HAMILTON, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV appointed Charlottetown Bishop Joseph Dabrowski to replace Bishop Douglas Crosby in the Diocese of Hamilton.

According to a press release from the Diocese of Hamilton, on November 1, Pope Leo announced Bishop Dabrowski would succeed Bishop Crosby, a bishop known for his LGBT activism.

“I am deeply humbled and grateful to be called by the Holy Father to serve the Church as the Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton in Ontario,” Dabrowski responded to the appointment.

“A bishop is called to be a spiritual father to those entrusted to his care,” he continued. “My prayer today is that the Lord will grant me the grace always to be a good, compassionate, and humble servant. I accept this new appointment with trust in God’s plan, confident that the Lord will soon send a new shepherd to continue serving the wonderful Diocese of Charlottetown.”

Dabrowski, appointed bishop in 2023 by Pope Francis, will be installed as Bishop of Hamilton on February 2, 2026.

During his time as bishop of Charlottetown, the diocese supported several pro-life causes, including the 2024 Life Chain. The diocese also denounced euthanasia, instead advocating for palliative care and “dignity, love, and hope.”

Additionally, when Dabrowski arrived at the diocese, it promoted an article on “LGBT inclusion” and “women’s ordination.” Now, the diocesan X account advertises a marriage program that explicitly defines marriage as “a covenant that exists between one man and one woman.”

In his 2025 vision for pastoral renewal of the diocese, Dabrowski called on Catholics to live a life of prayer, reminding them that their relationship with Christ should flow into their everyday lives.

“Pastoral renewal is not simply a set of programs or initiatives; it is a spiritual invitation for each of us to deepen our relationship with the Lord, rekindle the flame of our faith, equip leaders and the faithful to live their mission with courage and confidence and rediscover the joy of the Gospel,” he declared.

Dabrowski’s appointment follows Crosby’s resignation last year after serving in the diocese for 15 years. As is customary, Crosby submitted his resignation to the pope on his 75th birthday. During his time as bishop, Crosby became well-known for his pro-LGBT stance and refusal to reprimand radically pro-LGBT priests.

Under Crosby’s guidance, the Diocese of Hamilton argued in favor of flying the “gay pride” flag at Catholic schools in a document submitted by Father Cornelius O’Mahony, Episcopal Vicar for Education for the Catholic Partners of the Diocese of Hamilton. At the same time, the Chancellor for the Diocese of Hamilton forbade parish priests within the diocese from petitioning against the proposal or speaking out about the matter in homilies.

On May 6, the Toronto Catholic School District Board passed motions proclaiming June to be observed as Pride Month and mandating the Pride flag be flown at all schools and the school board office. Social media posts later displayed the raising of the Pride flag at several Catholic schools in Ontario.