Honour recognizes gifts of Toronto Catholics [Cardinal-designate Collins Q&A]
By Catholic Register Staff
Cardinal-designate Thomas Collins will be elevated to the College of Cardinals by the Pope at a Vatican ceremony on Feb. 18. Amid a busy schedule as he prepares for that important event, he took time to speak directly to the readers of The Catholic Register by answering a set of prepared questions.
What has your life been like since the announcement on Jan. 6 in terms of public reaction and demands on your time?
In many ways, my daily life hasn鈥檛 changed since the Holy Father announced my appointment to the College of Cardinals. My schedule remains as busy as ever, serving the people of the archdiocese of Toronto. Of course, there has been some time involved in preparing for the consistory on Feb. 18, but nothing too onerous.
Thomas Christopher Collins
o Born in Guelph, Ont., Jan. 16, 1947
o Obtained a Bachelor of Arts (English) from St. Jerome鱿鱼视频app College in Waterloo, Ont., 1969
o Ordained to the diaconate, May 14, 1972
Thomas Collins began his education in St. Stanislaw鱿鱼视频app School in the shadow of Our Lady Immaculate Church in Guelph. High school was just across the way at Bishop Macdonell High School. At every stage, it has been a thoroughly Catholic education.
o Member of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops鈥� Permanent Council
o Chancellor, University of St. Michael鱿鱼视频app College, University of Toronto
o Chancellor, Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, Toronto
There鱿鱼视频app a story that circulates around Guelph, Ont., about how Cardinal-elect Thomas Collins barely escaped Our Lady Immaculate Church with his life.
In one version, a 10-year-old Collins was almost killed when a statue of Our Lady came loose from the roof of the church and crashed at his feet. This somehow drove him into the priesthood.
The story is utter nonsense. We got the true story from the man himself.
LONDON, ONT. - St. Peter鱿鱼视频app Seminary in London has been a focal point for much of the life of Cardinal-designate Thomas Collins. He studied there before becoming a priest in 1973 and over the ensuing 24 years was drawn back to St. Peter鱿鱼视频app in the roles of lecturer, Dean of Theology and, finally, rector until he was named bishop of St. Paul, Alta., in 1997.
Fr. Michael Prieur, now a professor of Moral and Sacramental Theology, taught Collins in the early 1970s and worked with him for 19 years at the seminary. Fr. Murray Watson, the current vice-rector and assistant professor of Sacred Scripture and Ecumenism at the seminary, was taught by Collins in the 1990s. The Catholic Register sat down with these two priests and teachers for their perspectives on the London years of the man destined to become Canada鱿鱼视频app 16th cardinal.
When Archbishop Thomas Collins becomes Thomas Cardinal Collins the principal colour of his vestments will become scarlet to symbolize the blood that a cardinal is willing to shed for his faith.
Scarlet was installed as the colour for cardinals by Pope Gregory X at the Second Council of Lyon in 1274.
With his elevation to the College of Cardinals, Archbishop Thomas Collins has updated his bishop鱿鱼视频app coat of arms. The biggest change is an emphasis on the colour red of a cardinal. Here is an explanation of the new emblem.
The motto 鈥淒eum Adora鈥� (Worship God) is taken from Revelation 22:9.
Collins follows MacGuigan through western diocese to Toronto, College of Cardinals
By Glen Argan, Canadian Catholic News
EDMONTON - On Feb. 18, Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins will become the first former archbishop of Edmonton to be installed as a cardinal. Collins is no longer 鈥渙ur man,鈥� nor is he the 鈥渕an鈥� of the St. Paul diocese where his episcopal career began. Nevertheless, we feel some stake in the man and are glad to experience a little of the reflected glory of his appointment.
A little known fact, however, is that Collins will not be the first priest from this archdiocese to wear the red hat. That honour belongs to Cardinal James Charles MacGuigan, archbishop of Toronto from 1934 to 1971, who in 1946 became the first-ever English-speaking Canadian cardinal.
TORONTO - 鱿鱼视频app 150 pilgrims from Canada will make their way to Rome to watch history unfold as Archbishop Thomas Collins is elevated to cardinal.
鈥淎ny time you can be part of history, people are going to want to experience it live, firsthand, to live it and breathe it,鈥� said Neil MacCarthy, communications director for the archdiocese.
鈥淚t鱿鱼视频app happened four times in the history of the archdiocese of Toronto. And only 16 times in the history of Canada.鈥�
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When Archbishop Thomas Collins climbs the steps to the main altar of St. Peter鱿鱼视频app Basilica on Feb. 18 and kneels before Pope Benedict XVI to receive the red berretta, he begins a form of public martyrdom. He not only represents the great archdiocese of Toronto, but all of Canada, especially Anglophone Canada.
Thomas Collins knows full well the difficulties of the complex ministry that he undertakes as cardinal. As cardinal, he does not lord it over others, but continues to serve the Church through the logic of humility and service 鈥� a logic which has distinguished his priestly and episcopal ministry for many years.
Pope Benedict XVI has named 22 men to the College of Cardinals. They are listed below.
Cardinal-designate Thomas Collins will become the 16th Canadian Cardinal. View details of the other "princes of the church" below.
The following is the list of cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to elect the pope. They are listed in alphabetical order, with their country.