On June 17th, Pope Francis appointed Fr. Robert Kasun, C.S.B., as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Bishop-designate Kasun commented on the appointment from the Holy Father: “I have found my new appointment very difficult to understand and accept, but I will do my best, with the help of God’s grace, to serve the people in the Archdiocese of Toronto.”

Father Kasun will become one of four auxiliary bishops who assist Cardinal Thomas Collins in the Archdiocese of Toronto. Cardinal Collins welcomed the announcement: “We are grateful to the Holy Father for the appointment of Bishop-designate Kasun. I am excited to welcome him to the Archdiocese of Toronto and know that he will make a profound impact in our efforts to evangelize, inspire and care for God’s people. I invite our entire faith community to join me in offering our prayers and best wishes as he prepares to join us soon.”

Bishop-designate Kasun has been serving in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, where he will be Ordained on September 12th. The Principal Consecrator is Toronto’s Archbishop, Cardinal Thomas Collins and the two Co-Consecrators are Archbishop Michael Miller, CSB of Vancouver and Bishop Ronald Fabbro, CSB of London.

Robert Kasun was born in December 1951 and raised in Cudworth, Saskatchewan, in the former Benedictine Abbacy of Muenster. After high school he attended St. Thomas More College in​ ​Saskatoon, where he met the Basilian Fathers, the religious congregation he joined after graduating with a Bachelor's degree in English. Following his novitiate he continued his studies, earning a Master of Divinity from the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto, and then Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from the University of Toronto.

Following ordination to the priesthood in 1978, Father Kasun commenced his teaching ministry in Basilian schools in Merrillville, Indiana; Sudbury, Ontario; and his longest assignment, at St. Michael’s College School in Toronto. He also served as Vocations Director for the Basilian Fathers based in Rochester, New York, and as a teacher at St. Francis High School in Calgary. He served on the General Council of the Basilian Fathers from 1989 to 1997 as Regional Representative for Western Canada, and as Vice-President of the Canadian Religious Conference Western Division.

Also in Calgary, he served in parish ministry at St. Pius X and St. Thomas More parishes, on the diocesan presbyteral council, and on the executive committee of the Board of Governors for St. Mary’s University College.

Since 2009, Father Kasun has served as pastor of the inner-city Edmonton parishes of St. Alphonsus and St. Clare, where he and a number of parishioners have enjoyed teaching English as a Second Language to temporary foreign workers, helping them to feel more at home in our country and Church. During his time in Edmonton, “Father Bob” made a mark as a passionate advocate for and friend of the lower-income and immigrant communities.