Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver

Precursor

On 24 July 1846, the Diocese of Vancouver Island was erected on territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Oregon (based in the US Oregon Territory; now Diocese of Victoria).

Holy Rosary Cathedral pipe organ

Oblates of Mary Immaculate years

On 14 December 1863, the Apostolic Vicariate of British Columbia was erected on territory split off from the Diocese of Vancouver Island). A French priest, by the name Louis-Joseph D'Herbomez, from the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, became the first Vicar Apostolic of the newly formed territory. He was soon ordained Titular Bishop of Miletopolis in 1864 and served the Catholic community until his death in 1890.

On 2 September 1890, the pre-diocesan Apostolic Vicariate of British Columbia becomes the Diocese of New Westminster. Another Oblate of Mary Immaculate French Bishop, Pierre-Paul Durieu, took over the responsibilities and served the community until his death in 1899.

On 1894.07.27, during his tenure, the US Territory of Alaska was lost in the creation of the Apostolic Prefecture of Alaska.

Another French Bishop, Augustin Dontenwill, took governance of the Diocese of New Westminster in 1899 and served the community until he resigned, to become the Superior General of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, in 1908. Under his tenure the Holy Rosary Church was commissioned.

Under the Archdiocese of Victoria

In 1903, the Diocese of Vancouver Island was elevated to Archdiocese of Vancouver Island and in 1904, it was renamed as the Archdiocese of Victoria. A German-born Bishop, Bertram Orth, was appointed Archbishop in 1903 and lead the Archdiocese of Victoria and its suffrages until he resigned in 1908.

On 19 September 1908, the Diocese of New Westminster was elevated to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Vancouver^[1] and in October, 1908, the Archdiocese of Victoria was lowered to the Diocese of Victoria. Father Alexander MacDonald, of Nova Scotia, was quickly appointed and ordained Bishop of Victoria.

The Canadian Bishops

For just over one year the Archdiocese of Vancouver had no bishop until Neil McNeil, Bishop of St. George’s, Newfoundland, became the first appointed Canadian Archbishop of Vancouver on 19 January 1910. His tenure was short, as he then went on to become the Archbishop of Toronto on 10 April 1912.

August, 1912, Timothy Casey, Bishop of Saint John in America, New Brunswick, becomes the 5th Archbishop of Vancouver. 1914 World War I breaks out and Archbishop Casey had to battle hard financial times for the Archdiocese. Under his governance, Holy Rosary Church became a Cathedral. He served his community until his death on October 1931.

The "Iron Duke" years

August 1928, a priest from St. John, New Brunswick, became Coadjutor Archbishop of Vancouver and on 5 October 1931, Bishop William Mark Duke became Archbishop of Vancouver. In his 32 years of service to his community Archbishop Duke had to deal with the Great Depression of the Dirty Thirties and later World War II. His strict disciplinarian beliefs and financial management of the Archdiocese earned him the title “Iron Duke”. The legacy that was left behind when Archbishop William Mark Duke retired in March 1964 is impressive. He helped establish St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia, 2 Catholic high schools, 1 non-diocese Catholic high school, 22 Catholic elementary schools and 3 Catholic hospitals including many new parishes in the diocese alone.

During his tenure the archbishopric lost territory twice, to establish suffragan sees : on 1936.02.22 the Diocese of Nelson was erected and on 1945.12.22 the Diocese of Kamloops. These new diocese helped erect a new high school, new elementary schools & parishes.: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Nelson

The bishop of Nelson, Martin Michael Johnston, became Coadjutor Archbishop of Vancouver, in 1954, to assist Archbishop Duke during the last 10 years of governance. Bishop Johnston became Archbishop of Vancouver on 1964 and retired in 1969. During Archbishop Johnston tenure, the Vicariate of Prince Rupert was elevated to Diocese of Prince George, in 1967.

Project Advance years

Auxiliary Bishop James Carney became Archbishop of Vancouver in 1969. Carney became the first Vancouver-born bishop to be appointed to the Archdiocese. During his tenure Carney saw the need to rebuild many of the parishes, schools and hospitals that were showing their age. Project Advance was introduced into the community that required the parishes to raise funds. These funds went back into the community to help rebuild their parishes & schools and also to build new facilities, like Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary School, which was built in the archbishop's honour after he died in 1990.

It enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope John Paul II in August 1984.^[4]

Archdiocesan synod

The archdiocese concluded a nine-year synod in December 2006. Lay and religious representatives from every parish, Catholic school, religious community, the local seminary, and Catholic organizations took part, as well as non-Catholic observers who were invited to the process.

Although it formally ran from October 2002 to October 2003, extensive preparation went into the synod as far back as 1998 during the period leading up to the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. The synod’s aim was to bring the Church of Vancouver into the 21st century, from the “maintenance” mode it was in to more of a mission-driven model, as former Archbishop Emeritus Adam Exner, OMI, put it.

On December 3, 2006, at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Archbishop Raymond Roussin officially declared the synod closed, officially setting in motion the initiatives proposed.

According to the archdiocesan newspaper The B.C. Catholic, the first 20 declarations from the synod were to come into effect almost immediately. "Among the highlights are initiatives to encourage pastors to delegate more duties to the laity, to promote the faith formation of teachers, to initiate an adult faith formation strategy, to establish an office and vicar for evangelization, and to initiate a support group for priests."

Current Situation

The archdiocese is now working in a significant infrastructure upgrade. This includes seismic upgrades to many churches and schools.^[5] The Archdiocese of Vancouver is considered to be among the most conservative of Canada.^[6]

Catholic High Schools

Aerial View of the Archdiocese's new Archbishop Carney Secondary School

Convent of the Sacred Heart high school closed 1979. Now it's St. George's Junior School

• The Seminary of Christ the King, Mission, BC, is 1 of 2 Canadian high school seminaries. The other is located in Cornwall, Ontario.
• The Convent of Sacred Heart High School was an all-girls school, in Vancouver, opened in 1911.^[7] The school was closed down in 1979^[7] and sold to become St. George's School (Vancouver) junior school.

Catholic Elementary Schools

• St. Ann's Academy, of Vancouver (located by Holy Rosary Cathedral), was open 1888 & closed 1946.
• St. Ann's Academy, of New Westminster, was open 1865 & closed 1968.
• St. Peter's School, of New Westminster, was open 1945 & closed in 1968.
• Holy Ghost School, of Lulu Island, was opened 1947 & closed in 1955.
• In 1982, Little Flower Academy closed its elementary section of the school.^[8]

Catholic Universities, Colleges and Seminaries

Church of Westminster Abbey
at the Seminary of Christ the King

At present there are no Catholic universities, but, as per Archdiocesan Synod, there are plans to build one in the future.