Coadjutor Bishop Named for Diocese of Saint Paul in Alberta

Tuesday, March 25 1997

OTTAWA — (CCCB) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today appointed Father Thomas Christopher Collins as Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Paul. At present, Father Collins is Rector of St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. Bishop-elect Collins will assist the current Bishop of St. Paul, the Most Reverend Raymond Roy.

Bishop-elect Collins was born in Guelph, Ontario on January 16, 1947 and was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Hamilton on May 5, 1973. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Waterloo University in 1969; a Master of Arts in English from the University of Western Ontario in and a Bachelor of Theology degree from Saint Peter’s Seminary, both in 1973; a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome in 1978, and a Doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University in Rome in 1986.

Bishop-elect Collins served as Assistant Pastor, Holy Rosary Parish in Burlington, Ontario from 1973 to 1974, and Assistant Pastor at Christ the King Cathedral in Hamilton, Ontario from 1974 to 1975. He was Professor of Sacred Scripture and Dogmatic Theology at St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario from 1978 until 1997, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Vice-Rector from 1992 to 1995 and became Rector in 1995.

The Diocese of Saint Paul has a Catholic population of 53,365 in 80 parishes and missions and is served by 34 priests and 74 religious.