As news of the acceptance of Bishop Ronald Fabbro’s retirement broke on April 21, the Diocese of London began turning the page on a remarkable 24-year chapter of faithful service.

Though he will continue serving until Bishop Daniel Miehm’s installation on June 29, the longtime shepherd of the southwestern Ontario diocese has already left a deep imprint through his listening, leadership, courageous planning and quiet joy in walking with London’s faithful. 

Speaking with The Catholic Register shortly after Pope Leo XIV accepted his resignation, Fabbro reflected with quiet gratitude on the upcoming time of transition. Before looking back on his own journey to this point, he was sure to first share his delight with his soon-to-be successor. 

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“I am very pleased with the appointment of Bishop Miehm,” he said. “Our diocese will be in very capable hands as he comes with a lot of experience and a solid background as a pastor.  He told me that he knows there is a great spirit of the people wanting to be engaged in the diocese, and so there will be a lot of work here for him.” 

Even with work cut out for him as he takes over a diocese in vibrant shape, Miehm — who has shepherded the Diocese of Peterborough since 2017 — will have big shoes to fill. Fabbro has called the Diocese of London home for more than two decades, having come from prior roles as an assistant professor of theology at St. Joseph’s College in Edmonton and professor of theology at the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto. The Sudbury, Ont., native was also chosen as a general councillor of his Basilian order in 1993, where he became general superior in 1997, a role he held until 2002. 

Even many years later, Fabbro still recalls the almost startling reality of when he found out he would lead the faithful of London. 

“ I won’t forget how it came as a surprise to me that I was even being considered as a bishop, that was not the sort of world that I was familiar with, and so when I came here 24 years ago, it was a steep learning curve for me and something that I really had to grow into during my time here,” he said. 

It was a surprise to Fr. John Huber, the current vicar general of the Congregation of St. Basil, as well. He told the Register that despite having the pleasure of knowing Fabbro for several decades now, he, too, never imagined that Fabbro would be called to be a bishop. 

"His gentle, hard-working spirit took on the task with gusto nonetheless, and he has been consistent and authentic in serving the people of God in the Diocese of London for quite some time now," he said. 

It was not long until the local church communities, and namely the large Basilian presence in Windsor, Ont., would also embrace Fabbro and help shape the shepherd he became. As he puts it, those communities' welcoming presence allowed him to feel shepherded even before he could return the favour. 

Return the favour he did — Fabbro leaves behind a legacy marked by courageous, forward-looking actions that have touched nearly every corner of the Diocese of London’s mission. Early in his tenure, he made headlines in Canada for confronting the sexual abuse crisis head-on, meeting with victims and establishing protocols that helped restore trust in the Church. He focused his attention on renewal, launching the long-standing pastoral plan “Embracing a Future Full of Hope,” which became a guiding document for the diocese, emphasizing holiness, evangelization, responsible ministry and transparency.  

Fabbro reflected fondly on his efforts to strengthen priestly formation and vocations, alongside ongoing support for families and young people. Both priorities have taken on added importance as the Diocese of London has undergone significant demographic and cultural shifts over the past two decades. 

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As highlighted by Joe Bezzina, who served as director of pastoral services in the diocese from 2017 until his own retirement last September, when demographic realities and declining priest numbers became clear in the 2010 trends report, Fabbro initiated a wide consultation that led to the creation of the Families of Parishes model that enabled shared resources and deeper evangelization. 

“That was a real shift here,” Bezzina said. “He wanted us to move from seeing ourselves as people who can only go to church to believing and understanding that we are all members of the Church instead. It aligned with what I always saw of Bishop Fabbro: a person of discernment, faith, action and courage.” 

Vince Romeo, the director of education for the London District Catholic School Board, was sure to congratulate the bishop, a prominent educator in his own right, on his retirement. 

“Bishop Fabbro has been a dedicated supporter of Catholic education and the London District Catholic School Board for nearly 25 years. He has enriched the spiritual life of our students and school communities with his presence at liturgies, school blessings and in the daily life of our students, and we are profoundly grateful for his guidance, support and witness. We wish him continued joy as he enters his retirement,” Romeo said. 

"I pray his retired years be filled with well-deserved joy and peace," Huber added. 

Bezzina would go on to note the bishop’s revival of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, an effort done well before the global synodal process, which consistently sought the voice of the laity.

It was in initiatives like this that Fabbro’s true blessings to the diocese were often hidden. Despite holding numerous leadership roles, from chairing national commissions on liturgy to liaising with the Catholic Health Association of Ontario, his greatest ability, perhaps, remained simply being present — a shepherd who found his deepest joy in listening attentively and walking with his people in their everyday faith.

“A source of joy for me  was always visiting parishes on the weekend, just being with them and getting to know the people. You can be exhausted at the end of the day after those parish visitations, but I never took it for granted. I just considered it a tremendous blessing,” he said. 

“ He wanted to make sure the voice of the people around him was being heard. That is one of his gifts. Recognizing the needs and the gifts of people, and being able to match them,” Bezzina said. 

Even with just over a month until Miehm’s installation as the 11th Bishop of London at St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica, staff, clergy and laypeople can rest knowing that Fabbro’s spirit of accompaniment is too persistent to leave on one set date. 

While he predicts another adaptation to his spiritual life and looks forward to more quiet time and prayer,  the soon-to-be-retiree’s true desire is to continue to make time to help out in the diocese by assisting priests, parishes, confirmations and even Masses on weekends where needed. 

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At 75, his God-given good health has allowed him to carry his mission forward, even into retirement. Looking toward that next chapter, Fabbro offers the faithful of the diocese one final message. 

“I remain so grateful to the support that I have received from everyone in this diocese, and I encourage them to grow in their faith, and in that wonderful desire they have to be engaged in our Church,” he said. “ While there's been a lot of challenges, there have been more joys and more blessings for me, and it has been a real pleasure and a real honour.”