Most Rev. Philip Francis Pocock –
Second Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, 1944-1951
Philip Francis Pocock was born in St. Thomas, Ontario on July 2, 1906. He studied Theology at St. Peter’s Seminary, London and was ordained to the priesthood on June l4, 1930 by Bishop Denis P. O’Connor of Peterborough at St. Peter’s Cathedral, London. Pocock served in two parishes until 1933, when he went to Rome for graduate studies and obtained the degree of Doctor of Canon Law. On his return to London, he was appointed to the staff of St. Peter’s Seminary where he taught Moral Theology and Canon Law until 1944.
On April 7, 1944, Father Pocock was appointed Bishop of Saskatoon. He was ordained to the episcopacy in St. Peter’s Cathedral, London by Most Reverend Ildebrando Antoniutti, Apostolic Delegate of Canada, and installed as Bishop of Saskatoon June 29, 1944. Pocock served as Bishop of Saskatoon for 7 years.
On June 16, 1951, following the death of Coadjutor-Archbishop of Winnipeg, Gerald Murray, CSsR, Pocock was named Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg and, on August 6 of that year, became Coadjutor-Archbishop to Archbishop Alfred Sinnott. He succeeded to the See on the retirement of Archbishop Sinnott and became Archbishop of Winnipeg on January 14, 1952.
On February 18, 1961, Pocock was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Toronto. He succeeded to the see of Toronto and became Archbishop of Toronto on March 30, 1971.
On April 29, 1978, Archbishop Pocock resigned the See of Toronto and took up residence at St. Mary’s Parish, Brampton. He died on September 6, 1984 and was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery, Thornhill, ON.
[Some information from: D.F. Robertson, The Sword of St. Paul: A History of the Diocese of Saskatoon 1933-1983, 1982]