On June 11, 2024, Pope Francis appointed Fr. Michael Brehl CSsR, currently Provincial Superior of the Redemptorist Province of Canada, as the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Pembroke, Canada.
Fr. Michael Brehl C.Ss.R. was born in Toronto, Ontario, on January 7, 1955. He joined the Redemptorists in 1975 and earned both a philosophy degree and a M.Div. at the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto. He professed vows as a Redemptorist on August 15, 1976, and was ordained to the priesthood on March 15, 1980.
As a redemptorist priest, Fr. Brehl served in parish ministry and as a missionary preacher, as well as Novice Director and Director of Formation for the Edmonton-Toronto Province. Confreres elected him Provincial Superior in 2002, a position he held until 2009, when he was elected Superior General of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in Rome. After two terms at the helm, he returned to Toronto in 2023 and was appointed associate pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish. Earlier this year, he was elected Provincial Superior of the Province of Canada, succeeding Fr. Michael Smolinski, who was appointed the sixth Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon in November of 2023.
Fr Michael Brehl’s episcopal ordination and canonical possession of the diocese will take place at the Cathedral of St. Columbkille in Pembroke on Thursday, August 15, 2024, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at 10.00 a.m. (local time). He is the second Redemptorist to serve the Diocese of Pembroke, succeeding his confrere, Archbishop Guy Desrochers, who served the Diocese of Pembroke from 2020 until 2023, when he was appointed Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada.
The Diocese of Pembroke was erected as a Vicariate Apostolic on July 11, 1882. Sixteen years later, on May 4, 1898, it was elevated to the Diocese of Pembroke. It is served by 65 diocesan and religious priests, 12 permanent deacons and one consecrated man along with 60 consecrated women. It has a Catholic population of more than 60,000 Catholics in 55 parishes and missions.
(updated on June 14)
