Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria in Canada
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 Gary Gordon.
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, and 91 Sisters servicing 30 parishes.History
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 territory included Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, New Caledonia, the Queen Charlotte Islands and Alaska. Modeste Demers became the new diocese's first bishop.
Territorial losses
| Year | territory lost to form: |
| 1863 | Vicariate Apostolic of British Columbia |
| 1894 | Diocese of New Westminster Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska |
On June 19, 1903, the diocese became an Archdiocese of Victoria. It was returned to the status of a diocese on October 1, 1908, and became a suffragan diocese to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Bishops
The following are the lists of Bishops and their years of service:Ordinaries
- Modeste Demers
- Charles-Jean Seghers, appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Oregon City, Oregon, USA; returned here in 1884
- Jean-Baptiste Brondel
- Charles-Jean Seghers ; personal title of Archbishop
- Jean-Nicolas Lemmens
- Alexander Christie, appointed Archbishop of Oregon City, Oregon, USA
- Bertram Orth
- Alexander MacDonald
- Thomas O'Donnell, appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Gerald C. Murray, C.SS.R., appointed Bishop of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- John Hugh MacDonald, appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Edmonton, Alberta
- John Christopher Cody, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of London, Ontario
- James Michael Hill
- Remi Joseph De Roo – Bishop Emeritus
- Raymond Roussin, S.M., appointed Archbishop of Vancouver, British Columbia
- Richard Gagnon, appointedArchbishop of Winnipeg
- Gary Gordon
Coadjutor bishops
- John James Jonckau ; did not take effect
- Raymond Olir Roussin, S. M.
Auxiliary bishop
- Louis Aloysius Lootens
Churches
- St Andrew's Cathedral
- Holy Cross
- Our Lady of Fatima
- Our Lady of the Rosary
- Our Lady Queen Of Peace
- Saanich Peninsula Parish
- Sacred Heart
- St-Jean-Baptiste
- St. Joseph the Worker
- St. Leopold Mandic
- St. Patrick's
- St. Rose of Lima
- Christ The King
- St. Patrick's
- St. Peter and St. Paul
- Holy Cross
- St. Joseph's
- St. Ann's
- St. Edward the Confessor
- St. Louis De Montfort
- St. Mary's
- Our Lady of Victory Mission
- St. Francis of Assisi
- St. Teresa's Chapel
- Our Lady of Grace
- St Francis Xavier
- Our Lady Queen of the World
- St. Peter's
- Trinity Catholic
- Church of the Ascension
- Holy Family/Notre Dame
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Holy Family
- Our Lady of Assumption
- St. Bonaventure
- St. Mary's
- St. Theresa's
- St Bernadette's
- St. Joseph's
Education
Catholic high schools
| School | City | Est. | Website | Enrolment |
| St. Andrew's Regional High School | Victoria | http://www.standrewshigh.ca/ | ~475 |
- St. Ann's Academy, was open 1858 and closed in 1974.
- Smith Memorial High School, of Port Alberni, was opened 1951 and 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 and Seminaries
- St. Joseph's School for Nursing, of Victoria, was erected in 1900 and closed in 1981.
- St. John Fisher / Thomas More College 1953 and closed in 1993.
Religious institutes
- Benedictine Sisters
- Franciscan Poor Clares
- Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Sisters of St. Ann
Charities
- 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.