View source for Thomas Collins (cardinal)

{{Short description|Canadian Catholic cardinal (born 1947)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type             = cardinal
| honorific-prefix = [[His Eminence]]
| name             = Thomas Christopher Collins
| image            = Thomas Christopher Collins 2014.jpg
| honorific-suffix =
| title            = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]], [[Roman Catholic Archbishops of Toronto|Archbishop Emeritus of Toronto]]
| coat_of_arms     = 
| motto            = {{lang|la|Deum adora}}<br />('Worship God'; {{Bibleverse|Revelation|22:9}})
| caption          = Collins in February 2014
| province         = 
| diocese          = 
| see              = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto|Toronto]]
| term_start       = January 30, 2007
| ended            = February 11, 2023
| appointed        = December 16, 2006
| predecessor      = [[Aloysius Ambrozic]]
| successor        = [[Frank Leo]]
| other_post       = Cardinal-Priest of [[San Patrizio]]
| ordination       = May 5, 1973
| ordained_by      = [[Paul Francis Reding]]
| consecration     = May 14, 1997
| consecrated_by   = [[Anthony F. Tonnos|Anthony Frederick Tonnos]]
| cardinal         = February 18, 2012
| created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]]
| rank             = Cardinal-Priest
| previous_post    = {{unbulleted list|Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta (1997)|[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta|Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta]] (1997–1999)|Coadjutor Archbishop of Edmonton (1999)|[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton|Archbishop of Edmonton]] (1999–2006)|Apostolic Administrator of Saint Paul in Alberta (2001)}}
| birth_name       = Thomas Christopher Collins
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1947|1|16}}
| birth_place      = [[Guelph]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| religion         = Roman Catholic
| residence        = 
| parents          = 
| education        = [[Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School|Bishop Macdonell High School]] ([[Ontario Secondary School Diploma|OSSD]])
| alma_mater       = {{plainlist|
* [[St. Jerome's University|St. Jerome College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
* [[University of Western Ontario]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])
* [[St. Peter's Seminary (Diocese of London, Ontario)|St. Peter's Seminary]] ([[Bachelor of Theology|BTh]])
}}
| signature        = 
}}
{{Infobox cardinal styles
| cardinal name = Thomas Christopher Collins
| dipstyle      = His Eminence
| offstyle      = Your Eminence
| relstyle      = His Eminence
| image         = Coat of arms of Thomas Christopher Collins.svg
| image_size    = 200px
| deathstyle    = 
| See           = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto|Toronto]]
}}
{{Ordination
| ordained deacon by =
| date of diaconal ordination = May 14, 1972
| place of diaconal ordination =
| ordained priest by = [[Paul Francis Reding]] ([[Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton, ON]] aux.)
| date of priestly ordination = May 5, 1973
| place of priestly ordination =
| consecrated by      = [[Anthony F. Tonnos|Anthony Frederick Tonnos]] (Hamilton, ON)
| co-consecrators     = [[Raymond Roy]] ([[Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta|St Paul, AB]]); [[John Michael Sherlock]] ([[Roman Catholic Diocese of London, Ontario|London, ON]])
| date of consecration = May 14, 1997
| place of consecration = 
| elevated by         = [[Pope Benedict XVI]]
| date of elevation   = 18 February 2012
| bishop 1            = [[Joseph Luc André Bouchard]]
| consecration date 1 = November 9, 2001
| bishop 2            = [[Vincent Nguyên Manh Hieu|Vincent Nguyên]]
| consecration date 2 = January 13, 2010
| bishop 3            = [[Wayne Joseph Kirkpatrick]]
| consecration date 3 = July 25, 2012
}}

'''Thomas Christopher Collins''' (born January 16, 1947) is a Canadian [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] of the Catholic Church. He was the [[Roman Catholic Archbishops of Toronto|Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto]] from 2007 to 2023, the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta|Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta]] from 1997 to 1999, and [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton|Archbishop of Edmonton]] from 1999 to 2006. He was elevated to the rank of Cardinal by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] on February 18, 2012.

