Parish Priest

Bernard Burns was born on April 24, 1928 in Enterprise, Ontario. He is the third son of Alex Burns and Madge Furlong.

He was a member of the armed forces during the Korean War and was discharged in September 1952.

He entered the Seminary in 1952 and until 1955 was at Resurrection College in Kitchener, Ontario.

In 1955 he went to St. Augustines Seminary in Toronto until 1957 when he left for Regina Saskatchewan and attended the Regina Cleri Pontifical Seminary.

Monsignor Burns was ordained at St. Mary's Cathedral in Kingston Ontario by the Most Rev. J.A. O'Sullivan, Archbishop of Kingston.

His first appointment was to St. Paul's in Coniston for the summer of 1960. In August he as appointed Assistant at Holy Trinity in Sudbury. In 1967 he became Pastor at St. Kevin's in Hanmer and then in July 1979 became Pastor at Holy Trinity in Sudbury.

Monsignor Burns moved to Sault Ste. Marie in September 1985 to become the Pastor of Precious Blood Cathedral where he serves to this day.

Monsignor Burns' accomplishments have been numerous, including:

Regional News Editor for the Nothern Ontario Register

Member of the Marriage Tribunal from 1960 to 1990

Dean of Sudbury Deanery 1978 - 1985

Member of College of Diocesan Consultors 1995 - 2000

Member of Ethics Committee - Sault General Hospital 1990 - 2000

Chaplain of Sudbury District Jail 1960 - 1985

Curate - Christ the King in Sudbury

Curate - St. Stanislaus in Copper Cliff

Diocesan Director to the C.W.L.

Bishop's Rep to the SSM District Roman Catholic Seperate School Board

President of Sudbury's John Howard Society

Chairman of the Cemetary Board, LIbrary Board and a member of the Parks and Rec Committee of Valley East

Member of the Board of the Norhtern Ontario Hockey Association

Taught at Confederation Secondary School and Nursing School in Sudbury

Member of the Algoma Community Action Team and the Home Coming Committee in Sault Ste. Marie

Currently the visiting Chaplain of St. Basil's Secondary School.

Member of the Knights of Columbus since 1953.

Elevated to the title of Monsignor in 2004.