Archbishop of Toronto

In the Catholic Church, the world is divided into geographic areas called dioceses, creating the local Church for followers of the Catholic faith. Each diocese is lead by a Bishop. A larger diocese, that holds special significance, such as Toronto, is called an Archdiocese and is lead by an Archbishop. Often, depending on the needs of the local Church, an Archbishop is assisted by auxiliary bishops who are appointed to assist him.

According to statistics, the Archdiocese of Toronto is the most ethnically diverse diocese in the world comprised of 223 parishes and covers a geographic region of some 13,000 square kilometres, made up of intensely urban and suburban regions and also small cities, towns and rural areas.

Mandate

The Archbishop of Toronto has been given the task of teaching, sanctifying and serving the people of God in the Archdiocese. The Archbishop has the duty of fostering the good of the entire Church, which he does in communion with the College of Bishops, whose head is the Pope. The Archbishop is involved in all aspects of archdiocesan life: Parishes, Catholic education, the work of various archdiocesan organizations, and other groups within the Archdiocese of Toronto.

It is the role of the Archbishop to foster the unity of the faith in the Archdiocese and to promote and coordinate its apostolic works. It is his duty as well to promote the common discipline of the Church in the Archdiocese and to foster the observance of Church laws. In collaboration with the auxiliary bishops, his priests, deacons, and those engaged in pastoral ministry, he oversees the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God and the veneration of the Saints, and the administration of church property.