After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from St. Jerome College, Waterloo in 1969, Collins was ordained to the diaconate on 14 May 1972.

In 1973, he received a Master of Arts in English from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Theology degree from St. Peter's Seminary, London.

"[3] After becoming associate editor of Discover the Bible in 1989, Collins returned to St. Peter's Seminary as Dean of Theology and vice-rector in 1992.

[4] He became a member of the National Commission of Theology of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) that same year.

He also established St. Benedict's Chapel in a vacant store in Edmonton's City Centre Mall for ministry to downtown shoppers and office workers.

In addition to his duties as ordinary of the Edmonton Archdiocese, he was Apostolic Administrator of Saint Paul in Alberta from 16 March – 8 September 2001.

He has also served as the Delegate of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith for Anglicanorum Coetibus (providing for personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church).

[4] In addition to his other duties in the Roman Curia, Collins was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

Such a situation has likely occurred before (as the Pope is free to do as he wishes in this regard) but is generally avoided, in order to not have two voting-age cardinals from the same archdiocese.