Pope Benedict XVI has named Fr. Thomas Dowd the fifth English-speaking auxiliary bishop of Montreal. At 40 years old, Bishop-elect Dowd is the youngest bishop in Canada. The nomination was announced July 11. 

As auxiliary bishop, Bishop-elect Dowd will assist Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte in the tasks of governance and the teaching of the faith in the second-largest diocese in Canada. 

Bishop-elect Dowd was born in Montreal on Sept. 11, 1970, and ordained a priest on Dec. 7, 2001. Following his theological studies at the Grand Seminary of Montreal, he did pastoral work, from 2001 to 2005, in the Montreal parishes of Holy Name of Jesus, Saint Thomas à Becket, Saint Veronica and Saint Luke. From 2005 to 2006, he served as chaplain at Lakeshore General Hospital. From 2006 to 2011, he was associate director of the Office for Pastoral Personnel. In September 2010, he was named director of formation for the Archdiocese of Montreal.

The four previous English-speaking auxiliary bishops of Montreal were Bishops Lawrence Whelan (1899-1980), Leonard Crowley (1921-2003), Neil Willard (1937-1998) and Anthony Mancini (1945-), who is currently archbishop of Halifax. 

The Archdiocese of Montreal has more than 1.5 million Catholics in 220 parishes and missions.  It is served by 457 diocesan priests, 557 priests who are members of religious orders and societies of apostolic life, 100 permanent deacons, 3,670 religious brothers and sisters, and 123 lay pastoral workers.