It's been two centuries since Pope Leo XII erected the then Diocese of Kingston on Jan. 27, 1826, making it the second Catholic diocese in all of Canada and the first English-speaking Roman Catholic diocese in the British Empire since the Reformation.

Now, with 200 years of faithful history behind it, Archbishop Michael Mulhall and the Archdiocese of Kingston are marking the bicentennial with a profound invitation: to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. Mulhall has chosen the anniversary theme drawn from Philippians 3:10, “To know Christ and the power of His resurrection,” to point believers back to the most enduring truth at the heart of our faith, seen in the Eucharist.

What began with a joyful celebration on Dec. 8 during the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and Patronal Feast as the Jubilee Year of Hope drew to a close has blossomed into a full year of commemoration, reflection and deep appreciation for the generations of faithful service and Gospel proclamation across the Kingston region and beyond.

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The archdiocese's pinnacle celebration is to be celebrated April 18 with faithful parishioners, religious sisters and clergy from across the region to gather at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.

Mulhall is still finding time to contemplate Kingston’s rich history with the Catholic faith — when the care of Upper Canada's (now Ontario) Catholics was transferred from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Québec to the first Bishop of Kingston, Alexander Macdonell — including the service of countless people who have contributed to the founding and subsequent flourishing of the archdiocese, its parishes and broader communities. 

Alluding to the early 19th-century Irish, Scottish and French-Canadian Catholics, Mulhall spoke to the groundwork that has led to the continued presence of the province’s oldest archdiocese. 

“There were great challenges throughout the early years of settlement in this area, with typhus and other fatal illnesses affecting the immigrant population and harsh conditions endured by those working the land throughout the vast regions of rural countryside," said Mulhall. "The many and diverse needs of the people for health care, care of orphans, education and other basic necessities were provided for through the Church by consecrated religious with the support of the laity.

“The faithful witness of all these people who built our parish communities and proclaimed the Gospel in their daily lives is incredibly inspiring.” 

Today, many enduring institutions like Providence Care, Hotel Dieu and Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School remain, reminding local Kingston Catholics of the mission of past generations and of their continued responsibility to care for one another in 2026 and beyond.

The creation of the historic diocese allowed for the birth of the Archdiocese of Toronto as we know it. It was in December of 1841 when Pope Gregory XVI divided the western portion of the Diocese of Kingston to establish the new Diocese of Toronto, with Michael Power as first bishop. The division allowed the Catholic Church to both respond more effectively to rapid growth and settlement in the western regions, while Kingston was able to retain its role as the foundational see for Eastern Ontario.

That early foundation laid under Macdonell has also endured through generations. As a Metropolitan Archdiocese since 1889, Kingston continues to hold a historic and prominent place in the Church in Canada. This distinction brings with it the important responsibility of the stewardship of early records and artifacts from remote settlements and regions now belonging to other dioceses in Ontario. A significant initiative tied to the anniversary is a formalized archival partnership with the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul and the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph. The three entities have been preparing a new, purpose-built facility designed to preserve these precious records and artifacts for future generations while enabling facilitated public access. This project is hoping to break ground later this year.

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The archdiocese has been planning for this momentous 200th anniversary since 2024, having felt that the 2025 Jubilee year, and in particular the theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” was a gift that ideally encapsulates that very truth of our faith. 

The Archdiocese of Kingston was also granted a Plenary Indulgence from the Paenitentiaria Apostolica for the 200th anniversary year of 2026, with St. Michael the Archangel in Belleville, St. Joseph in Kingston, St. John the Baptist in Perth, St. Francis Xavier in Brockville and Kingston’s Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception having been designated as pilgrimage sites this year. Virtual tours of these churches are available on the archdiocesan website for the distant and homebound, with many parishes also having begun organizing bus trips to participate in the special plenary indulgence in-person on the heels of the Jubilee Year. 

Mulhall said these unique opportunities, as well as the pinnacle Mass on April 18, are just two of many celebrations taking place throughout the year. 

“We’ve had a liturgy guide developed for parishes, celebrating the theme of the anniversary across the liturgical seasons of the year. Eucharistic Adoration celebrations are encouraged throughout the anniversary year as a devotion for the whole parish, and an icon was written for the theme, with slightly smaller versions having been reproduced for each parish or chapel of the archdiocese to be received by parish representatives after Holy Mass on April 18,” he said.  

Additionally, a spiritual speakers series will take place from Aug. 13 to 15 across the archdiocese, including an Aug. 14 clergy session with Fr. Donald Haggerty and an evening talk by Toronto's Cardinal Frank Leo with a Taizé liturgy at the cathedral to follow. A celebration of the founding religious orders is to be held Sept. 12 to 13 and the anniversary year officially concludes Dec. 8, the Patronal Feast of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. 

Even with a calendar full of ways to celebrate, Mulhall admires the faithful’s continued spiritual support during this year of commemoration. 

“Parishes are praying in unison. The 200th anniversary prayer at the conclusion of each Mass, invoking the sentiment of St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, and this visible sign of our spiritual unity and our shared hope in the glory of the Resurrection, has been edifying for the laity and clergy alike. Many positive comments have been shared related to this devotion,” he said. 

Through all of the historical reflection, unique pilgrimage opportunities and current commemorative events, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral has remained a symbol of Kingston Catholics’ “spiritual home,” as Mulhall puts it. Recent renovations have further elevated it as a symbol for internal renewal, with workers carefully uncovering a long-hidden fresco dating to the late 1870s earlier this year. 

Carlos Nunes, team leader of Fine Painting Design Restoration, spoke to the discovery, calling it a service to a beautiful metaphor for the anniversary itself, as history from the past once concealed is now being revealed anew to inspire the present generation of Kingston Catholics. 

As Kingston celebrates two centuries of faith, service and spiritual resilience, Mulhall said the key foundations needed to ensure the archdiocese thrives for the next 200 years are simple. 

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“Our world offers constant distractions and celebrates individualism. We are experiencing the joy of unity in our faith as members of the body of Christ. This is a source of great consolation and hope,” he said. “Our mission is simple: to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, to give glory to God and to live the Gospel. Our Lord has conquered death and offers us fellowship in His resurrection. We must go joyfully into the future proclaiming this Good News.” 

For more on the 200th anniversary, visit https://romancatholic.kingston.on.ca/200thanniversary.