About our Diocese

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Thunder Bay was created by the Vatican in 1952. Carved out of the eastern portion of the Archdiocese of St. Boniface and the western extremities of the Sault Ste. Marie Diocese it covers a vast geographic area of 220,000 square km in Northwestern Ontario and today serves approximately 78,000 Roman Catholics.

Chronology (Excerpt from Hope and Charity)

On April 29th, 1952 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort William is created comprising that part of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie west of 86 longitude and all territory in Ontario that once came under the aegis of the Archdiocese of St Boniface.

On February 22nd, 1999 the Most Reverend Frederick Joseph Colli, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, is named fifth Bishop of Thunder Bay by Pope John Paul II.

Please download the included Chronology of the Diocese of Thunder Bay in PDF Format.