==Early life and education==
Collins was born in [[Guelph]], Ontario, the son of George Collins, circulation manager of ''[[Guelph Mercury|The Guelph Mercury]]'', and his wife, Juliana ({{nee}} Keen), a [[legal secretary]].<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/amp/news/insight/2012/02/10/toronto_archbishop_thomas_collins_being_a_christian_isnt_for_sissies.html "Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins: 'Being a Christian isn't for sissies'"], thestar.com. Accessed April 24, 2022.</ref> He has two older sisters. As a child, he was an [[altar server]] at the [[Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate|Our Lady Immaculate Church]]. He attended St. Stanislaw's Elementary School and [[Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School|Bishop Macdonell High School]],<ref name=swan>{{cite news | last= Swan | first = Michael |url = https://www.catholicregister.org/item/13845-from-humble-beginnings-thomas-collins-rises-to-cardinal | title =From humble beginnings Collins will rise to cardinal | newspaper =The Catholic Register | date= February 12, 2012 | url-status = live | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210512181330/https://www.catholicregister.org/item/13845-from-humble-beginnings-thomas-collins-rises-to-cardinal | archive-date= May 12, 2021 }}</ref> where he was inspired by one of his English teachers to join the priesthood.

After earning a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in English from [[St. Jerome's University|St. Jerome College]], [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] in 1969, Collins was [[Holy Orders|ordained]] to the [[Deacon|diaconate]] on May 14, 1972. In 1973, he received a [[Master of Arts]] in English from the [[University of Western Ontario]] and a [[Bachelor of Theology]] degree from [[St. Peter's Seminary (Diocese of London, Ontario)|St. Peter's Seminary]], [[London, Ontario|London]].<ref name="arch">{{cite news|work=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto]]|title=His Grace, Archbishop Thomas Collins|url=https://www.archtoronto.org/about-us/bishops/cardinal-collins|access-date=8 April 2015|archive-date=20 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620235119/https://www.archtoronto.org/about-us/bishops/cardinal-collins|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Priesthood==
Collins was ordained a priest for the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario|Diocese of Hamilton]], Ontario, by Bishop [[Paul Francis Reding|Paul Reding]] on May 5, 1973.<ref name=rcded>{{Cite web |url=http://www.caedm.ca/AboutUs/OurHistory/OurBishops/ThomasCardinalCollins |title="Thomas Cardinal Collins", Archdiocese of Edmonton |access-date=19 May 2020 |archive-date=18 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518175943/https://caedm.ca/AboutUs/OurHistory/OurBishops/ThomasCardinalCollins |url-status=dead }}</ref> He then served as [[Curate|associate pastor]] at Holy Rosary Parish in [[Burlington, Ontario|Burlington]] and at [[Christ the King Cathedral (Hamilton)|Christ the King Cathedral]], as well as an English teacher and chaplain at [[Cathedral High School (Hamilton, Ontario)|Cathedral Boys' High School]].<ref name=swan/> He furthered his studies in Rome, specializing in sacred scripture at the [[Pontifical Biblical Institute]], from which he obtained a [[Licentiate (degree)|Licentiate]] in [[Bible|Sacred Scripture]] in 1978.<ref name="archives">{{cite news|work=Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto|title=Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins|url=https://www.archtoronto.org/about-us/bishops/cardinal-collins|access-date=8 April 2015|archive-date=20 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620235119/https://www.archtoronto.org/about-us/bishops/cardinal-collins|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Upon his return to Ontario in 1978, Collins served as a [[lecturer]] in English at [[King's University College (University of Western Ontario)|King's College]] and in Scripture at [[St. Peter's Seminary (Diocese of London, Ontario)|St. Peter's Seminary]], where he later became [[Spiritual direction|spiritual director]] (1981) and [[Professor|associate professor]] of Scripture (1985). Returning to Rome, he completed a [[Doctor of Sacred Theology|Doctorate in Sacred Theology]] from the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] in 1986.<ref name="archives" /> His doctoral [[Thesis|dissertation]] was entitled: ''"Apocalypse 22:6–21 as the Focal Point of Moral Teaching and Exhortation in the [[Book of Revelation|Apocalypse]]."''<ref name="arch" />

After becoming [[editing|associate editor]] of ''Discover the Bible'' in 1989, Collins returned to [[St. Peter's Seminary (Diocese of London, Ontario)|St. Peter's Seminary]] as [[Dean (education)|Dean]] of [[Theology]] and vice-[[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] in 1992.<ref name="arch" /> He later served as rector of St. Peter's from 1995 to 1997.<ref name="archives" />

