Cardinal Joseph William Tobin

Joseph William Tobin, C.SS.R., was born in Detroit, Michigan (in the archdiocese of the same name), on May 3, 1952. He entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, making his temporary profession on August 5, 1972, and his solemn profession on August 21, 1976. In 1975, he obtained a Baccalaureate in Philosophy from Holy Redeemer College in Waterford, Wisconsin; in 1977, a Master of Religious Education; and in 1979, a Master of Divinity (Pastoral Theology) from Mount Saint Alphonsus Major Seminary in Esopus, New York. Ordained a priest on June 1, 1978, he served in the following roles: parochial vicar (1979–1984) and subsequently pastor (1984–1990) of Holy Redeemer Parish in Detroit; episcopal vicar in the Archdiocese of Detroit (1980–1986); and pastor of Saint Alphonsus Parish in Chicago (1990–1991). In 1991, he was elected Consultor General of the Redemptorist Fathers, and on September 9, 1997, Superior General. He was reconfirmed in this role on September 26, 2003. That same year, he became Vice-President of the Union of Superiors General. Furthermore, he was a member of the Council for Relations between the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the International Unions of Superiors and Superiors General (2001–2009). Appointed Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on August 2, 2010—and simultaneously raised to the titular see of Obba with the dignity of Archbishop—he received episcopal ordination on October 9 of that year. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.