Canadian Catholic archbishop
Richard William Smith (born April 28, 1959) is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church . He is the eighth and current Archbishop of Edmonton , having previously served as Bishop of Pembroke from 2002 to 2007.
Biography
Smith was born in Halifax , Nova Scotia , and there studied at St. Mary's University and the Atlantic School of Theology .[ 1] ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 1987, and furthered his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University , from which he earned a Licentiate (1993) and Doctorate in Sacred Theology (1998).[ 1]
Within the Archdiocese of Halifax , he served in a number of positions including vicar general and was responsible for the pastoral ministry of French -speaking Catholics in Halifax.[ 2] professor of theology at St. Peter's Seminary in London in addition to serving simultaneously as pastor of three communities.[ 3]
On April 27, 2002, Smith was appointed the seventh Bishop of Pembroke by Pope John Paul II . He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 18 from Archbishop Marcel Gervais , with Archbishops Terrence Prendergast , S.J. , and Austin-Emile Burke serving as co-consecrators .[ 4]
He was later named the eighth Archbishop of Edmonton by Pope Benedict XVI on March 22, 2007, being formally installed on the following May 1.[ 4]
In the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops , he has been a member of the English Sector Commission for Christian Education since 2003, and is its current Chairman .[ 2] Catholic Women's League of Canada , and President of the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops .[ 2]
In January 2016, Smith visited the Pallotine Province of the Assumption of the B.V.M. in Bangalore, India. Eight Pallotines of the province serve in the Archdiocese of Edmonton.[ 5]
During the papal visit in 2022, Archbishop Smith concelebrated a Mass with Pope Francis.
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