Writings

I was not ordained to be irrelevant – Bishop Thomas J. Tobin

Reflecting his episcopal motto of ‘Strong, Loving and Wise’ Bishop Tobin regularly put his thoughts to paper in his bi-monthly ‘Without a Doubt’ column in the diocesan newspaper, Rhode Island Catholic.  He has also written pastoral letters to the lay faithful and letters to priests of the Diocese of Providence.

Below, please find additional information and links to the Bishop’s writings.

Without a Doubt
Every other week, Rhode Island Catholic publishes a column by Bishop Tobin entitled ‘Without a Doubt’. The Bishop previously published the column in The Catholic Exponent, newspaper of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio.

Bishop Tobin's latest book, "Effective Faith"
The ‘Without a Doubt’ columns are meant to bridge the gap between the teachings of the Church and our lived experience; to offer some very practical observation about the consequences of our Catholic faith in the “real world.” The Bishop has published two books that include a collection of Without a Doubt Columns. 

Pastoral Letters
Bishops draft pastoral letters as open letters to members of the Church and others living in his diocese. These letters generally address a particular issue and explain Church teaching on the matter and how it relates to contemporary culture. Issues may include a theological topic or social concern.

Letters to Priests
On occasion, the bishop has taken the opportunity to write letters directly to priests.  As the shepherd for the laity and priests in the diocese, such opportunities have discussed important theological topics relative to the priesthood.