==Episcopal ministry==
===Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta===
On March 25, 1997, Collins was appointed [[Coadjutor Bishop]] of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta|Saint Paul in Alberta]] by [[Pope John Paul II]].<ref name=vatbio/> He received his [[Bishop (Catholicism)|episcopal consecration]] on the following May 14, from Bishop [[Anthony F. Tonnos|Anthony Tonnos]], with Bishops Raymond Roy and [[John Michael Sherlock|John Sherlock]] serving as [[Consecrator|co-consecrators]], at the [[Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King (Hamilton)|Cathedral of Christ the King]] in [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], [[Ontario]].<ref name="hierarchy">{{cite news|work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|title=Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcollins.html}}</ref> He selected as his episcopal [[motto]]: ''"Deum Adora"'', meaning, ''"Worship God"'' ({{Bibleverse||Revelation|22:9}}).<ref name="arch" />

Collins succeeded Bishop Roy as the fifth [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta|Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta]] upon the latter's retirement on June 30, 1997.<ref name=rcded/> He became a member of the National Commission of Theology of the [[Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops]] (CCCB) that same year.<ref name="arch" />

===Archdiocese of Edmonton===
Collins was promoted to Coadjutor Archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton|Edmonton]] on February 18, 1999, and later succeeded Archbishop [[Joseph Neil MacNeil|Joseph MacNeil]] as the sixth [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton|Archbishop of Edmonton]] on the following June 7. He served as president of the Conference of Bishops of Alberta.<ref name=vapress>{{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_collins_tc.html|title=Collins Card. Thomas Christopher|website=[[Holy See Press Office]]|access-date=December 6, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015150617/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_collins_tc.html|archive-date=October 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Edmonton Collins initiated monthly [[lectio divina]] sessions at [[St. Joseph's Basilica, Edmonton|St. Joseph's Cathedral Basilica]]. He also established St. Benedict's Chapel in a vacant store in Edmonton's City Centre Mall for ministry to downtown shoppers and office workers.<ref name=swan/>

Within the CCCB, he served as Chairman of the National Commission of Theology (1999–2001) and Chairman of the National Commission on Christian Unity (2001–2003).<ref name="arch" /> He was also a member of the organizing committee for [[World Youth Day 2002]], which was held in [[Toronto]]. From 1999 to 2007, he was President of the Alberta Conference of Catholic Bishops. In addition to his duties as [[ordinary (Catholic Church)|ordinary]] of the Edmonton Archdiocese, he was [[Apostolic Administrator]] of Saint Paul in Alberta from March 16 to September 8, 2001.<ref name="hierarchy" />

===Archbishop of Toronto===
Collins was named the tenth [[Roman Catholic Archbishops of Toronto|Archbishop of Toronto]] by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] on December 16, 2006.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2006/12/16/0659/01853.html | language = it | publisher = Holy See Press Office | date= December 16, 2006 | access-date = May 13, 2021 | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 12.16.2006}}</ref> He succeeded [[Aloysius Ambrozic]] there and was [[Enthronement|installed]] at [[St. Michael's Cathedral (Toronto)|St. Michael's Cathedral]] on January 30, 2007.<ref name="arch" /> He served as Chancellor of the [[University of St. Michael's College]] and the [[Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies]] in Toronto. He is heavily involved in the [[pro-life movement]]. Collins was elected president of the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2008.<ref name=vapress/> Collins was the apostolic visitor to the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly|Archdiocese of Cashel]] in Ireland following the publication of the Ryan and [[Murphy Report]]s in 2009.<ref name =cooney/>{{efn|Cooney was part of a team that included [[Cormac Murphy-O'Connor]], Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, who inspected Cardinal Brady's [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh|Archdiocese of Armagh]], [[Seán Patrick O'Malley|Sean O'Malley]] of Boston, who inspected the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin|Archdiocese of Dublin]], Ottawa's Archbishop [[Terrence Prendergast]], who looked at the west of Ireland ([[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam|Archdiocese of Tuam]]), and New York Archbishop [[Timothy Dolan]] reviewed the Irish seminaries.<ref name=cooney>{{cite news | url = http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bishops-summoned-to-rome-for-abuse-crisis-talks-2357103.html | title =Bishops summoned to Rome for abuse crisis talks | newspaper = The Independent | date=September 29, 2010 | first = John | last= Cooney}}</ref>}}

Collins is a member of the [[Pontifical Council for Social Communications]]. He has also served as the Delegate of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith for ''Anglicanorum Coetibus'' (providing for personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church).<ref name=vapress/>

On February 18, 2012, he was created [[Cardinal-Priest]] of [[San Patrizio]].<ref name=rcded/> In addition to his other duties in the [[Roman Curia]], Collins was appointed a member of the [[Congregation for Catholic Education]].

