Hello again, everyone! With today being May 20, Elder Gérald Caussé is observing his first apostolic birthday since his November 6, 2025, call and ordination to the apostleship. So it is time to share a birthday tribute to him, as he is observing his 63rd birthday today. Let's dive right into his extensive and impressive biography: Gérald Jéan Caussé was born on May 20, 1963, in Bordeaux, France, to Jean and Marie-Blanche Caussé. The missionaries found his parents a short time after Gérald was born.
His penchant for quick learning and voracious curiosity led to many early opportunities for young Gérald. At age 12, he was the pianist in Primary. Two years later, he became both the branch pianist and a counselor in the ward Sunday School organization. He also made ministering visits with his father to various people in their time of need, and he joined the missionaries often to teach people about the Gospel.
Gérald also found success in his educational endeavors. Following his graduation from high school, he rigorously prepared for entrance into any of the top universities in France, being determined to prioritize his faith and Church membership and activity. During his oral exams, which included an interview with panels of various universities, he was asked questions that directly led to him sharing more about his faith, and about what he believed, why he believed it, and how his beliefs had shaped his life.
After one such interview, one of the interviewers told him he had a friend who was a member of the Church, so he wanted to give Gérald a chance to answer questions about his faith and his commitment thereunto. He entered his university studies with honors. During the same period of time, Gérald renewed his acquaintance with Valérie Babin, a childhood friend. One day, during a choir practice, she was singing, and he was accompanying, and their eyes met in what they called "a second for all eternity". They were married in the Bern Switzerland Temple in 1986.
Upon his graduation from college, Gérald began a 7-year career in management consulting, successfully aiding many companies to avoid bankruptcy. He served as a counselor in a stake presidency during that time. When the time approached for the release of the stake presidency, both Gérald and Valérie discerned that he would be the new stake president, and Gérald sought (and obtained) a less demanding job that would free up his schedule for his new calling. He landed a new position with a family-friendly company just two days before he was sustained as the new stake president.
President Caussé served as stake president during a period of time when the Church was looking to procure a temple site in Paris. He chauffeured President Hinckley to several candidate sites over several trips to the region until they found and procured the site on which the Paris France Temple operates. In 2008, new Church President Thomas S. Monson called him to serve as a GA Seventy. Beginning the following August, he served in the Europe Area Presidency in Germany, first as a counselor, then as the area president. His two counselors, Elders Jose A. Teiexera and Erich W. Kopischke, spoke highly of him.
In 2012, with the release of the Presiding Bishopric planned, a new Presiding Bishopric was needed. Elder Caussé was called to serve alongside Presiding Bishop Gary E. Stevenson and Bishop Dean M. Davies. They served together for only 3.5 years, when Presiding Bishop Stevenson was called to the Quorum of the Twelve. Bishop Caussé succeeded him as the Presiding Bishop, serving as such for just over a decade. He was closely involved with the construction approvals for the Rome Italy and Paris France Temples.
And, as we know, on November 6, 2025, he was called to the apostleship. He is the first apostle born in France. Elder Caussé has spoken 9 times in General Conference: once as a GA Seventy, twice as First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, 5 times as Presiding Bishop, and, of course, once since his apostolic call. I know this overview has been quite extensive, but I hope it serves as a fitting tribute to the man who makes history as the first French apostle and brings a significant background in business and Church service to his role.
He, as all the other apostles do, has voluntarily pledged to serve the Lord to the best of his ability until his dying breath. And his life demonstrates that the Lord has well prepared him for this exact opportunity he now has. Given that I have always loved the French language, Elder Causse, as the first General Authority and now the first apostle born in France, has long been one of my favorite people in the top leadership tiers of the Church.
I gratefully testify that the Lord has called him, and that I fully sustain him in his new assignment and look forward to seeing what the Lord will do through him. I am grateful I could pay tribute to him here. I invite you all to stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples sites. I’ll be sure to pass word of those along to you all as soon as I learn about them. In the meantime, that does it for now.
All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as all such feedback is made per the established guidelines. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
