Contact: Dick & Diane Baumbach, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, 321-544-3440, dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net 

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Jan. 9, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The leadership of Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith based marriage enrichment program, announced today the passing of Fr. Gerry Bolduc, O.M.I., a longtime Worldwide Marriage Encounter priest who held many leadership roles in the movement, including U.S. leadership priest and a member of the WWME World Council.

"Another giant of our WWME ministry has gone home to rest.  Our dear Fr. Gerry Bolduc passed away Tuesday morning, Jan. 7th, 2014 having never fully recovered from open heart surgery just before Christmas., said Ron and Judy Pekny and Fr. Rocky Grimard, O.M.I., the WWME United States Leadership Team.  "Fr. Gerry epitomized the term 'larger-than-life' -- in his words, his actions, his determination, his overwhelming love for couples, his passionate commitment to Worldwide Marriage Encounter, his love of life (in both its sweet and sorrowful moments), and the heartfelt joy he experienced in simply being our priest," they added. 

"While we have a sadness thinking of the passing of Fr. Gerry we are also filled with hope and love as we know that he is with the Lord in Heaven and is joining other saints, like Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J., the priest considered the founder of Worldwide Marriage Encounter," said Scott & Karen Seaborn and Fr. Tom Ogg, the WWME North American Leadership Team.

Fr. Bolduc attended a Marriage Encounter weekend in the late 1970s and after that became very involved in the movement.  He held various leadership roles including being the leadership priest for the Southwest in the early 1990s and later held the same role in the Southeast in the latter part of the 2000s.  He was selected as part of the U.S. Leadership team from 1998 to 2001.   He also presented just short of 500 Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends during his tenure with the movement.

Fr. Bolduc was 72 when he passed away in St. Louis. His funeral will be held Friday, Jan. 10th at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL.  A viewing will be at 10:00 am followed by a funeral Mass at 11:30 am at the Shrine.  Burial will take place later in his home state of Maine.

In addition to Fr. Bolduc's involvement with WWME he served in various roles with the Oblates including pastoral assignments in Maine.  He served as chaplain at the Men's Correctional Center in South Windham, ME.  He was the pastoral assistant at the Bureau of Human Relations in Portland, ME.  He served as chaplain for the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY, the Federal Correctional Facilities in El Reno, OK, the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, MN, and the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, NJ.  He did vocation work for the Missionary Oblates and was the Director of Pastoral Formation for Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI.

Most recently, Fr. Bolduc held parish assignments at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Calumet, OK, and in Florida at both St. John Fisher Parish in West Palm Beach and St. Phillip Church in Opa Locka.  He retired at St. Henry's Oblate Residence in Belleville, IL, where he resided at the time of his death.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Juliette, nee Pepin, Bolduc; and a sister, Doris Morin.  He is survived by his sister, Murielle, and her husband, Harold Parks, of Gorham, ME.

Memorial donations may be made to either Worldwide Marriage Encounter or the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other.  It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today's world.  To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online, go to wwme.org, or contact the WWME Office at (909) 863-9963.