Ontario’s Catholic bishops await learning which dicastery assignments Pope Francis will confer to new Cardinal Toronto Francis Leo with great anticipation.

Informed by their knowledge of, and personal interactions with, the leader of Canada’s largest Catholic community, Bishops Thomas Dowd of Sault Ste. Marie, Ronald Fabbro of London, Douglas Crosby of Hamilton and Daniel Miehm of Peterborough have ideas on where Leo would be a natural fit in the Roman Curia.

Given Leo’s six years of experience in the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See (2006-2012), coupled with his two three-year terms as general secretary for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Dowd said the Dicastery for Bishops is an enticing option.  

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“He has worked in a nunciature so he got to know the challenges that bishops face around the world,” said Dowd. “This would seem to be a logical fit for someone with his background.”

From 2008-2011, Leo was posted to the apostolic nunciature in Australia and then he transferred to the Holy See Study Mission in Hong Kong for one year.

Crosby did not weigh in with dicastery preferences, but he said Leo would be an asset in dialoguing with bishops from around the world considering his ability to speak several languages and his intricate knowledge of many cultures.

Miehm also said Leo “could make a really strong contribution” to the Dicastery of Bishops, but he also has another idea in mind.

“I am privileged to work with him on the Education Commission for the (Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario),” said Miehm, who chairs this body monitoring the development of curriculum in Catholic schools. “He would have a lot of good input about Catholic education and be an effective representative.”

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Fabbro, who praised Leo for his “background in all sorts of aspects of the life in the Church,” said the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development would be good fits. The former, the oldest in the Roman curia, is responsible for promoting and safeguarding Catholic doctrine. The latter, established under the Francis papacy in 2017, promotes values of social justice and care of creation.

Dowd, a fellow former pupil at the Grand Séminaire de Montréal, also made a case for Leo to join the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

“He has a Doctorate (in Systematic Theology from the University of Dayton),” said Dowd. “He wasn't a renowned university professor or something like that but he knows the faith inside and out. He's also deeply committed to the tradition of the Church. He’s not just committed to its letter but its spirit — thinking with the mind of the Church.”

Additionally, Dowd proposed the Dicastery of the Clergy as a pathway. This body is entrusted to offer dioceses assistance and guidance for various aspects of governance regarding the life of the Church, but so often there “is trouble finding clergy to actually go there and help.”

“The more good minds you have around the table…I think this would be something really valuable (for Leo),” said Dowd.

Dowd, though, said don’t be surprised if Pope Francis veers into an unexcepted direction.

“Sometimes (a cardinal) is assigned a dicastery because it's part of that person's learning curve — part of growing into being a universal man within the Church,” said Dowd. “Whatever dicastery is offered, it will tell us a bit about Pope Francis' vision for Cardinal Leo, and it will also help us to see how Cardinal Leo can make a contribution.”

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Crosby, who served as CCCB president from 2015-2017, expressed confidence the 53-year-old Leo will thrive at whatever tasks are laid at his feet.

"He's a very organized leader,” said Crosby. “He's very capable of dealing with complex issues. He is also a very happy man, which helps. Also, he’s a very good preacher and teacher.”