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List of Roman Catholic archbishops of Toronto

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Archbishop of Toronto
Archbishopric
catholic
Shield topped by a mitre, featuring a red and white diamond-shaped field charged with the spear and shaft of St. Michael impaling a dragon's head
Coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Toronto
Incumbent:
Frank Leo
since February 11, 2023
Information
First holder
Established
  • 1841 (bishopric)
  • 1870 (archbishopric)
ArchdioceseToronto
CathedralSt. Michael's Cathedral Basilica
Website
Official website

The archbishop of Toronto is the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, responsible for looking after its spiritual and administrative needs. As the archdiocese is the metropolitan see of the ecclesiastical province that encompasses Southern Ontario and part of Northwestern Ontario in Canada, the archbishop also administers the bishops who head the suffragan dioceses of Hamilton, London, Saint Catharines, and Thunder Bay.[1] The current archbishop is Frank Leo.

The archdiocese began as the Diocese of Toronto, which was created on December 17, 1841.[2][3] Michael Power was appointed its first bishop, and under his reign the construction of St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica in Toronto commenced, with Power himself laying the cornerstone of the new church.[3][4] On March 18, 1870,[A] the diocese was elevated to the status of archdiocese by Pope Pius IX while the First Vatican Council was in session. John Joseph Lynch became the first archbishop of the newly-formed metropolitan see,[3][6][7] and received the pallium during his sojourn in Rome to attend the council.[7]

Ten men have been Archbishop of Toronto; another two were the bishop of its predecessor diocese. Four archbishops – James McGuigan, Gerald Emmett Carter, Aloysius Ambrozic, and Thomas Christopher Collins – were elevated to the College of Cardinals.[8] Power, the first ordinary of the archdiocese, was also the first English-speaking bishop to be born in Canada.[9] Denis O'Connor, whose episcopacy spanned from 1899 to 1908, was the first archbishop born in Ontario.[10] When McGuigan was raised to cardinal in 1946, he became the first anglophone cardinal from Canada,[10][11] as well as the first cardinal from the archdiocese.[12] He also had the longest tenure as Archbishop of Toronto, serving for 36 years from 1934 to 1971, while Fergus McEvay held the position for three years (1908–1911), marking the shortest archiepiscopacy.[9]

List of ordinaries

[edit]
A bespectacled man holding a crosier in his left hand and wearing a mitre and liturgical vestments faces forward
John Joseph Lynch was the last bishop of Toronto and its first archbishop.
A seated and wearing a cassock, ferraiolone and biretta faces forward
James McGuigan became Canada's first English-speaking cardinal in 1946.
Key
‡ Denotes archbishop who was elevated to the College of Cardinals
CM Congregation of the Mission
CSB Congregation of St. Basil
PSS Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice

Bishops of Toronto

[edit]
Bishops
From Until Incumbent Notes Ref(s)
1841 1847 Michael Power Appointed on December 17, 1841. First English-speaking bishop to be born in Canada. Died on October 1, 1847. [13]
1850 1860 Armand-François-Marie de Charbonnel, PSS Appointed on March 15, 1850. Resigned on April 29, 1860, and returned to France. Died on March 29, 1891. [14]
1860 1870 John Joseph Lynch, CM Coadjutor bishop[B] from 1859 to 1860. [17]

