obedience to his call, and opportunities to share him with others.
