Who are Canada’s cardinals? A look at the five dignitaries ahead of papal conclave

Cardinals from around the world have converged on Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis and upcoming meetings that will determine the next leader of the Catholic Church.

Several Canadian clergy were among the world leaders and Catholic faithful to bid farewell to the pontiff at a mass Saturday that drew crowds to St. Peter’s Square.

The mourning period is expected to be followed by several days of pre-conclave gatherings where many of the cardinals will meet for the first time. The conclave itself, during which the new pope is elected, is not expected to begin before May 5.

Pope Francis died of a stroke and heart failure at age 88 after 12 years as the head of the Catholic Church.

Canada has three cardinals and two retired cardinals, although not all can vote because of age restrictions.

Here’s a look at who they are:

Thomas Collins

Born: Jan. 16, 1947, in Guelph, Ont.

Ordained to priesthood: May 5, 1973, in Hamilton

Appointed cardinal: Feb. 18, 2012

Retired: March 25, 2023

History: As a youth, Collins considered becoming a teacher or lawyer but was inspired by his Grade 11 English teacher, Father Newstead at Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, to enter the priesthood. He would go on to posts including Bishop of Saint Paul, Alta., on June 30, 1997; Archbishop of Edmonton on June 7, 1999 and Archbishop of Toronto on Jan. 30, 2007. He was part of the March 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Education: Collins holds a master of arts in English from the University of Western Ontario, and a bachelor of arts in theology from St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ont. In 1978 he went to Rome to study sacred Scripture and the Book of Revelation at the Pontifical Bible Institute. In 1986, he received a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

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Michael Czerny

Born: July 18, 1946, in Brno, former Czechoslovakia, now Czechia; came to Canada with his family at age two, settling in Montreal

Ordained to priesthood: 1973 for the Society of Jesus

Appointed cardinal: Oct. 5, 2019

Education: Graduate studies at the University of Chicago in an interdisciplinary program in humanities, social thought and theology in 1978

History: Czerny’s work has included positions with groups around the world dedicated to social justice, human rights, and addressing the spread of AIDS/HIV in Africa. He’s currently Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in Vatican City, charged with defending migrants and issues around the environment. Pope Francis sent him on a humanitarian mission to Ukraine in March 2022 following the Russian invasion.

Quote: Czerny reflected on his appointment as cardinal in an interview with Jesuits of Canada on March 10, 2020. “This latest group continues to contribute to the variety and universality of the College of Cardinals. So, it is more and more reflective of the Church throughout the world and of other realities. And maybe more people will be able to say: ‘Yes, among them there is my cardinal, there is a cardinal who somehow represents where I come from, how I live or what I face.’”

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Francis Leo

Born: June 30, 1971, in Montreal

Ordained to priesthood: Dec. 14, 1996, in Montreal

Installed as Archbishop of Toronto: March 25, 2023

Appointed cardinal: Dec. 7, 2024, in Toronto

Titles: Chancellor of the University of St. Michael’s College; president and founding member of the Canadian Mariological Society, which focuses on theology about the Virgin Mary; worked as a judge for the Canadian Appeal Tribunal; taught theology, spirituality and philosophy in cities including Montreal, Ottawa, and Canberra, Australia.

Education: Graduate studies in canon law and diplomacy and international law; doctorate in systematic theology with a specialization in Mariology; a licentiate in philosophy, a diploma in classical studies and a graduate certificate in spiritual direction.

Quote: This week, he reflected on the papacy’s future. “The church is a family. In this family, we have different members, brothers and sisters, and there’s different roles and vocations and ministries and responsibilities, and then there’s our spiritual father. So we’re a little like orphans now, and so we turn to the Lord that he may inspire, that he may guide, he may lead.”

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Gérald Cyprien Lacroix

Born: July 27, 1957, in Saint-Hilaire-de-Dorset, Que.

Ordained to priesthood: Oct, 8, 1988, in the Quebec City parish of Notre-Dame-de-la-Recouvrance.

Appointed Archbishop of Quebec: Feb. 22, 2011

Appointed cardinal: Jan. 12, 2014

History: Lacroix worked as a missionary in Colombia before returning to Quebec in 2001. He eventually took over for Cardinal Marc Ouellet in 2011 as Archbishop of Quebec, and as cardinal three years later. Pope Francis appointed him to his nine-member Council of Cardinals in 2023 to serve as an adviser to the pope.

Lacroix was named in a January 2024 filing in a 2022 class-action lawsuit against the archdiocese of Quebec. He was accused of touching a 17-year-old without her consent in Quebec City between 1987 and 1988. The lawsuit remains before the court. A church-led investigation found no evidence of sexual misconduct and he resumed his role after a six-month leave in July 2024 after a Vatican-mandated investigation found no evidence tying the senior church leader to sexual misconduct allegations. Observers say such allegations, which have not been proven in court, can derail a cardinal’s chances of becoming pope.

Quote: Lacroix reflected on the passing of Pope Francis in a statement Monday. “We sadly acknowledge the passing of our beloved Pope Francis, a great servant of the Gospel and a lover of humanity. Despite the immense sadness of his departure, I give thanks to God for his life. His life and his teaching have brought us back to the source of the Gospel, which is Jesus Christ. May the Lord welcome him into eternal life.”

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Cardinal Marc Ouellet

Born: June 8, 1944, in La Motte, Que.

Ordained to priesthood: May 25, 1968, in Amos, Que.

Appointed Archbishop of Quebec: Nov. 15, 2002

Appointed cardinal: Oct. 21, 2003

Retired: Jan. 30, 2023.

History: In 2013, Ouellet was touted as a front-runner to replace Pope Benedict XVI, a role that went to Pope Francis. Ouellet headed the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican office that oversees the selection of new bishops, from 2010 until his retirement in 2023. He also was president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Ouellet was also named in the 2022 class-action lawsuit against the archdiocese of Quebec. He was accused by one woman of inappropriate touching, which he has denied, and he launched a defamation lawsuit over the assault allegation.

Cardinals lose their eligibility to vote at 80, which Ouellet reached last June, though he is still eligible to be elected to the papacy.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2025.

The Canadian Press