Pope Leo XIV has appointed Rev. Father Kenneth Thorson, O.M.I as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Prince Albert, with his ordination on Aug. 22.
“It was a surprise. I was really touched that Pope Leo chose to invite me to take on this role and be the Bishop of Prince Albert,” said Thorson. “The first couple of days I was a little nervous as I considered the invitation. Then after some prayer, and more prayer, I was at peace with it and grateful for this opportunity to serve in a new way.”
Prior to Thorson’s invitation, he said he had been appointed as the incoming pastor at a parish in Ottawa, Ontario.
“It was an unexpected invitation that brought some disruption into my plans and the plans of the Oblate community,” he said. “But in the end, I see it as an invitation from God. I see God’s work in this.”
The role of Bishop of Prince Albert leads the regional Catholic or Anglican diocese, overseeing parishes, ordaining priests, managing church administration, and providing spiritual guidance through community outreach across northern and central Saskatchewan.
Thorson said one of his top priorities is reconciling with Indigenous peoples.
“I’m a missionary oblate of Mary Immaculate. My community ran the majority of Catholic residential schools,” said Thorson. “A significant part of my work as leader of the Oblates in the last six years was to work on different ways of responding to the calls for truth and reconciliation.”
He said he wants to continue this initiative through “reaching out to and responding to invitations from First Nations, Métis communities to learn how [he] can be in service to the work of truth and reconciliation.”
Alongside his mission of reconciliation, he also emphasized that connecting with the community, including the youth, is something he intends to exercise.
“The plan is first to listen. That’s the most important thing, I think. To get to know the communities that are a part of the Christian and Catholic communities and to begin to visit and meet the people of those communities will be very important,” said Thorson.
“[The youth] are in fact not an object of the church’s mission, but they are members of the church called to mission,” he said. “Young people have the language of young people. So I’ll be looking for young people to work with me and teach me how I meant to be a bishop with and for the young people of the Diocese of Prince Albert.”
Despite living in Ottawa for a few years serving as the Vocation Director at the OMI Lacombe’s St. Charles Formation Community, the Saskatoon-born reverend was excited to return to the prairies.
“I was born in Saskatoon, and I lived six years in Nipawin. I know Saskatchewan, but I’d been away for so long, and it was really lovely to come back, and to experience once again the hospitality and the kindness of Saskatchewan people.” he said.
Thorson’s ordination will be on Aug. 22 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
“The celebration isn’t about me. The celebration is about the local church of Prince Albert who are celebrating the ordination and installation of their new bishop and the commitment that we all share by our baptism in Christ,” he said. “I’m looking forward to celebrating that with the people here and getting on with the mission.”
