Pope Leo XIV Accepted the Resignation of Serge Poitras, Bishop of Timmins, and Appointed the Very Rev. Fr. Roch Martin, as the New Bishop - in Canada

Navigation Episcopal Resignation and Appointment for the Diocese of Timmins 

On May 1, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Serge Poitras, Bishop of Timmins, and appointed the Very Rev. Fr. Roch Martin, presently Vicar General of the Diocese of Sault St. Marie, as the new Bishop of Timmins.

Rev. Roch Martin

Born on 26 September 1964, in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Bishop-elect Roch Martin completed his secondary studies at École secondaire Franco-Cité in Sturgeon Falls (1978–1983). He pursued university studies at Laurentian University in Sudbury and at the University of Sudbury, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (1983–1986). He continued his formation at the Saint Paul University in Ottawa, completing the Bachelor of Theology (1986–1988). Before completing his seminary studies, he taught in southwestern Ontario (1989–1993) after obtaining his teaching certificate following the Bachelor of Education. He holds a Master’s of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Saint Paul University and the University of Ottawa (1993–1995).

He was ordained to the diaconate on 6 August 1995, at St-Joseph Parish in Chelmsford by the Most Rev. Jean-Louis Plouffe, Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie, where he also received his first diaconal assignment. His priestly ordination took place on 10 November 1995, at Sacré-Cœur Parish in Sturgeon Falls, again by Bishop Plouffe.

His pastoral ministry has unfolded across numerous parishes in the Greater Sudbury area. He began as an associate pastor at St-Joseph Parish, Chelmsford (1995–1997), then served as Pastor of Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci (Coniston), St. Marc (Markstay), and Notre-Dame-de-la-Rivière (Wahnapitae) until 2000. He was then appointed Pastor in solidum of St-Dominique, St-Augustin, and L’Annonciation in Sudbury, assuming pastoral responsibility for these parishes until 2001.

From 2001 to 2012, he served as Pastor of St-Jacques Parish in Hanmer, followed by Sainte-Anne-des-Pins Parish in Sudbury (2012–2014), and then returned to St-Joseph Parish, Chelmsford (2014–2019). He continued his ministry at St-Jean-de-Brébeuf Parish, Sudbury (2019–2021), and was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie on 1 August 2021.

Bishop Poitras

Bishop Poitras was born on 27 May 1949 in Jonquière, Quebec. After studying in Chicoutimi and Quebec City, he was ordained to the priesthood on 27 May 1973 for the Diocese of Chicoutimi. He holds a Master’s of Theology from Laval University, Quebec City, and a Doctorate of Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.

During his ministry as a priest, Bishop Poitras served the Cathedral parish of Chicoutimi as an assistant pastor, the Chicoutimi minor seminary as a professor, and the diocesan centre, where he was responsible for pastoral ministry with students. From 1990 to 2000, he taught at the Grand Séminaire de Montréal, where he was a member of the formation team and Director of Studies from 1998 to 2000. During this time, he also provided pastoral assistance to several Montreal parishes.

On 21 August 2000, he was appointed French-language secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature to Canada. In 2003, he was the chaplain for the Holy Father, Saint John Paul II. The Holy Father subsequently named him Adjunct Under Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops on 29 December 2010. Appointed Bishop of Timmins on 10 November 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, he was ordained to the episcopate on 27 December 2012.

As a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Bishop Poitras served on the Commission épiscopale de liturgie et des sacrements (French Sector) from 2014 to 2017, at which point he became the Chairman of the Commission. From 2017 to 2025, he also represented the CCCB at the Commission épiscopale francophone pour les traductions liturgiques. In 2019 he served as a member of the Comité épiscopal ad hoc pour l’élaboration de la prochaine Ratio de langue française (Programme de formation des prêtres). In 2018 he was the CCCB episcopal coordinator to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. In 2020 he became a member of the Episcopal Commission for Doctrine.

Diocese of Timmins

The Diocese of Timmins has 26 parishes and missions. Its Catholic population of 49,000 is served by 16 diocesan priests, 7 priests in consecrated life, 8 permanent deacons, one woman in consecrated life, as well as three officially mandated lay pastoral agents.

CCCB Release