The

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

Diocese of

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

( la, Diœcesis Londonensis) is a

Latin rite Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church '' sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...

suffragan of the Metropolitan

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 ...

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 C ...

, southeastern Canada. The present episcopal see of the Diocese, St. Peter's Cathedral, was built in a French Gothic Revival style from 1880 to 1885. It was raised to the status of 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 ...

Pope John XXIII Pope John XXIII ( la, Ioannes XXIII; it, Giovanni XXIII; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, ; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death in June 19 ...

in December, 1961.

Statistics and Extent

The Diocese covers the counties of

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

, Elgin,

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

Huron Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi ...

, Lambton,

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

and

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

. As of 2020, it pastorally served 444,310 Catholics (22.8% of 1,944,182 total) on 21,349 km² in 130 parishes and 1 mission with 136 priests (101 diocesan, 35 religious), 73 deacons, 474 lay religious (1 brother, 473 sisters) and 11 seminarians. The Diocese also runs St. Peter's Seminary, which is now affiliated with the

University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames R ...

. In 2019, the Survivor's Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) confirmed that 36 priests were credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. Following media coverage of the list, the Diocese waived confidentiality of their previous settlements. When interviewed about the list compiled by SNAP, Bishop Ronald Fabbro of the Diocese of London indicated that four other priests whose names were not on the list were accused of sexual abuse of minors. Bishop Fabbro refused to disclose the names of the priests. His decision faced considerable backlash from survivors and advocates.

History

* The Diocese of London was created on February 21, 1856 by Pope Pius IX, on territory carved out of the then

Roman Catholic Diocese 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 Catharine ...

(now a Metropolitan Archdiocese), along with the Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario. Pierre-Adolphe Pinsonnault was named the first Bishop of London on May 18 of that year. * On 1859.02.02 it was renamed as Diocese of Sandwich / Sandvicen(sis) (Latin), as its first Bishop Pinsoneault moved the seat of the diocese to

Sandwich A sandwich is a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread, or more generally any dish wherein bread serves as a container or wrapper for another food type. The sandwich began as a po ...

, on the

Detroit River The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively referred to as Detro ...

* On 1869.11.15 it was renamed back as Diocese of London / Londonen(sis) (Latin), the diocesan see having been returned under second Bishop John Walsh. * On 2020.05.21 an Ontario appeals court dismissed a bid by the Diocese of London to drop a lawsuit filed by Irene Deschenes, who claimed that notorious predator priest Charles Henry Sylvestre sexually abused her when she was a minor between 1970 and 1973. Deschenes first began legal action against the Diocese of London in 1996. Sylvestre pled guilty in August 2006 to sexually abusing 47 females, whose ages ranged between 9 and 14, between 1952 and 1989 Local newspapers documented the lives of many of the women who refused the

publication ban A publication ban is a court order which prohibits the public or media from disseminating certain details of an otherwise public judicial proceeding. In Canada, publication bans are most commonly issued when the safety or reputation of a victim o ...

and spoke out about their abuse. He was given a three-year sentence in October 2006 and died January 22, 2007, of natural causes after only three months in prison. The case was documented by the

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...

news programme '' The Fifth Estate''.

Bishops

Episcopal Ordinaries

(all Roman Rite) ;''Suffragan Bishops of London, Ontario'' * Pierre-Adolphe Pinsonnault (May 13, 1856 - 1859.02.02 ''see below'') ;''Suffragan Bishops of Sandwich'' * Pierre-Adolphe Pinsonnault (''see above'' 1859.02.02 - retired December 18, 1866), emeritus as

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 ...

of Birtha (1868.12.04 – death 1883.01.30) * John Walsh (November 10, 1867 - 1869.10.03 ''see below'') ;''Suffragan Bishops of London, Ontario'' * John Walsh (''see above'' 1869.10.03 - July 25, 1889), next Metropolitan Archbishop of

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

(Ontario, Canada) (1889.07.25 – death 1898.07.30) * Denis (T.) O'Connor, Congregation of St. Basil (C.S.B.) (19 October 1890 – 7 January 1899), next Metropolitan Archbishop of

(Canada) (1899.01.07 – 1908.05.04), emeritus as

Titular Archbishop 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 ...

of Laodicea (1908.05.04 – death 1911.06.30) * Fergus Patrick McEvay (August 6, 1899 - April 13, 1908), next Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto (Canada) (1908.04.13 – death 1911.05.10) *

Michael Francis Fallon Michael Francis Fallon (May 17, 1867 – February 22, 1931) was an Irish-Canadian Catholic priest and a Canadian football coach. He was the head coach of the Ottawa Gee-Gees teams in the 1890s. Fallon was born to Irish immigrants to Canada. Fro ...

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, ...

(O.M.I.) (April 25, 1910 - death February 22, 1931) * Thomas Kidd (July 3, 1931 - death June 2, 1950), previously Bishop of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) (1925.02.06 – 1931.07.03) * John Christopher Cody (June 2, 1950 – death December 5, 1963), previously Bishop of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

(Canada) (1936.12.09 – 1946.04.06),

Elatea Elateia ( el, Ελάτεια; grc, Ἐλάτεια) was an ancient Greek city of Phthiotis, and the most important place in that region after Delphi. It is also a modern-day town that is a former municipality in the southeastern part of Phthioti ...

(1946.04.06 – 1950.06.02) as Coadjutor Bishop of London (1946.04.06 – 1950.06.02) *

Gerald Emmett Carter Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter (1912–2003) was a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Toronto from 1978 to 1990, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1979. Biography Youth and ordination The youngest ...