He was one of the [[Cardinal electors in Papal conclave, 2013|cardinal electors]] who participated in the [[Papal conclave, 2013|2013 papal conclave]] that elected [[Pope Francis]].

On February 11, 2023, Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Toronto.<ref>{{cite press release | url= https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2023/02/11/230211a.html | access-date = February 11, 2023 | date = February 11, 2023 | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Appointments and Resignations, 11.02.2023}}</ref> Collins remains a cardinal and eligible to vote in a [[papal conclave]] until the age of 80. His successor, Frank Leo, will be named a Cardinal by Pope Francis in December 2024. If that happens, as is expected, there would be two voting age cardinals in one episcopal see at the same time. Such a situation has likely occurred before (as the Pope is free to do as he wishes in this regard) but is generally avoided, in order to not have two voting-age cardinals from the same archdiocese.<ref>https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2024/documents/20241006-angelus.html</ref>

==Honours==
===Scholastic===

; Chancellor, visitor, governor, rector and fellowships
{{Expand list|date=August 2021}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! style="width:20%;"| Location
! style="width:20%;"| Date
! style="width:40%;"| School
! style="width:20%;"| Position
|-
| {{Flagu|Ontario}} || '''2006{{ndash}}Present''' || [[University of St. Michael's College]] || [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Chancellor  |url=https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/about-us/governance-and-administration/chancellor |website=The University of St. Michael’s College |access-date= September 22, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|}

;Honorary degrees
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! style="width:20%;"| Location
! style="width:20%;"| Date
! style="width:40%;"| School
! style="width:20%;"| Degree
! style="width:20%;"| Gave Commencement Address
|-
| {{Flagu|Ontario}} || '''June 21, 2007''' || [[University of St. Michael's College]] || [[Doctor of Divinity]] (DD)<ref>{{cite web |title=Archbishop Collins awarded St. Mike's honorary degree  |url=https://www.catholicregister.org/item/11821-archbishop-collins-awarded-st-mike%E2%80%99s-honorary-degree |website=The Catholic Register |access-date= September 22, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Degree Recipients of the University of St. Michael's College  |url=https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/honorary-degree-recipients-of-the-university-of-st-michaels-college |website=The University of St. Michael’s College |access-date= September 22, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> || 
|-
| {{Flagu|Nova Scotia}} ||  || [[St. Francis Xavier University]] || Doctorate<ref name=swan/> || 
|-
|}

{{Expand list|date=September 2021}}

==See also==
*[[Roman Catholic Archbishops of Toronto|Archbishop of Toronto]]
*[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto]]
*[[Apostolic visitation to Ireland]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
*{{YouTube|QhCHGx8wL40|Salt+Light TV Interview: Archbishop Thomas Collins&nbsp;– Witness}}
*{{YouTube|5NMkUhzmISA|Salt+Light TV Interview: A Cardinal in the Making: Archbishop Thomas Collins}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel}}
{{s-bef|before=Raymond Roy}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta|Bishop of Saint Paul]]|years=30 June 1997 – 18 February 1999}}
{{s-aft|after=Joseph Luc André Bouchard}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Joseph Neil MacNeil]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton|Archbishop of Edmonton]]|years=7 June 1999 – 16 December 2006}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Richard William Smith]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Aloysius Ambrozic]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archbishops of Toronto|Archbishop of Toronto]]|years=16 December 2006 – 11 February 2023}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Frank Leo]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Cahal Brendan Daly]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[San Patrizio|Cardinal-Priest of San Patrizio]]|years=18 February 2012 –}}
{{s-inc|rows=2}}
{{s-end}}

{{Cardinals of the Catholic Church}}
{{Canadian cardinals}}
{{Catholicism}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|Canada}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Thomas}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Toronto]]
[[Category:Canadian anti-abortion activists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Guelph]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Edmonton]]
[[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]]
[[Category:University of Western Ontario alumni]]
[[Category:University of Waterloo alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications]]
[[Category:Members of the Congregation for Catholic Education]]
[[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI]]
[[Category:Canadian cardinals]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Canada]]
[[Category:Pontifical Biblical Institute alumni]]
[[Category:St. Peter's Seminary (Diocese of London, Ontario) alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre]]
[[Category:Canadian Roman Catholic archbishops]]