Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Victoria is a diocese
of the Roman Catholic Church in the Canadian
province
of British Columbia
. Headquartered in Victoria
, the diocese encompasses all of Vancouver Island
and several nearby British Columbia islands. A suffragan diocese
of the Archdiocese of Vancouver
, the diocese's cathedral
is St. Andrew's Cathedral and its present diocesan bishop
is Richard Joseph Gagnon.
The diocese was created on 24 July 1846 as the Diocese of Vancouver Island, one of three dioceses in the Pacific Northwest
created out of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Oregon Territory. It was elevated to an archdiocese on 19 June 1903 and renamed Archdiocese of Victoria in 1904. It was then lowered to a diocese in 1908, when the metropolitan see was moved to Vancouver
.
, the Gulf Islands
, New Caledonia (mainland British Columbia), the Queen Charlotte Islands and Alaska. Modeste Demers
became the new diocese's first bishop.
Territorial losses
On June 19, 1903, the diocese became an Archdiocese of Victoria. It was returned back to the status of a diocese on October 1, 1908, and became a suffragan diocese to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Courtenay
Campbell River
Gold River
Hornby Island
Chemainus
Duncan
Lake Cowichan
Ladysmith
Gabriola Island
Mayne Island
Pender Island
Salt Spring Island
Mill Bay
Shawnigan Lake
Nanaimo
Parksville
Port Alberni
Tofino
Ucluelet
Alert Bay
Port Hardy
Port McNeil
Port Alice
Sayward
Tahsis
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Roman Catholic Church in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Headquartered in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, the diocese encompasses all of Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and several nearby British Columbia islands. A suffragan diocese
Suffragan Diocese
A suffragan diocese is a diocese in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop but also by a metropolitan bishop. The metropolitan is always an archbishop who governs his own archdiocese...
of the 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...
, the diocese's cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
is St. Andrew's Cathedral and its present diocesan bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
is Richard Joseph Gagnon.
The diocese was created on 24 July 1846 as the Diocese of Vancouver Island, one of three dioceses in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
created out of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Oregon Territory. It was elevated to an archdiocese on 19 June 1903 and renamed Archdiocese of Victoria in 1904. It was then lowered to a diocese in 1908, when the metropolitan see was moved to Vancouver
Vancouver
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,...
.
Diocesan Demographics
In 2004 the diocese had 94,465 Catholics, 22 diocesan Priests, 15 religious Priests, 1 Deacon. The diocese is also helped by 19 Brothers, & 91 Sisters servicing 30 parishes.History
On July 24, 1846, the Diocese of Vancouver Island was erected, from the Apostolic Vicariate of Oregon. The territory included Vancouver IslandVancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, the Gulf Islands
Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are the islands in the Strait of Georgia , between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada....
, New Caledonia (mainland British Columbia), the Queen Charlotte Islands and Alaska. Modeste Demers
Modeste Demers
Modeste Demers was a Roman Catholic Bishop and missionary in the Oregon Country. A native of Quebec, he traveled overland to the Pacific Northwest and preached in the Willamette Valley and later in what would become British Columbia.-Early life:...
became the new diocese's first bishop.
Territorial losses
| Year | territory lost to form: |
|---|---|
| 1863 | Vicariate Apostolic of British Columbia 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... |
| 1894 | Diocese of New Westminster 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... Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the northern regions of the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate bishop which serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of the... |
On June 19, 1903, the diocese became an Archdiocese of Victoria. It was returned back to the status of a diocese on October 1, 1908, and became a suffragan diocese to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Ordinaries
- Modeste DemersModeste DemersModeste Demers was a Roman Catholic Bishop and missionary in the Oregon Country. A native of Quebec, he traveled overland to the Pacific Northwest and preached in the Willamette Valley and later in what would become British Columbia.-Early life:...
(1846 - 1871) - Charles-Jean Seghers (1873 - 1878)
- Jean-Baptiste BrondelJean-Baptiste BrondelJean-Baptiste Brondel was a Belgian-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served in Canada as Bishop of Vancouver Island and in the United States as Bishop of Helena .-Biography:...
(1879 - 1883) - Charles-Jean Seghers (1884 - 1886)
- Jean-Nicolas Lemmens (1888 - 1897)
- Alexander ChristieAlexander Christie (bishop)Alexander Christie was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Vancouver Island and Archbishop of Oregon City ....
(1898 - 1899) - Bertram Orth (1900 - 1908)
- Alexander MacDonaldAlexander MacDonald (bishop)Alexander MacDonald was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest, educator, author, and Bishop of Victoria, British Columbia....
