Most Rev. Joseph Dabrowski, C.S.M.A.
Please note: as of 2 April 2023, Bishop Dabrowski is the bishop-designate for the Diocese of Charlottetown
Bishop Joseph Dabrowski was born in 1964 in Poland, the second of five children. The son of Czesława and Ludwik, he grew up in Wysoka Strzyżowska, a small village in the south of Poland.
After graduating from a high school run by the Michaelite Fathers, he chose to enter the Michaelite religious order.
After completing one year of the Novitiate he made his first profession in 1982. After one year of internship in Poland, he was selected to study in Italy at the Institute of Philosophy and Theology of Saint Peter in Viterbo. He graduated from the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm in Rome, obtaining his Master of Divinity.
He was ordained to the priesthood on May 4, 1991 at the Pontifical Sanctuary of Santa Maria ad Rupes, Italy. Four days later, he was assigned to join the Michaelite Fathers community in London, Ontario.
“Fr. Joe”, as he has been affectionately known to his parishioners in the past, served as Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Czestochowa in London from 1992 to 1993; St. Michael in Leamington from 1993 to 1996; St. Pius X (now Holy Family) in London from 1996 to 1997; and St. Mary in London from 1997 to 1998. In 1998 he was named Pastor of St. Mary parish in London, where he served until he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop in 2015. As a priest he served on the Ministry to Priests Team, Council of Priests, as a Spiritual Director for St. Peter’s Seminary, the advisory board for St. Peter’s Cemetery, and the Linguistic Communities Committee.
In the Michaelite community, Bishop Joseph has served as Vice Superior, Advisor, Vice Provincial, and Provincial of North American Vice Province.
Since his ordination as Bishop on 14 April 2015 at St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica in London, Bishop Dabrowski has served as Vicar General, Vicar for Priests, Episcopal Liaison to St. Peter's Seminary, Member of the Board of Directors of St. Peter's Seminary, Episcopal Liaison to the Knights of Columbus, Episcopal Liaison to the Catholic Women's League, Episcopal Liaison with Religious Communities and on the Ministry to Priests Team.
As a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Bishop Dabrowski was appointed as co-chair to the Roman Catholic / Evangelical Dialogue Group and a member of the Episcopal Commission for Evangelization and Catechesis.
For the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario, Bishop Dabrowski served as a Member of the ACBO Commission for Priests, State Chaplain of the Ontario Knights of Columbus, Member of the ACBO Social Affairs Commission, Liaison Bishop to the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE) and Liaison Bishop to the Ontario Catholic Cemetery Conference.
Bishop Dabrowski enjoys serving and speaking with the faithful of many cultures, and celebrating the Catholic faith in many languages. He speaks English, Polish, Italian, Spanish and has previously studied French, Russian and Latin. Bishop Dabrowski enjoys playing the guitar, volleyball, tennis, soccer, and skiing. He is a big fan of Italian football club AS Roma.