The Diocese of Hamilton ( la, Dioecesis Hamiltonensis) is a

Latin Church , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...

ecclesiastical territory or

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. It is a

suffragan diocese A suffragan diocese is one of the dioceses other than the metropolitan archdiocese that constitute an ecclesiastical province. It exists in some Christian denominations, in particular the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ...

in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United State ...

of the metropolitan Archdiocese in Toronto. The

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

is the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King, dedicated to

Christ the King Christ the King is a title of Jesus in Christianity referring to the idea of the Kingdom of God where the Christ is described as seated at the right hand of God. Many Christian denominations consider the kingly office of Christ to be one of ...

in 1933, in Hamilton,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

. There is a former cathedral, St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, also in Hamilton and a

minor basilica In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...

Our Lady Immaculate The Immaculate Conception is the belief that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, meaning that it is held to be a divinely revealed truth wh ...

, in

Guelph, Ontario Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Highway 6, Highway 7 and Welli ...

History

It was established on 29 February 1856 by Pope Pius IX as the Diocese of Hamilton, on territory split off from the

Archdiocese of Toronto The Archdiocese of Toronto ( la, Archidioecesis Torontina) is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of Ontario. Its archbishop is also the ecclesiastical provincial for the dioceses of Hamilton, London, Saint Catharines ...

, which became its Metropolitan. On 22 November 1958, it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Saint Catharines. The Diocese of Hamilton celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006, with Anthony Tonnos celebrating

Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...

at the seat of the diocese. Special signs, marks and posters were commissioned for many of the diocese's churches, schools and buildings.

Bishops

Episcopal ordinaries

* John Farrell (1856.02.29 – death 28 September 1873), a native of Ireland, consecrated May 11, 1856. He introduced Catholic schools, built St. Mary's Cathedral, and helped to establish the academies of the Ladies of Loretto in Hamilton and Guelph. He also encouraged the founding of St. Jerome's College by the Fathers of the Resurrection, and confided the Owen Sound Missions to the Basilian Fathers. The CRC had been formed in 1836 in Paris. Many of its members were Polish emigres who left their native country in a time of political turmoil. * P. F. Crinnon (1874.02.03 – death November 25, 1882), also born in Ireland and consecrated April 19, 1873. He built St. Patrick's Church in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...

, established the House of Providence, Dundas and secured a site for Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. *

James Joseph Carbery James Joseph Carbery (1 May 1823 – 17 December 1887), was an Irish Dominican, who became the third Bishop of Hamilton, Canada. Life Carbery's early education was received at the Seminary of Navan. At an early age, he entered enrolled in th ...

(1883.09.04 – death 17 December 1887 in Ireland),

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...

(O.P.) also born in Ireland, consecrated on November 11, 1883, and held an important diocesan synod. * T. J. Dowling, D.D., first Canadian incumbent (1889.01.11 – death 1924.08.06), previously Bishop of

Peterborough Peterborough () is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, east of England. It is the largest part of the City of Peterborough unitary authority district (which covers a larger area than Peterborough itself). It was part of Northamptonshire until ...

(Canada) (1886.12.14 – 1889.01.11). Since his May 1889 installment, 14 new parishes had been established, 28 priests ordained, and 22 new churches, schools and presbyteries erected. Catholic hospitals at Hamilton and Guelph, and the new House of Providence at Dundas were also established in his time. During Dowling's time, there were 42 priests in the diocese of Canadian by birth. Four were from Ireland, four from the United States, four from France, three from Germany, two from Poland and two from Italy. Candidates for the priesthood studied at St. Jerome's College in Berlin, Ontario (now called Kitchener,

) and Grand Seminary in Montreal, Quebec. The diocese had nine parishes for German-speaking people and one Indian parish. There were also chapels for Poles and Italians. * John T. McNally (1924.08.12 – 1937.02.17), previously Bishop of

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

(Canada) (1913.04.04 – 1924.08.12); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Halifax (Canada) (1937.02.17 – 1952.11.18). * Joseph F. Ryan (1937.08.16 – retired 1973.03.27), died 1990. His term brought much growth and expansion of churches and Catholic schools. * Paul F. Reding (1973.09.14 – death 1983.12.08) succeeding as previous Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton (1966.07.02 – 1973.09.14) and

Titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

Liberalia In ancient Roman religion, the Liberalia (March 17) was the festival of Liber Pater and his consort Libera.T.P. Wiseman, ''Remus: a Roman myth'', Cambridge University Press, 1995, p.133. The Romans celebrated Liberalia with sacrifices, processio ...

