Adam Exner
Encyclopedia
Adam Joseph Exner was the Archbishop
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver
from 1991 to 2004.
and theology
from the Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome
and holds a Doctoral degree in theology from the University of Ottawa
. He served as professor
, rector
and superior at St. Charles Scholasticate in Battleford, Saskatchewan, and as professor of moral
theology at Newman Theological College in Edmonton, Alberta. Exner speaks English, French, German, Italian, Latin & Spanish.
Exner entered the religious order
of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
in 1950 in St. Norbert, Manitoba
and was ordained as a priest
in 1957. In 1974, Exner was appointed Bishop of Kamloops and in 1982, Archbishop of Winnipeg
.
on May 25, 1991. He served in that position until reaching the mandatory retirement for Archbishops in January 2004. That year, the Catholic Civil Rights League
created the Archbishop Exner Award for Catholic Excellence in Public Life in honour of the occasion. Exner now resides at St. Peter's Abbey
in Muenster, Saskatchewan
.
, the Denominational Health Association which was a legacy of his predecessor, Archbishop James Francis Carney
. During his tenure, Archbishop Exner objected to the attempts of Minister of Health, Colin Hansen
, to close St. Mary's Hospital.
While Exner was Archbishop of Vancouver, civil litigation resulting from the Mount Cashel Orphanage sexual and physical abuse scandal threatened assets of the Congregation of Christian Brothers
located in British Columbia. These included Vancouver College
& St. Thomas More Collegiate
, which faced closure and liquidation in order to pay the victims.CBC Story - Cashel Schools Archbishop Exner was closely involved with the efforts to prevent the closure of those schools.
Archbishop Exner assisted Covenant House
, a home for runaway street kids, in establishing a branch of its services into Vancouver.
Under direction from Archbishop Exner, the Archdiocese of Vancouver sought and obtained intervenor status during litigation involving Trinity Western University
relating to its training policies. The litigation involved a dispute between Trinity Western, a Christian
university, and the British Columbia College of Teachers
, which believed that TWU could not train teachers for public schools because it required students to abstain from homosexual relations. TWU won in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court
.
In 2003, Exner directed four Catholic schools to divest from a school banking program operated by VanCity
, in protest of the Archdiocese's position that VanCity was actively promoting homosexuality through its sponsorship of a homosexual film festival and by giving an award to a lesbian bookstore. Following Archbishop Exner's pronouncement, homosexual advocates directed protests against the Archdiocese.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of British Columbia. It is the metropolitan see of the ecclesiastical province which includes the suffragan dioceses of Kamloops, Nelson, Prince George, and Victoria...
from 1991 to 2004.
Training and early religious life
Adam Exner holds Masters degrees in philosophyPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and holds a Doctoral degree in theology from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. He served as professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
and superior at St. Charles Scholasticate in Battleford, Saskatchewan, and as professor of moral
Moral
A moral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim...
theology at Newman Theological College in Edmonton, Alberta. Exner speaks English, French, German, Italian, Latin & Spanish.
Exner entered the religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
in 1950 in St. Norbert, Manitoba
St. Norbert, Manitoba
St. Norbert is a bilingual neighbourhood in the southernmost part of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. While outside the Perimeter Highway, , it is still part of the city. The population is just over 5,000. Each summer, the community is home to the St...
and was ordained as a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1957. In 1974, Exner was appointed Bishop of Kamloops and in 1982, Archbishop of Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
.
Archbishop of Vancouver
Adem Exner was appointed Archbishop of VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
on May 25, 1991. He served in that position until reaching the mandatory retirement for Archbishops in January 2004. That year, the Catholic Civil Rights League
Catholic Civil Rights League
The Catholic Civil Rights League is a Canadian lay Catholic organization committed to combating anti-Catholic defamation, working with the media to secure a fair hearing for Catholic positions on issues of public debate, and lobbying government and intervening in court challenges in support of law...
created the Archbishop Exner Award for Catholic Excellence in Public Life in honour of the occasion. Exner now resides at St. Peter's Abbey
St. Peter's Abbey
St. Peter's Abbey may refer to:*St. Peter's Abbey on the Madron, former abbey at Flintsbach am Inn, Bavaria, Germany*St. Peter's Abbey in the Black Forest, former abbey at St. Peter im Schwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
in Muenster, Saskatchewan
Muenster, Saskatchewan
- Education :Muenster is home to St. Peter's College, an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan. It was originally founded by the Benedictine monks of St. Peter’s Abbey in 1921. The college offers a full first year of Arts and Sciences classes and senior classes in several disciplines...
