Bishop Joseph News/Letters

We Now Have a New Bishop!

Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Joseph Dabrowski as Bishop of Charlottetown..

Bishop-designate Dabrowski was until now the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of London and he succeeds Bishop Richard Grecco who retired after serving the diocese from 2009 to 2021.

Bishop Dabrowski will be installed at a ceremony at St. Dunstan’s Basilica on a date to be confirmed soon. Following his installation he will have the responsibility to shepherd the Catholic residents of Prince Edward Island and its 50 parishes.

From Bishop Designate Joseph Dabrowski

“I am honoured and humbled that the Holy Father has entrusted to my care the Church in the Diocese of Charlottetown, and I am grateful for it. I accepted this appointment with trust that God will provide for me the necessary graces. I look forward to meeting the priests and people of the Diocese of Charlottetown, shepherding them, and working with them in furthering the mission of the Church there. In the spirit of synodality promoted by Pope Francis, we can express our confidence that Jesus will accompany us ‘together on the road.’ Additionally, I want to thank Bishop Ronald Fabbro, with whom I have worked so closely in the last eight years as his Auxiliary Bishop. He has been a true friend, teaching me so much about the life and work of bishops. His mentoring has prepared me for this moment as I take on my new responsibilities. The people of the Diocese of London have made me feel at home from the time I first stepped off the plane to begin my priestly ministry here in 1991. I will always have a special place in my heart for all of you, priests, deacons, Religious and lay faithful. It has been a great blessing and an honour to serve in this diocese all these years.”

To Read more Please Click this Link Below

https://dioceseofcharlottetown.com/pope-francis-appoints.../

There is A letter to Islanders from our Bishop Joseph To Read It Please Click on Either The PDF Icon

Or Please Go to our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityPastoralUnitPEI/

December 5, 2023

Joseph Dabrowski, Bishop of the Diocese of Charlottetown, today expressed his deep regret for
the reprehensible acts of sexual abuse committed by Father Maurice Praught.

Father Praught, in a court appearance today, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation
perpetrated in the 1990s.

“I sincerely apologize to the victim and his family for the abuse, pain and harm that was
perpetrated by Father Praught, and I offer my most earnest apology for the failures of the
Church.

I pledge my commitment to doing everything in my power to maintain our vigilance in
protecting children and vulnerable adults and to provide compassion and outreach to the victim-
survivor of abuse,” said Bishop Joseph.

The Diocese of Charlottetown has implemented a sexual abuse response policy since 1992. Our
current safe environment policies are accessible online.

Letter from our Bishop Joseph! written on Feb 12, 2024

February 12, 2024

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Today we begin the Year of Prayer; that is, a year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in personal life, in the life of the church and in the world” (Pope Francis Angelus, January 21, 2024).

With these words, Pope Francis invites us all to embark on a journey of rediscovering the profound importance of prayer. The year dedicated to prayer is a stepping stone in preparation for the approaching Jubilee Year in 2025.

Every twenty-five years, the Church celebrates a Jubilee – a “Holy Year”. The Jubilee is a celebration “characterized by the forgiveness of sins and in particular by the indulgence, which is a full expression of the mercy of God” (Pope Francis Letter for the Jubilee, February 11, 2022). The Jubilee is a time of special graces. The year 2025 marks the next Jubilee, and the theme is Pilgrims of Hope. The coming months will lead us to the opening of the Holy Door on December 24, 2024, with which we will begin the Jubilee.

The invitation to renew and deepen our experience of prayer goes hand in hand with the season of Lent. We know that the three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We fast or give something up to make more space in our lives for God’s grace. Lent is a time to fast from things or habits that might act as roadblocks in our relationship with Jesus. Almsgiving is an ancient practice. By responding to the Lenten invitation to almsgiving, we make the needs of others our own and grow in compassion. In addition to sharing material goods, we are also invited to share our time and talents with others, and we sow the seeds of compassion and solidarity with those in need.

Prayer is the source of grace and the path through which we can fast and give alms. I echo Pope Francis’ desire that we dedicate this year “to a great symphony” of prayer. “Prayer, above all else, is to renew our desire to be in the presence of the Lord, to listen to him and to adore him. Prayer, moreover, to thank God for the many gifts of His love for us and to praise His work in creation, which summons everyone to respect it and to take concrete and responsible steps to protect it. Prayer as the expression of a single “heart and soul” (cf. Acts 4:32), which then translates into solidarity and the sharing of our daily bread. Prayer that makes it possible for every man and woman in this world to turn to the one God and to reveal to Him what lies hidden in the depths of their heart. Prayer as the royal road to holiness, which enables us to be contemplative even in the midst of activity. In a word, may it be an intense year of prayer in which hearts are opened to receive the outpouring of God’s grace and to make the “Our Father,” the prayer Jesus taught us, the life programme of each of his disciples.” (Pope Francis, February 11, 2022) Prayer, indeed, is essential to our spiritual life, and there are so many beautiful ways parish communities, groups, and individuals pray. We are blessed to be enriched by different cultures, languages, charisms, gifts, styles of prayer, and beautiful devotions in our diocese.

As we begin this Lent, let us seize this precious opportunity to delve into the profound richness of prayer.

May this Year of Prayer be a transformative journey, opening our hearts to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our diocese, parishes, families, and communities.

United in prayer,

+ Joseph Dabrowski CSMA

Bishop of Charlottetown