(1908 - 1923) - Thomas O'Donnell (1923 - 1929)
- Gerald C. Murray, C.SS.R. (1930 - 1934)
- John Hugh MacDonald (1934 - 1936)
- John Christopher Cody (1936 - 1946)
- James Michael Hill (1946 - 1962)
- Remi Joseph De RooRemi Joseph De RooRemi De Roo is a retired Canadian Roman Catholic bishop. Ordained a priest on June 8, 1950, and a bishop on December 14, 1962, he was the Bishop of Victoria until he retired on March 18, 1999...
(1962 - 1999) - Bishop Emeritus - Raymond RoussinRaymond RoussinRaymond Roussin was the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver from 2004 to January 2009, when his resignation was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI.-Ordination:...
, S.M. (1999 - 2004) - Richard Joseph Gagnon (2004 - )
Churches
Greater Victoria- St Andrew's Cathedral
- Holy Cross
- Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese)
- Our Lady of the Rosary
- Our Lady Queen Of Peace
- Saanich Peninsula Parish
- Sacred Heart
- St-Jean-Baptiste (French)
- St. Joseph the Worker
- St. Leopold Mandic (Croatian)
- St. Patrick's
- St. Rose of Lima
Courtenay
Campbell River
- St. Patrick's
Gold River
- St. Peter & St. Paul
Hornby Island
- Holy Cross
Chemainus
- St. Joseph's
Duncan
- St. Ann's
- St. Edward the Confessor
Lake Cowichan
- St. Louis De Montfort
Ladysmith
- St. Mary's
Gabriola Island
- Our Lady of Victory Mission
Mayne Island
- St. Francis of Assisi
Pender Island
- St. Teresa's Chapel
Salt Spring Island
- Our Lady of Grace
Mill Bay
- St Francis Xavier
Shawnigan Lake
- Our Lady Queen of the World
Nanaimo
- St. Peter's
- Trinity Catholic
Parksville
Port Alberni
- Holy Family/Notre Dame
Tofino
Ucluelet
Alert Bay
- Our Lady of Assumption
Port Hardy
- St. Bonaventure
Port McNeil
- St. Mary's
Port Alice
- St. Theresa's
Sayward
- St Bernadette's
Tahsis
- St. Joseph's
Catholic high schools
| School | City | Est. | Website | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Andrew's Regional High School St. Andrew's Regional High School St. Andrew's, an independent co-educational Catholic High School of approximately 475 Grade 8-12 students, serves young men and women from Greater Victoria.- Independent school status :... |
Victoria | http://www.standrewshigh.ca/ | ~475 (co-ed) | |
- St. Ann's Academy (Victoria, British Columbia), was open 1858 & closed in 1974.
- Smith Memorial High School, of Port Alberni, was opened 1951 & closed in 1976.
Catholic elementary schools
| School | City | Est. | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Andrew's | Victoria | http://www.standrewselem.ca/ | |
| St. Joseph’s | Victoria | http://www.stjosephschool.ca/ | |
| St. Patrick's | Victoria | http://www.stpatrickselem.ca/ | |
| Queen of Angels | Duncan | http://www.queenofangels.ca/ | |
| St. Joseph's | Chemainus | http://www.stjosephselem.ca/ | |
| John Paul II | Port Alberni | 1951 | http://www.jp2nd.ca/ |
- St. Ann's Academy for Boys, of Duncan, was erected in 1864 and closed in 1969.
- St. Mary's School, of Ladysmith, was established 1909 and closed in 1913.
Catholic Universities, Colleges & Seminaries
- St. Joseph's School for Nursing, of Victoria, was erected in 1900 and closed in 1981.
Religious communities of women
- Benedictine SistersBenedictine SistersBenedictine Sisters may refer to any of the following Benedictine religious orders:*Benedictine Sisters of the Reparation of the Holy Face*Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration*Benedictine Sisters of Elk County...
- Franciscan Poor ClaresOrder of Poor LadiesThe Poor Clares also known as the Order of Saint Clare, the Order of Poor Ladies, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, and the Second Order of St. Francis, , comprise several orders of nuns in the Catholic Church...
- Missionary Oblates of Mary ImmaculateMissionary Oblates of Mary ImmaculateThe 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...
- Sisters of St. AnnSisters of St. AnnThe Sisters of St. Ann is a Roman Catholic religious order, founded in 1850 in Vaudreuil, Quebec. In 1858, the congregation arrived in Victoria, British Columbia to help Bishop Modeste Demers with First Nations people. In 1871 St. Ann's Academy was established...
Charities
Health Care- Lourdes Hospital, of Campbell River, was erected in 1926 and closed in 1957.
- St. Joseph's Hospital, of Victoria, was erected in 1876 and closed in 1972.