Pope Francis names Ontario pastor as next bishop of Diocese of Thunder Bay

(OSV News) -- Pope Francis has named Father Alan E. Campeau, current pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Dryden, Ontario, and two other parishes, as the new bishop of Thunder Bay in northern Ontario.

He succeeds Bishop Fred Colli, who retired July 1, 2024, after 25 years as head of the diocese. The appointment was announced Jan. 10.

In between the resignation of Bishop Colli and the appointment of his successor, Father Joseph Arockiam, the diocese's chancellor, has been administrator of the diocese since being elected to the post.

Bishop-designate Campeau's appointment comes "after much prayer and anticipation," the diocese said in a Jan. 13 statement, and also announced that the episcopal ordination and installation of Thunder Bay's new shepherd will be Feb. 27 at a 7:00 p.m. Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Thunder Bay.

Besides pastoring St. Joseph Parish in Dryden, Bishop-designate Campeau, 65, is also pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Ignace and Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Vermilion Bay.

Bishop-designate Campeau has for three decades had ties to the Thunder Bay Diocese, when his services were first offered to the diocese by his home Diocese of London, Ontario, in 1995. For the previous five years, after his ordination in 1990, then-Father Campeau had served in parishes throughout the London Diocese.

"Father Campeau heard of the need for priests in Thunder Bay," Bishop Ronald P. Fabbro of London said in a Jan. 10 statement, adding that "after prayerful discernment" of his bishop, at the time, Bishop John M. Sherlock, he answered an invitation from Bishop John A. O'Mara and his successor, Bishop Fred B. Henry. The invitation was renewed by now-retired Bishop Colli.

"Father Campeau remained a priest of London, with the intention of returning home someday. His missionary spirit, however, tugged at his heart harder than his desire to return to London, as he saw the greater needs in Thunder Bay," Bishop Fabbro said. "The Holy Father has seen fit to name him Bishop of that same diocese, establishing his home where his heart has been all these years. I am confident this news will be received with great joy by the people of Thunder Bay. For us in London, while it represents the loss of a good priest, we can be proud of Bishop-elect Campeau's missionary spirit and the selfless service he has shown in the priesthood.

Born and raised in Belle River, Ontario, the future bishop entered London's St. Peter's Seminary in 1983 and was ordained to the diaconate in 1989. During those years he earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology and philosophy from King's College at Western University before completing his master of divinity degree at St. Peter's in 1990.

He's had a number of pastoral roles in Thunder Bay over the past 30 years, taking him to parishes in Thunder Bay, Kenora, Sioux Narrows, Nestor Falls, Dryden, Ignace and Vermilion Bay, along with several missions, a number of them on First Nation reserves, including Grassy Narrows, White Dog and Eagle Lake First Nations.

Since 2008, Bishop-designate Campeau has served as dean for the diocese's western deanery and for many years was a member of the priests' council.

The Diocese of Thunder Bay is made up of 43 parishes and missions, with 31 diocesan priests, five priests in consecrated life, 28 permanent deacons and a Catholic population of just under 74,000.

The city of Thunder Bay is the largest urban area in the diocese, which covers 222,000 square kilometers (85,715 square miles). The city is home to about 113,000 people, and about one third of the diocese's parishes are in the city, according to the diocesan website.