Rev. Richard Lamoureux, A.A. native of Worcester and both an administrator and faculty member at Assumption College, has been chosen by the General Chapter of the Augustinians of the Assumption to lead that organization as its Superior General.
The election was held on May 11, as forty-six Assumptionist delegates from 15 countries assembled in Rome, Italy to assess the Congregation's needs and future orientations. This meeting of the General Chapter occurs every six years. One of the agenda items was the election of a Superior General and four council members who will guide the world-wide Assumptionist family on its future course.
Rev. Lamoureux is only the second American elected to this position in the entire history of the Assumptionists Order, which was founded in 1850 by Fr. Emmauel d'Alzon. Rev. Lamoureux succeeds the Very Rev. Claude Maréchal who completed his second, 6 year term. The first American Superior General was Rev. Wilfrid Dufault, A.A., presently Chancellor of Assumption College in Worcester, MA.
Born on September 3, 1942 in Worcester, MA, Fr. Lamoureux quickly came to know the Assumptionists and attended both Assumption High School and Assumption College. From these two institutions his interest for religious life and for education grew. Father entered the Assumptionist novitiate in 1962, made his final religious profession in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1971.
Father Lamoureux has devoted most of life to higher education. After studies in philosophy in Belgium and theory in Rome and Boston, he taught history of art as Assumption College, specializing in architecture and Renaissance period.
From 1984 to 1990, Fr. Lamoureux was provincial Superior of the North American Province. In 1990 he became Academic Dean at Assumption College until 1996.
Rev. Lamoureux over-arching priority as Superior General will be "to refine the notion of 'mission' in the modern world. The Assumptionst's fundamental role" he stated, "is to proclaim the Kingdom of God in terms that can be understood by the average person. That is what I like about our Congregation- this effort to communicate in a language that is understood; to know the world in order to discover how to communicate with that world and to reveal the Gospel message."