Diocese of

Thunder Bay

Canada

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Thunder Bay / Sinus Tonitralis (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Toronto

Neighbouring Dioceses: Crookston (↙), Saint-Boniface (←), Keewatin–Le Pas (↖), Hearst–Moosonee (↗), Sault Sainte Marie (↘), Duluth (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of Charity (moveable), Saint Patrick (March 17)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: September 8 (1964)

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1952.04.29: Established as Diocese of Fort William / Arcis Gulielmi (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint-Boniface and Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie and became suffragan of Toronto)
1970.02.26: Renamed as Diocese of Thunder Bay / Sinus Tonitralis (Latin)
2017.03.18: Gained territory from Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie

Contact Info

Address: 1222 Reaume Street, P.O. Box 10400, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6T8, Canada

Phone: +1 (807) 343-9313

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.01.10 – ...):

Bishop Alan Campeau (66)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Thunder Bay (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alan Campeau (66)
(2025.01.10 – ...)

Bishop of Thunder Bay (Canada)

Born:	1959.08.01 (Belle River, ON, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1990.04.28
Consecrated Bishop:	2025.02.27

Priest of London (Canada) (1990.04.28 – 2025.01.10)

Bishop of Thunder Bay (Canada) (2025.01.10 – ...)

Bishop Frederick Joseph Colli (76)
(1999.02.02 – 2024.06.17)

Bishop emeritus of Thunder Bay (Canada)

Sanctum nomen ejus

Born:	1949.06.17 (St. Catharines, ON, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1975.06.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.02.22

Priest of Saint Catharines (Canada) (1975.06.21 – 1994.12.19)

Titular Bishop of Afufenia (1994.12.19 – 1999.02.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa (Canada) (1994.12.19 – 1999.02.02)

Bishop of Thunder Bay (Canada) (1999.02.02 – 2024.06.17)

Bishop Frederick Bernard Henry
(1995.03.24 – 1998.01.19)

Dabo vobis pastores

Born:	1943.04.11 (London, ON, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1968.05.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.06.24
Died:	2024.12.03 (Calgary, AB, Canada † 81)

Priest of London (Canada) (1968.05.25 – 1986.04.18)

Titular Bishop of Carinola (1986.04.18 – 1995.03.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of London (Canada) (1986.04.18 – 1995.03.24)

Bishop of Thunder Bay (Canada) (1995.03.24 – 1998.01.19)

Bishop of Calgary (Canada) (1998.01.19 – 2017.01.04)

Bishop John Aloysius O’Mara
(1976.05.24 – 1994.02.02)

Born:	1924.11.17 (Buffalo, NY, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1951.06.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.06.29
Died:	2022.02.16 (Saint Catharines, ON, Canada † 97)

Priest of Toronto (Canada) (1951.06.01 – 1976.05.24)

Bishop of Thunder Bay (Canada) (1976.05.24 – 1994.02.02)

Bishop of Saint Catharines (Canada) (1994.02.02 – 2001.11.09)

Bishop Norman Joseph Gallagher
(1970.04.16 – 1975.12.28)

Born:	1917.05.24 (Coatbridge, Scotland)
Ordained Priest:	1941.03.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.09.12
Died:	1975.12.28 (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada † 58)

Auxiliary Bishop of the Military Vicariate of Canada (Canada) (1963.06.25 – 1966)

Titular Bishop of Adrasus (1963.06.25 – 1970.04.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of Montréal (Canada) (1966 – 1970.04.16)

Bishop of Thunder Bay (Canada) (1970.04.16 – 1975.12.28)

Bishops of Fort William (Roman Rite)

Bishop Edward Quentin Jennings
(1952.05.14 – 1969.09.18)

Caritas cum fide

Born:	1896.10.04 (Little River, NB, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1925.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1941.06.11
Died:	1980.10.22 (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada † 84)

Titular Bishop of Sala (1941.03.22 – 1946.02.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Vancouver (Canada) (1941.03.22 – 1946.02.22)

Bishop of Kamloops (Canada) (1946.02.22 – 1952.05.14)

Bishop of Fort William (Canada) (1952.05.14 – 1969.09.18)

Titular Bishop of Asidonia (1969.09.18 – 1970.11.23)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Patrick Cathedral, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Churches by City (74)

Crookston (↙), Saint-Boniface (←), Keewatin–Le Pas (↖), Hearst–Moosonee (↗), Sault Sainte Marie (↘), Duluth (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 220,000 km²

Population: 89,400 Catholics (30.7% of 291,600 total)

Pastoral Centres: 46 parishes

Personnel: 30 priests (diocesan), 31 deacons

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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