(February 17, 1964 - April 29, 1978), succeeded as previous Titular Bishop of Altiburus (1961.12.01 – 1964.02.17) and Auxiliary Bishop of London (1961.12.01 – 1964.02.17); also President of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (1975 – 1977); later Metropolitan Archbishop of

(Canada) (1978.04.27 – retired 1990.03.17), created

Cardinal-Priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

S. Maria in Traspontina The Church of Santa Maria del Carmelo in Traspontina (Saint Mary of Carmel Across the Bridge) is a Roman Catholic titular church in Rome, run by the Carmelites. The bridge referred to is the Ponte Sant'Angelo. The church is on the Via della Conci ...

(1979.06.30 – death 2003.04.06) *

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. ...

(July 8, 1978 - April 27, 2002), also President of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (1983 – 1985); succeeded as previous Titular Bishop of Macriana in Mauretania (1974.06.25 – 1978.07.07) and Auxiliary Bishop of London (1974.06.25 – 1978.07.07); Bishop Emeritus when he died ** Auxiliary Bishop: Marcel André J. Gervais (1980.04.19 – 1985.05.03),

Rosemarkie Rosemarkie ( sco, Rossmartnie, from gd, Ros Mhaircnidh meaning "promontory of the horse stream") is a village on the south coast of the Black Isle peninsula in Ross-shire ( Ross and Cromarty), northern Scotland. Geography Rosemarkie lies a qu ...

(1980.04.19 – 1985.05.03); later Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie (Canada) (1985.05.03 – 1989.05.13),

Coadjutor Archbishop The term coadjutor (or coadiutor, literally "co-assister" in Latin) is a title qualifier indicating that the holder shares the office with another person, with powers equal to the other in all but formal order of precedence. These include: * Coad ...

of Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) (1989.05.13 – 1989.09.27) succeeding as Metropolitan Archbishop of Ottawa (Canada) (1989.09.27 – retired 2007.05.14), President of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (1991 – 1993) ** Auxiliary Bishop:

Frederick Bernard Henry Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederic ...

(1986.04.18 – 1995.03.24), Titular Bishop of Carinola (1986.04.18 – 1995.03.24); later Bishop of

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population i ...

(Canada) (1995.03.24 – 1998.01.19), Bishop of Calgary (Canada) (1998.01.19 – retired 2017.01.04) ** Auxiliary Bishop:

Richard John Grecco Richard John Grecco (born 4 March 1946) is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the 13th Bishop of Charlottetown from 2009 to 2021. Biography Born in Thorold, Ontario to Anthony and Lily Grecco, Richard Grecco attended St. Au ...

(1997.12.05 – 2002.04.27), Titular Bishop of Uccula (1997.12.05 – 2009.07.11); later Bishop of Charlottetown (Canada) (2009.07.11 – ...) * Ronald Peter Fabbro, C.S.B. (August 15, 2002 - ...), previously Superior General of Congregation of St. Basil (Basilians) (1997 – 2002.04.27). ** Auxiliary Bishop:

Robert Anthony Daniels (Robert) Anthony Daniels (born June 18, 1957)is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.He is the 9th Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Falls, Newfoundland, Canada, succeeding Archbishop Martin Currie, 67, who had been the Bish ...

(2004.09.21 – 2011.03.01), Titular Bishop of Scebatiana (2004.09.21 – 2011.03.01); next Bishop of Grand Falls (Canada) (2011.03.01 – ...) ** Auxiliary Bishop: Józef Andrzej Dąbrowski,

Michaelites The Fraticelli (Italian for "Little Brethren") or Spiritual Franciscans opposed changes to the rule of Saint Francis of Assisi, especially with regard to poverty, and regarded the wealth of the Church as scandalous, and that of individual church ...

(C.S.M.A.) (2015.01.31 – ...), Titular Bishop of Casæ in Numidia (2015.01.31 – ...).

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

* Eugène Philippe LaRocque, appointed Bishop of Alexandria in Ontario in 1974 * James Leonard Doyle, appointed Bishop of Peterborough, Ontario in 1976 *

William Terrence McGrattan William Terrence McGrattan (born 19 September 1956) is the eighth and current bishop of the Diocese of Calgary. He was an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Toronto and titular bishop of Furnos Minor before being appointed Bishop of the ...

, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, Ontario in 2009

Education

Conseil scolaire catholique Providence The ''Conseil scolaire catholique Providence'' (Csc Providence) is the French-language Catholic school board for southwestern Ontario, Canada. The Providence Catholic School Board includes 10,000 students in its 31 schools: 23 elementary schools ...

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 ...

* Huron Perth Catholic District School Board *

London District Catholic School Board The London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB), known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 38 prior to 1999) is a separate school board offering Catholic education in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. It serves students from t ...

St. Clair Catholic District School Board The St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 39 prior to 1999) is the separate school board that manages Catholic education in the county of Lambton including the city of Sarni ...

Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board of Education No. 37 prior to 1999) is the separate school board that oversees Catholic education in Windsor and the surrounding Cou ...

Churches

Cemeteries

* Heavenly Rest Catholic Cemetery (Windsor) * Resurrection Catholic Cemetery (Sarnia) * St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery (London)

References

Sources and external links

Roman Catholic Diocese of London site

* ; Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:London, Ontario, Roman Catholic Diocese Roman Catholic bishops of London, Ontario Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Toronto Organizations based in London

1856 establishments in Ontario Events January–March * January 8 – Borax deposits are discovered in large quantities by John Veatch in California. * January 23 – American paddle steamer SS ''Pacific'' leaves Liverpool (England) for a transatlantic voya ...

1856 establishments in Canada