Thomas Joseph Tobin

Styles of Thomas Joseph Tobin
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Thomas Joseph Tobin (born April 1, 1948) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He serves as the eighth and current Bishop of Providence.

Biography

Early life and ordination

Thomas Tobin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and studied at St. Mark Seminary High School and Gannon University, both in Erie, before entering St. Francis University in Loretto where he received his BA in 1969 ^[1] and the Pontifical North American College and Pontifical Gregorian University, both in Rome. He also pursued his graduate studies at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of San Anselmo in Rome.

Tobin was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Vincent Leonard on July 21, 1973, and then served as an assistant pastor at St. Vitus Parish in New Castle until 1979. From 1979 to 1984, he was an assistant pastor at St. Sebastian Parish in Ross Township, later becoming administrative secretary to Bishop Anthony Bevilacqua, Associate General Secretary of the Diocese of Pittsburgh (1987), and Vicar General and General Secretary (1990).

Bishop

On November 3, 1992, Tobin was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh and Titular Bishop of Novica by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on December 27, 1992, from then-Bishop Donald Wuerl, with Bishops Anthony Bosco and Nicholas C. Dattilo serving as co-consecrators. Tobin was later named Bishop of Youngstown, Ohio, on December 5, 1995 (installed on February 6, 1992). In 1997, he was given an honorary doctorate from his alma mater of St. Francis University.

Pope John Paul II appointed Tobin Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island, on March 31, 2005; he was installed on May 31, 2005. Bishop Tobin currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Providence College and of Salve Regina University. He also maintains a column for his diocesan newspaper entitled "Without A Doubt". The Without a Doubt columns have been published in two books authored by the Bishop: Without a Doubt: Bringing Faith to Life and Effective Faith: Faith that Makes a Difference.

Views

Tobin also became embroiled in a public dispute with Rhode Island Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy over the Congressman's support for legal abortion during the Health Care debate. Kennedy claimed that Tobin barred him from Holy Communion, while Tobin claimed it was simply a confidential request made years prior.^[2]

Bishop Tobin is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and displays a Steeler banner on his residence during each game day.^[3]

Upon President Obama's announced support for same-sex marriage, Tobin claimed it was "a sad day in American history".^[4] His views on Catholic morality and voting have included the concept that voting for a pro-choice/Feminist/pro-LGBTQQ candidate is morally unacceptable. The Bishop has also stated that "the Catholic Church has respect, love and pastoral concern for our brothers and sisters who have same-sex attraction. I sincerely pray for God’s blessings upon them, that they will enjoy much health, happiness and peace."^[5]

References

External links

• Book: Effective Faith: Faith that Makes a Difference
• Official site of the Holy See
• Without a Doubt Column Archive

Diocese of Providence
Bishops	Ordinaries Thomas Francis Hendricken Matthew Harkins William A. Hickey Francis Patrick Keough Russell McVinney Louis Edward Gelineau Robert Edward Mulvee Thomas Joseph Tobin Auxiliaries Thomas Francis Doran Denis Matthew Lowney Thomas Francis Maloney Bernard Matthew Kelly Kenneth Anthony Angell Robert Joseph McManus Robert C. Evans
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul Parish churches St. Joseph Church, Central Falls St. Matthew's Church, Central Falls Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, Coventry St. Paul Church, Cranston St. Mary's Church, Crompton St. Joseph's Church, Cumberland St. Mary's Church, Newport St. John the Baptist Church, Pawtucket St. Mary's Church of the Immaculate Conception, Pawtucket Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Providence St. Adalbert's Church, Providence St. Joseph's Church, Providence St. Michael's Church, Providence St. Casimir Church, Warren Church of the Precious Blood, Woonsocket St. Ann's Church, Woonsocket St. Charles Borromeo Church, Woonsocket St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Woonsocket Former parish churches Holy Trinity Church, Central Falls Trinity Church, Pawtucket Immaculate Conception Church, Westerly
Education	Higher Education Providence College Salve Regina University High Schools Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick Bishop Keough Regional High School, Pawtucket La Salle Academy, Providence Mount Saint Charles Academy, Woonsocket Portsmouth Abbey School, Portsmouth Prout School, Wakefield St. Mary Academy – Bay View, East Providence St. Raphael Academy, Pawtucket Former High School Our Lady of Fatima High School, Warren
Hospitals	Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, Providence St. Joseph's Hospital, Providence
Priests	Austin Dowling Salvatore Ronald Matano Daniel Patrick Reilly Francis Xavier Roque William Stang
Catholicism portal

Diocese of Youngstown
Bishops	Ordinaries James A. McFadden Emmet M. Walsh James William Malone Thomas J. Tobin George Murry Auxiliary bishops William Anthony Hughes Benedict Charles Franzetta
Churches	Cathedral St. Columba Cathedral Basilicas Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, Canton Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Youngstown Parishes Mother of Sorrows Church, Ashtabula St. Peter's Church, Canton St. Louis Church, Louisville St. Mary's Church, Massillon
Education	Higher Education Walsh University High Schools Cardinal Mooney High School, Youngstown Central Catholic High School, Canton John F. Kennedy High School, Warren St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Louisville Saint John High School, Ashtabula Ursuline High School, Youngstown
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Diocese of Pittsburgh
Ordinaries	Bishops O'Connor Michael Domenec John Tuigg Richard Phelan Regis Canevin Hugh Boyle John Dearden John Joseph Wright Vincent Leonard Anthony Bevilacqua Donald Wuerl David A. Zubik Auxiliary bishops Anthony G. Bosco Paul J. Bradley Coleman F. Carroll Vincent Martin Leonard John Bernard McDowell Thomas Joseph Tobin William Waltersheid William Winter David A. Zubik
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of St. Paul Parishes Immaculate Heart of Mary St. Boniface St. Hilary St. Nicholas Croatian St. Philomena (suppressed) St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapels and shrines St. Anthony's Chapel
Education	Higher education Duquesne Carlow La Roche Saint Paul Seminary Saint Vincent Seminary High schools Aquinas Bishop Canevin Central Catholic Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic Oakland Catholic Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Quigley Catholic Serra Catholic Seton-La Salle St. Joseph Vincentian Elementary schools St. Anne School
Priests	Anthony Gerard Bosco Paul Joseph Bradley Edward James Burns Coleman Francis Carroll Howard Joseph Carroll William Graham Connare Nicholas Carmen Dattilo Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Norbert Felix Gaughan Jerome Daniel Hannan Ralph Leo Hayes Bernard Anthony Hebda Adam Joseph Cardinal Maida Tobias Mullen James O'Connor Thomas Joseph Tobin Donald Cardinal Wuerl
Miscellany	Calvary Catholic Cemetery The Pittsburgh Catholic St. Joseph's House of Hospitality See of Allegheny
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