Archbishops of Toronto

[edit]
Archbishops
From Until Incumbent Notes Ref(s)
1870 1888 John Joseph Lynch, CM Became the first Archbishop of Toronto on March 18, 1870. Died on May 12, 1888. [17]
1889 1898 John Walsh Appointed on August 13, 1889. Died on July 30, 1898. [18]
1899 1908 Denis O'Connor, CSB Appointed on January 7, 1899. Resigned on May 4, 1908. Died on June 30, 1911. [19]
1908 1911 Fergus McEvay Appointed on April 13, 1908. Died on May 10, 1911. [20]
1912 1934 Neil McNeil Appointed on April 10, 1912. Died on May 25, 1934. [21]
1934 1971 James McGuigan‡ Appointed on December 22, 1934. Elevated to cardinal on February 18, 1946. Retired on March 30, 1971, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. Died on April 8, 1974. [11]
1971 1978 Philip Pocock Coadjutor archbishop from 1961 to 1971. Resigned on April 27, 1978. Died on September 6, 1984 [22]
1978 1990 Gerald Emmett Carter‡ Appointed on April 27, 1978. Elevated to cardinal on June 30, 1979. Retired on March 17, 1990, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. Died on April 6, 2003. [23][24]
1990 2006 Aloysius Ambrozic‡ Auxiliary bishop from 1976 to 1986. Coadjutor archbishop from 1986 to 1990. Elevated to cardinal on February 18, 1998. Retired on December 16, 2006, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. Died on August 26, 2011. [25][26]
2007 2023 Thomas Christopher Collins‡ Appointed on December 16, 2006. Elevated to cardinal on February 18, 2012. Retired on February 11, 2023, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. [27][28]
2023 present Francis Leo Appointed on February 11, 2023. [29][30]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The Archdiocese maintains that the date of its elevation was March 18.[3][5] On the other hand, the Dictionary of Canadian Biography states the date as March 15,[6] while Encyclopedia.com lists March 25.[7]
  2. ^ Under the Code of Canon Law, the coadjutor bishop has the right of succession (cum jure successionis) upon the death, retirement or resignation of the diocesan bishop he is assisting.[15][16]

References

[edit]

General

  • "Past Ordinaries". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.

Specific

  1. ^ "Proposal would increase power of archbishops in dealing with sex abuse". The Catholic Register. Toronto. December 14, 2018. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020. Cardinal Archbishop Thomas Collins of the Archdiocese of Toronto heads an ecclesiastical province which includes the dioceses of St. Catharines, London, Hamilton and Thunder Bay.
  2. ^ "Solemn Mass for the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Toronto". Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. May 29, 2017. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Timeline". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  4. ^ Choquette, Robert (1988). "Power, Michael". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. 7. University of Toronto / Université Laval. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "About Us". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Humphries, Charles W. (1982). "Lynch, John Joseph". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. 11. University of Toronto / Université Laval. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c "Lynch, John Joseph". Columbia Encyclopedia (6th ed.). Columbia University Press. 2000. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  8. ^ "Canadian cardinals: 1886–2012". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. January 6, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "From Bishops Power to Collins, 175 years of faithful leadership". The Catholic Register. Toronto. May 25, 2017. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Chief shepherds helped forge Catholic Toronto". The Catholic Register. Toronto. February 5, 2007. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "His Eminence, James Charles Cardinal McGuigan". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  12. ^ Gerard, Warren (July 2, 1979). Newman, Peter C. (ed.). "A prince of the church takes his pew". Maclean's. Vol. 92, no. 27. Toronto. p. 44. Archived from the original on April 25, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2020. James Cardinal McGuigan was Toronto's first cardinal.
  13. ^ "Most Reverend Michael Power". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  14. ^ "Most Reverend Armand-François-Marie de Charbonnel, P.S.S." Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  15. ^ Van Hove, A. (1913). "Bishop". In Charles George Herbermann (ed.). The Original Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. Robert Appleton Company. p. 581. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  16. ^ Agnew, Paddy; McGarry, Patsy (May 5, 2012). "Vatican may appoint bishop to aid Brady". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on May 6, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  17. ^ a b "Most Reverend John Joseph Lynch, C.M." Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  18. ^ "Most Reverend John Walsh". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  19. ^ "Most Reverend Denis O'Connor, C.S.B." Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  20. ^ "Most Reverend Fergus Patrick McEvay". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  21. ^ "Most Reverend Neil McNeil". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  22. ^ "Most Reverend Philip Francis Pocock". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  23. ^ "His Eminence, Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  24. ^ "Carter Card. Gerald Emmett". Holy See Press Office. Holy See. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  25. ^ "His Eminence, Aloysius Matthew Cardinal Ambrozic". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  26. ^ "Ambrozic Card. Aloysius Matthew". Holy See Press Office. Holy See. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  27. ^ "His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  28. ^ "Collins Card. Thomas Christopher". Holy See Press Office. Holy See. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  29. ^ "Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Frank Leo as Archbishop of Toronto". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  30. ^ Braun, Liz (March 25, 2023). "Most Rev. Francis Leo installed as Toronto's new Archbishop". Toronto Sun. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
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