Cardinals

Thomas Cardinal Collins

His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins was born and raised in Guelph, Ontario. He is the only son and the youngest of three siblings.

In 1969 he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (in English) from St. JeromeCollege in Waterloo. In 1973 he obtained two degrees, a Master of Arts (in English) from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Theology from St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. That same year he was ordained to the priesthood on 5 May 1973 in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Hamilton, by the Most Reverend Paul Reding.

While studying in Rome, specializing in Sacred Scripture with special focus on the Book of Revelation, he received his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Bible Institute in 1978 and a Doctorate in Theology from the Gregorian University in 1986.

After holding various academic appointments, he was named Coadjutor Bishop of Saint- Paul, Alberta, on 25 March 1997, and became Bishop of Saint-Paul on 30 June 1997. Two years later, on 18 February 1999, he was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Edmonton, and installed as Archbishop of Edmonton on 13 September 1999. In 2001 he was  named Apostolic Administrator of Saint-Paul, and served as Archbishop of Edmonton and Apostolic Administrator of Saint-Paul until he was named Archbishop of Toronto on 16 December 2006. He was installed as Archbishop of Toronto on 30 January 2007.

On 6 January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI announced that Archbishop Collins would be elevated to the College of Cardinals. He was created Cardinal on 18 February 2012 during the Consistory in Rome. Thomas Cardinal Collins is the fourth Cardinal in the history of the Archdiocese of Toronto and the 16th in the history of Canada.

Cardinal Collins has been a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) since being ordained Bishop on 14 May 1997. As Archbishop of Toronto he is an ex officio member of the CCCB Permanent Council, Chancellor of the University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto, and Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, also in Toronto. He is the Chair of the Board of Governors of St. Augustine’s Seminary, and Chair of the Board of Directors of Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary, both of which are also in Toronto. In 2008, he was elected President of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario.

Cardinal Collins has served as a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, as well as being named by the Holy Father as a member of the 2010 Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East. He has assisted the Holy Father as an Apostolic Visitor in Ireland and is the Delegate of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith for Anglicanorum Coetibus. He also serves on a committee of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy that assists in preparing English-language translations of liturgical texts.