Thomas Joseph Tobin
Encyclopedia
Thomas Joseph Tobin is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He serves as the eighth and current Bishop of Providence
.
, Pennsylvania
, and studied at St. Mark Seminary High School and Gannon University
, both in Erie
, before entering St. Francis University
in Loretto
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).
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.
Bishop Tobin is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers
fan, and displays a Steeler banner on his residence during each game day.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He serves as the eighth and current Bishop of Providence
Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius IX on February 17, 1872 and originally comprised the entire state of Rhode Island and the counties of Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket in the state...
.
Early life and ordination
Thomas Tobin was born in PittsburghPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and studied at St. Mark Seminary High School and Gannon University
Gannon University
Gannon University is a private, co-educational Catholic university offering associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, certificates and doctoral degrees and is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Gannon University has an alumni base numbering around 31,500. Current enrollment is 4,238.Gannon's...
, both in Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, before entering St. Francis University
Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University is a four-year, coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular...
in Loretto
Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is officially part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area as recognized by the US Census Bureau, but local sources list it as part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania area due to its proximity to...
and the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
and Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
, both in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He also pursued his graduate studies
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of San Anselmo in Rome.
Tobin was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Bishop Vincent Leonard on July 21, 1973, and then served as an assistant pastor
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Vitus Parish
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
in New Castle
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
until 1979. From 1979 to 1984, he was an assistant pastor at St. Sebastian Parish in Ross Township
Ross Township, Pennsylvania
Ross Township may refer to the following townships in the United States:-Illinois:* Ross Township, Edgar County, Illinois* Ross Township, Pike County, Illinois* Ross Township, Vermilion County, Illinois-Ohio:* Ross Township, Butler County, Ohio...
, later becoming administrative secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
to Bishop Anthony Bevilacqua, Associate General Secretary of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
(1987), and Vicar General
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
and General Secretary (1990).
Bishop
On November 3, 1992, Tobin was appointed Auxiliary BishopAuxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Pittsburgh and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Novica by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on December 27, 1992, from then-Bishop Donald Wuerl
Donald Wuerl
Donald William Wuerl is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the sixth and current Archbishop of Washington, serving since 2006. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle and Bishop of Pittsburgh...
, with Bishops Anthony Bosco
Anthony G. Bosco
Anthony Gerard Bosco is a prelate of the Catholic Church, currently the Bishop Emeritus of Greensburg. He was the third bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg from 1987 to 2004....
and Nicholas C. Dattilo
Nicholas C. Dattilo
Nicholas Carmen Dattilo was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, from 1990 until his death in 2004.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. Tobin was later named Bishop of Youngstown
Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
The Diocese of Youngstown is a particular church or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, consisting of six counties in Northeast Ohio: Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Stark, Portage, and Ashtabula....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, on December 5, 1995 (installed on February 6, 1992). In 1997, he was given an honorary doctorate
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of St. Francis University.
Pope John Paul II appointed Tobin Bishop of Providence
Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius IX on February 17, 1872 and originally comprised the entire state of Rhode Island and the counties of Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket in the state...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, on March 31, 2005; he was installed on May 31, 2005. Bishop Tobin currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Providence College
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
and of Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University is a university in Newport, Rhode Island. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, the university is a Catholic, co-educational, private, non-profit institution chartered by the State of Rhode Island in 1934. In 1947 the university acquired Ochre Court and welcomed its first class...
. He also maintains a column for his diocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
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 Rep. Patrick Kennedy over the Congressman's support for abortion rights during the Health Care debate. Kennedy claimed that Tobin barred him from the sacrament of Holy Communion, while Tobin claimed it was simply a confidential request that was made years prior.Bishop Tobin is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
fan, and displays a Steeler banner on his residence during each game day.