(1966.07.02 – 1973.09.14) ** Auxiliary Bishop (1978.02.09 – 1982.08.12) James Hector MacDonald,

Gibba Gibba (pen name of Francesco Maurizio Guido; 18 December 1924 – 7 October 2018) was an Italian animator who did several erotic cartoons in the 1970s and 1980s. He died, aged 93 on 7 October 2018 in Albenga. Filmography *''Scandalosa Gilda'' ( ...

(1978.02.09 – 1982.08.12); next Bishop of

Charlottetown Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, Charlottetown was an unincorporated town until it was incorporated as a city in ...

(Canada) (1982.08.12 – 1991.02.02), Metropolitan Archbishop of Saint John’s (

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

, Canada) (1991.02.02 – retired 2000.12.04) * Anthony F. Tonnos (1984.05.02 – retired on November 8, 2010 after 27 years in the diocese, informally remaining active), succeeding as previous Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton (1983.05.13 – 1984.05.02) and Titular Bishop of Nationa (1983.05.13 – 1984.05.02) ** Auxiliary Bishop Matthew Francis Ustrzycki (1985.05.10 – retired 2007.06.01, still informally active in the diocese), Titular Bishop of Nationa (1985.05.10 – ...) ** Auxiliary bishop Gerard (Paul) Bergie (2005.07.11 – 2010.09.14), Titular Bishop of Tabæ (2005.07.11 – 2010.09.14); next Bishop of Saint Catharines (Ontario, Canada) (2010.09.14 – ...) *

Douglas Crosby David Douglas Crosby, (born June 28, 1949) is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the ninth and current Bishop of Hamilton, having previously served as Bishop of St. George’s Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador (2003 ...

(November 8, 2010 – present), also Vice-President of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (2013.09.25 – 2015.09.15), President of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (2015.09.15 – ...); previously Bishop of the Bishop of Labrador City–Schefferville (Canada) (1997.10.24 – 2007.05.31), Bishop of Saint George’s (Canada) (2003.08.06 – 2007.05.31), Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador (

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

, Canada) (2007.05.31 – 2010.09.24) ** Auxiliary bishop Daniel Joseph Miehm (2013.02.20 – 2017.03.10), Titular Bishop of Gor (2013.02.20 – 2017.03.10); next Bishop of

(Canada) (2017.03.10 – ...).

Auxiliary bishops

Paul Francis Reding Paul Francis Reding (February 14, 1924 – December 8, 1982) was a Canadian prelate who served as the seventh Bishop of Hamilton from November 1973 until his death in 1982. Career During his tenure as bishop, he ordained Thomas Christopher ...

(1966-1973), appointed Bishop here * James Hector MacDonald (1978-1982), appointed Bishop of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island * Anthony Frederick Tonnos (1982-1983), appointed Bishop here * Matthew Francis Ustrzycki (1985-2017) *

Gerard Paul Bergie Gerard is a masculine forename of Proto-Germanic origin, variations of which exist in many Germanic and Romance languages. Like many other early Germanic names, it is dithematic, consisting of two meaningful constituents put together. In this ca ...

(2005-2010), appointed Bishop of Saint Catharines, Ontario * Daniel Joseph Miehm (2013-2017), appointed Bishop of Peterborough, Ontario * Wayne Lawrence Lobsinger (2020–present), appointed Bishop of Gemellae in Numidia

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

Joseph Anthony O'Sullivan Joseph Anthony O'Sullivan (November 29, 1886 – June 6, 1972) was a Canadian prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Charlottetown (1931–44) and Archbishop of Kingston (1944–66). Biography Joseph O'Sullivan was born in Hamilto ...

, appointed Bishop of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in 1931 * Joseph Lawrence Wilhelm, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Calgary, Alberta in 1963 *

John Michael Sherlock John Michael Sherlock (January 20, 1926 – August 12, 2019) was a Canadian bishop. He was the Roman Catholic Bishop of London, Ontario, from July 8, 1978 to April 27, 2002. He was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and raised in Brantford, Ontario. ...

, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of London, Ontario in 1974 *

Thomas Christopher Collins Thomas Christopher Collins (born January 16, 1947) is a Canadian cardinal of the Catholic Church. He has been the Archbishop of Toronto since 2007. He was previously Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta from 1997 to 1999 and Archbishop of Edmont ...

, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta in 1997; future Cardinal *

Peter Joseph Hundt Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, Ontario in 2006

Statistics and extent

, it pastorally served 626,723 Catholics (28.5% of 2,201,155 total) on 16,824 km² in 124 parishes and 1 mission with 228 priests (137 diocesan, 91 religious), 35 deacons, 269 lay religious (102 brothers, 167 sisters) and 15 seminarians.http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/hami0.htm GCatholic The Diocese of Hamilton comprises the counties and regions of Brant, Bruce, Grey, Halton, Hamilton, Waterloo, Wellington, as well as four Townships in the County of Dufferin, all located in Ontario. The Diocese of Hamilton had begun as a Catholic Mission in Upper Canada (Ontario). There are 6 deaneries (Brant, Bruce-Grey, Halton, Hamilton, Waterloo and Wellington) which have 126 parishes in their geographical grouping. There are 7 Catholic school boards in the diocese, 1 Catholic university and 3 university Catholic campus ministries. It has 142 secular and 98 religious priests ministering to 620,518 people in 126 parishes.

Catholic schools

The Government of Ontario accords Catholic schools the same rights as public schools. The taxes paid by Catholics go to support Catholic schools only. Teachers, whether religious or lay, must be qualified to teach according to the same regulations as those governing public school teachers. Here are the institutions, within the jurisdiction of the Diocese: *

Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir ( en, My Future Catholic School Board) is a Roman Catholic French first language public- separate school board that manages elementary and secondary schools in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The school board o ...

Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) is the Catholic school board for the city of Hamilton, which includes the former Wentworth County. It currently operates 49 elementary schools and 7 secondary schools, along with ...

Halton Catholic District School Board The Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) serves over 37,000 students at its 46 elementary schools, 9 secondary schools and 3 continuing education facilities. The HCDSB serves the communities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakvi ...

Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board The Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board (BHNCDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 51 prior to 1999) is a separate school board in Ontario, Canada. The school board is the school district administra ...

Wellington Catholic District School Board The Wellington Catholic District School Board is a school board in Ontario, Canada, serving the students of the City of Guelph and Wellington County. There are 4 high schools and 18 elementary schools serving roughly 8000 students. History The W ...

Waterloo Catholic District School Board Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) is a school board serving the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is headquartered in Kitchener, and is currently the eighth-largest Catholic school system in Ontario. As of November 2023, thi ...

Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (BGCDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 35 prior to 1999) is a separate school board in the province of Ontario which manages Catholic elementary and secondary schools ...

Cemeteries

* Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery (Burlington West-Hamilton Centre) * Gates of Heaven Catholic Cemetery (Burlington West-Hamilton Centre) * Our Lady of Angels Catholic Cemetery (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek) * Resurrection Catholic Cemetery (Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas) * Marymount Catholic Cemetery (Waterloo-Guelph-Wellington) * Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery (Cambridge-Brantford-Brant) * Holy Redeemer Catholic Cemetery (Erin-Halton Hills) * Holy Family Catholic Cemetery (Burlington East-Milton-Oakville)

Gallery

File:St Marys Pro-Cathedral Hamilton.JPG, St Mary's Pro-Cathedral. Cathedral from 1856 to 1927 File:St Patrick Catholic Church, Hamilton - Exterior.JPG, St. Patrick's Church. Cathedral from 1927 to 1933 File:Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King 2018 - Hamilton, ON.jpg,

Cathedral of Christ the King (Hamilton) The Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic church in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The cathedral was consecrated on December 19, 1933. It is the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton, and the cathedral of the Diocese of Ha ...

. Cathedral from 1933–Present

References

Sources and external links

Diocese of Hamilton website

* ttp://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dhami.html Catholic Hierarchy - Diocese of Hamilton*
Detailed Short History

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
{{coord, 43.2635, N, 79.8914, W, source:wikidata, display=title 1856 establishments in Ontario 1856 establishments in Canada