Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria

The Diocese of Victoria (Latin: Dioecesis Victoriensis in Insula Vancouver) 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.

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 Island, 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.

Ordinaries

• Modeste Demers (1846 - 1871)
• Charles-Jean Seghers (1873 - 1878)
• Jean-Baptiste Brondel (1879 - 1883)
• Charles-Jean Seghers (1884 - 1886)
• Jean-Nicolas Lemmens (1888 - 1897)
• Alexander Christie (1898 - 1899)
• Bertram Orth (1900 - 1908)
• Alexander MacDonald (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 Roo (1962 - 1999) - Bishop Emeritus
• Raymond Roussin, S.M. (1999 - 2004)
• Richard Joseph Gagnon (2004 - )

Churches

Education

Catholic high schools

• 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

• 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 Orders

Religious communities of women

• Benedictine Sisters
• Franciscan Poor Clares
• Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
• Sisters of St. Ann

Cemeteries

(none)

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.

Notes

• The diocese produces the Diocesan Messenger which is a Catholic newspaper for its community.

References

• Sisters of St. Ann's scrapbook
• St. Ann's establishments

Footnotes

External links

• Catholic Diocese of Victoria official site
• "Diocese of Victoria". Catholic-Hierarchy. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dvicb.html. Retrieved 2007-03-15.