After filling a variety of pastoral assignments, he spent the year 1989–90 studying clerical formation and then became rector of the major seminary of the Lausanne Diocese from 1990 to 1994.

[3] His tenure as episcopal vicar for the Canton of Vaud was marked by a longstanding dispute about personnel as the authorities with financial control did not support the staffing his pastoral program required.

[3] John Paul had made him a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in 2004,[5] and Pope Francis confirmed his membership for another five-year term in 2014.

[7] Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 18 September 2015, at the age of 69,[8] because of health problems linked to volcanic dust.

In retirement he lived in Jerusalem and spent part of the year accompanying pilgrimages.