St. Thomas More College Community congratulates new PA Bishop appointee

St. Thomas More College (STM) community joins in celebrating His Holiness Pope Leo XIV’s appointment of Reverend Father Kenneth Thorson, O.M.I. as the new bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert.

Saskatoon born, Ken Thorson attended local St. Charles elementary school, followed by a move with his family to Nipawin for High School. After graduation Thorson spent one year in St. Pius Seminary as a candidate for the Prince Albert diocese.

Thorson entered the Oblate Novitiate of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Arnprior, Ontario in 1992, pursuing philosophical and theological studies in Saskatoon, Edmonton, Rome, and Toronto.

Studies in theology at Newman Theological College in Edmonton were followed by attending the Scholasticate in Rome for two years. The experience was stated as one of tremendous growth with Thorson’s experience of international church illuminated, noting fellow attendees represented 15 countries.

An alumnus of STM College, Class of 1990, Thorson spent his 1996 academic year in Chaplaincy at STM. Fr. Ron Griffin, CSB, STM’s remaining Basilian, remembers Fr. Ken as a great chaplain during his year of formation assignment. Dr. John Thomson, president of STM at that time, similarly relayed full praise regarding Fr. Thorson’s time serving at the College.

Thorson was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1999.

Fr. Thorson’s first obedience, from 1998 to 2003, was to his home province, where he served at St. Patrick's Parish in Saskatoon, initially as assistant pastor and later as pastor for three years, while also serving as chaplain at E.D. Feehan High School.

More recently, in 2019, Fr. Thorson was appointed Provincial Superior of OMI Lacombe, which was followed with a second term completed in June 2025. “Profoundly influenced by the humanity of the Oblates,” it is noted that during his term as provincial, Fr. Thorson was actively involved in truth and reconciliation, the release of historical records, and other ongoing work addressing the Oblates’ historical involvement in residential schools.

“We are very proud of the leadership work Bishop-elect Ken Thorson has performed in his ministry since his time at STM, and we celebrate the confidence Pope Leo has placed in him with his appointment as Bishop of Prince Albert,” said President Carl Still.