.
Advocacy and activities
In 1995, Archbishop Exner secured from then-Premier Michael HarcourtMichael Harcourt
Michael Franklin Harcourt served as the 30th Premier of the province of British Columbia in Canada from 1991 to 1996, and before that as the 34th mayor of BC's major city, Vancouver from 1980 to 1986....
, the Denominational Health Association which was a legacy of his predecessor, Archbishop James Francis Carney
James Francis Carney
James Francis Carney , He became Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia in 1964 until his death in 1990.-Curriculum Vitae:...
. During his tenure, Archbishop Exner objected to the attempts of Minister of Health, Colin Hansen
Colin Hansen
Colin Hansen was Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier for the Canadian province of British Columbia from June 10, 2009 to March 13,2011. He had also served as Minister Responsible for Small Business since October 25, 2010. On November 30, 2010, he was additionally appointed as the Minister of...
, to close St. Mary's Hospital.
While Exner was Archbishop of Vancouver, civil litigation resulting from the Mount Cashel Orphanage sexual and physical abuse scandal threatened assets of the Congregation of Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
located in British Columbia. These included Vancouver College
Vancouver College
Vancouver College is an all-boys university-preparatory Catholic school located in the Shaughnessy neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. VC's elementary and secondary programs have a combined population of over 1,000 students. Despite its Catholic denomination, it is open to all...
& St. Thomas More Collegiate
St. Thomas More Collegiate
Saint Thomas More Collegiate, St. Thomas More Collegiate or STMC is a independent private school located in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada....
, which faced closure and liquidation in order to pay the victims.CBC Story - Cashel Schools Archbishop Exner was closely involved with the efforts to prevent the closure of those schools.
Archbishop Exner assisted Covenant House
Covenant House
Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless, and runaway youth. In addition to basic needs, Covenant House provides a continuum of care to homeless youth aged 16–21 designed to...
, a home for runaway street kids, in establishing a branch of its services into Vancouver.
Under direction from Archbishop Exner, the Archdiocese of Vancouver sought and obtained intervenor status during litigation involving Trinity Western University
Trinity Western University
Trinity Western University is a private, Christian liberal arts university located in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.The school was founded in 1962 as Trinity Junior College, and now enrolls approximately 4000 students and sits on a campus....
relating to its training policies. The litigation involved a dispute between Trinity Western, a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
university, and the British Columbia College of Teachers
British Columbia College of Teachers
The British Columbia College of Teachers is the professional self-regulatory body for teachers in British Columbia. It is responsible for setting and enforcing standards for teachers in the province. It assesses applicants to the profession and issues teaching certificates.-Court cases involving...
, which believed that TWU could not train teachers for public schools because it required students to abstain from homosexual relations. TWU won in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
.
In 2003, Exner directed four Catholic schools to divest from a school banking program operated by VanCity
Vancity
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, commonly referred to as Vancity, is a member-owned financial institution in Vancouver, British Columbia and the largest English-speaking credit union in Canada...
, in protest of the Archdiocese's position that VanCity was actively promoting homosexuality through its sponsorship of a homosexual film festival and by giving an award to a lesbian bookstore. Following Archbishop Exner's pronouncement, homosexual advocates directed protests against the Archdiocese.
Memberships
In his role as Archbishop, Exner became a member of the following:- Sacred Congregation for Bishops
- Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, with which he was involved in the Theology and Christian Education Commissions and the National Catholic-Lutheran dialogue
- Member of the Social Communications Commission