Bishop Joseph Dabrowski is set to depart from his position in the Diocese of Charlottetown early next month to pursue his new role in Ontario. Pope Leo XIV has named Dabrowski as the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton.
Expressing his gratitude and humility, Dabrowski stated in a press release, “I am deeply honored to have been chosen by the Holy Father to lead as the Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton in Ontario. While I have only been serving in the Diocese of Charlottetown for a brief two years, I have grown to appreciate and cherish the clergy, religious individuals, and the devoted community on Prince Edward Island.”
Born in 1964 in Wysoka Strzyżowska, a small village in southern Poland, Dabrowski is the second of five siblings. He was ordained as a priest in Italy in 1991 and has previously served as the auxiliary bishop of London before assuming the role of Bishop of Charlottetown in April 2023.
Looking ahead to his new responsibilities, Dabrowski remarked, “I eagerly anticipate guiding and supporting the people of the Diocese of Hamilton. I kindly ask for your prayers as I embark on this new journey, and also for the faithful of the Dioceses of Hamilton and Charlottetown, who will forever hold a special place in my heart.”
Dabrowski will be succeeding Bishop Douglas Crosby, who recently retired. Crosby expressed his appreciation in a news release, saying, “Thank you, dear Bishop, for responding to the Holy Spirit’s call and the appointment by Pope Leo XIV to lead the Diocese into the future with faith and optimism. Your selection marks the pinnacle of our Jubilee Year of Hope celebrations. May God, who initiated this good work in you, see it through to completion.”
With Dabrowski’s departure, the Charlottetown diocese is currently without a bishop. Sister Sue Kidd, the campus minister at UPEI, disclosed that a group of clergy on the island will convene in the upcoming weeks to appoint an administrator.
Kidd expressed her sentiments on Dabrowski’s departure, stating, “I felt a twinge of sadness when I learned that he was chosen by the Holy Father to leave the diocese. He has only been here for two and a half years, and it can be challenging to make significant progress in such a short time.”
Reflecting on Dabrowski’s initiatives during his tenure on P.E.I., Kidd mentioned his launch of a vision for pastoral renewal, outlining a strategic plan for the future of the Charlottetown diocese. She added, “It is regrettable that he will not be able to guide us in realizing the full potential of that vision. I hope that the incoming bishop, whoever it may be and whenever they arrive, will seamlessly carry forward the vision without resetting our progress.”
