1 Creation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toronto

Initially part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quebec, Upper Canada (Ontario) was established in 1826 as a separate diocese under the control of Alexander MacDonell (1762-1840), Bishop of Kingston. The vast territory included all of Upper Canada. Continued immigration in the mid-19th century made the need for a division of the diocese apparent. In 1841, MacDonell’s successor Rémi Gaulin (1787-1857) named Michael Power (1804-47), a missionary from the Archdiocese of Quebec and of Irish descent, as candidate for the new diocese. After his appointment was approved by Pope Gregory XVI (1765-1846), Power was consecrated and moved to Toronto. The Diocese of Kingston was formally partitioned to include the Diocese of Toronto. The newly-created diocese encompassed the west and north of Upper Canada, from Oshawa past Penetanguishene towards James Bay. It included both isolated rural communities and increasingly crowded urban centres. In 1870, Toronto was elevated to the status of Archdiocese.

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