Archbishop Richard William Smith

Archbishop Richard W. Smith was born on 28 April 1959 in Halifax. He attended Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in communication. He was awarded a Master of Divinity at the Atlantic School of Theology, and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest for the metropolitan archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth on 23 May 1987. He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Immaculate Conception in Truro (1987-1991); chaplain of the Francophone community of Halifax (1990-1991); parish priest of Saint Peter in Sheet Harbour (1995-1997), parish priest of Bridgewater, Lunenburg and Elmwood (1997-1999); administrator of Saint John the Baptist in Halifax (1999-2001); and vicar general (2001-2002). On 27 April 2002 he was appointed bishop of Pembroke, receiving episcopal consecration the following 18 June. On 22 March 2007 he was appointed metropolitan archbishop of Edmonton. He was president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2011 to 2013.