The Anglican Church of Canada, a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, contains thirty-two jurisdictions, consisting of twenty-nine dioceses, one administrative region with diocesan status, one ordinariate (for military chaplaincy), and one national pastoral jurisdiction (for indigenous people). The 29 dioceses and the special administrative area are organised into four ecclesiastical provinces.
Most dioceses are contained within a single civil province or territory. The four exceptions are the Arctic, Moosonee, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and Ottawa dioceses.
Each diocese has a bishop, four of whom are archbishops as metropolitans of their ecclesiastical province. Dioceses are self-governing entities, incorporated under the Corporations Act of the civil province or territory in which they are active.
Diocesan synods generally meet annually and have responsibility for those aspects of church life which do not concern doctrine, discipline, or worship. These latter matters are the purview of the General Synod of the national church, which meets triennially and at other times delegates its powers to an elected body of clergy and laity, called the Council of General Synod, and to the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Provinces
The Anglican Church of Canada is divided into four ecclesiastical provinces, each under the jurisdiction of a provincial synod and a metropolitan archbishop. Originally the metropolitans were bishops of particular dioceses within the provinces. In 1893 the metropolitans were granted the title of "archbishop", and they are now elected from among the bishops of each province.
- The Ecclesiastical Province of Canada was founded in 1860, originally consisting of the four dioceses in the then civil Province of Canada (Upper and Lower Canada, i.e. modern Ontario and Quebec, respectively) under the metropolitical authority of the Bishop of Montreal. The province was expanded in 1870 and 1871 to include New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In 1913, the Ontario dioceses were split off to form the province of Ontario (see below). The Province was expanded to include the civil province of Newfoundland following its entrance into Confederation in 1949. The province today comprises seven dioceses.
- The Ecclesiastical Province of the Northern Lights (formerly Rupert's Land) was formed in 1875, covering the Prairie Provinces and initially under the metropolitical authority of the Bishop of Rupert's Land. Today it comprises ten dioceses.
- The Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario was formed out of the Province of Canada and the Diocese of Moosonee (which had been in the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land) in 1912. Today, it comprises seven dioceses.
- The Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon was formed out of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land as the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia in 1914. It was expanded in 1943 (and consequently renamed) to incorporate the Diocese of Yukon, which was transferred from Rupert's Land. The province today comprises five dioceses and one ecclesiastic territory.
Archbishops
The Primate of Canada (who has no diocese) bears the title Archbishop and is styled The Most Reverend. The current Primate is Linda Nicholls. The Primate is elected from among all the bishops across the country.
The four metropolitans (who all bear the style of The Most Reverend and the title Archbishop) are:
- Canada: David Edwards, Archbishop of Fredericton
- Rupert's Land: Greg Kerr-Wilson, Archbishop of Calgary
- Ontario: Anne Germond, Archbishop of Algoma and Moosonee
- British Columbia and Yukon: Vacant
The National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop has no metropolitical authority, but also bears the style of The Most Reverend and the title Archbishop. The holder of this office (established as a bishopric in 2005, inaugurated in 2007, and raised to the status of an archbishopric in 2019) has the spiritual leadership of indigenous people nationwide. Mark MacDonald, the first holder of the office, resigned in 2022 as a result of sexual misconduct. Nicholls appointed Bishop Sidney Black as interim National Indigenous Bishop. In December of that year, Bishop Chris Harper of Saskatoon was announced as the new archbishop-elect.
Dioceses and bishops
Diocese | Province | Territory | Cathedral | See City | Bishop(s) | Founded | Number of Parishes (2022) | Membership (2022) | Average Sunday Attendance (2022) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island | Canada | Nova Scotia |
All Saints' Cathedral |
Halifax |
Sandra Fyfe | 11 August 1787 (Nova Scotia), covering all British North America (the first Church of England diocese outside England) | 94 | 21,892 | 5,126 |
Quebec | Canada | Quebec | Cathedral of the Holy Trinity | Quebec City | Bruce Myers | 28 June 1793, from Nova Scotia diocese | 65 | 1,586 | 375 |
Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada | Newfoundland and Labrador | Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist | St. John's | Samuel Rose | 1839 (Newfoundland), from Nova Scotia diocese | 39 | 21,053 | 1,600 |
Toronto | Ontario | Ontario | St. James' Cathedral | Toronto | Andrew Asbil
Bishop of York-Scarborough: Kevin Robertson |
1839 (a.k.a. Upper Canada), from Quebec diocese | 178 | 37,646 | 13,810 |
Fredericton | Canada | New Brunswick | Christ Church Cathedral | Fredericton | David Edwards | 1845 (a.k.a. New Brunswick), from Nova Scotia diocese | 72 | 9,823 | 2,373 |
Rupert's Land | Northern Lights | Manitoba and Ontario | Cathedral of St. John | Winnipeg | Geoffrey Woodcroft | 1849 (originally covering all of what is now the ecclesiastical province), probably from Quebec diocese | 52 | 4,215 | 1,608 |
Montreal | Canada | Quebec | Christ Church Cathedral | Montreal | Mary Irwin-Gibson | 1850, from Quebec diocese | 68 | 7,017 | 3,405 |
Huron | Ontario | Ontario | St. Paul's Cathedral | London | Todd Townshend | 1857, from Toronto diocese | 124 | 21,000 | 6,000 |
British Columbia (also known as the diocese of Islands and Inlets) | British Columbia and Yukon | British Columbia | Christ Church Cathedral | Victoria | Anna Greenwood-Lee | 1859, from Rupert's Land diocese | 45 | 4,890 | 2,200 |
Ontario | Ontario | Ontario | St. George's Cathedral | Kingston | William Cliff | 1862, from Toronto diocese | 46 | 5,896 | 2,261 |
Moosonee | Ontario | Ontario and Quebec | St. Matthew's Cathedral | Timmins, ON | Anne Germond (ex officio) Assisting Bishop: Fred Hiltz |
1872, from Rupert's Land diocese | 21 | 14,219 | 350 |
Algoma | Ontario | Ontario | St. Luke's Cathedral | Sault Ste. Marie | Anne Germond | 1873, from Toronto diocese (missionary diocese); 1906 (independence) | 52 | 5,053 | 923 |
Athabasca | Northern Lights | Alberta | St. James' Cathedral | Peace River | David Greenwood | 1874, from Rupert's Land diocese | 17 | 896 | 306 |
Saskatchewan | Northern Lights | Saskatchewan | St. Alban's Cathedral | Prince Albert | Diocesan Bishop: Richard Reed Indigenous Bishop: Adam Halkett |
1874, from Rupert's Land diocese | 22 | 8,417 | 915 |
Niagara | Ontario | Ontario | Christ's Church Cathedral | Hamilton | Susan Bell | 1875, from Toronto diocese | 80 | 12,967 | 3,916 |
Caledonia | British Columbia and Yukon | British Columbia | St. Andrew's Cathedral | Prince Rupert | David Lehmann | 1879, from BC diocese | 20 | 1,048 | 405 |
New Westminster | British Columbia and Yukon | British Columbia | Christ Church Cathedral | Vancouver | John Stephens | 1879, from BC diocese | 63 | 9,952 | 3,296 |
Mackenzie River | Rupert's Land | Northwest Territories | St Paul's Pro-Cathedral | Fort Chipewyan | Lapsed in 1933 (territory split between the Yukon and Arctic dioceses) | 1883, from Athabasca diocese | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Qu'Appelle | Northern Lights | Saskatchewan | St. Paul's Cathedral | Regina | Helen Kennedy | 1884 (as Assiniboia), from Rupert's Land and Saskatchewan dioceses; name changed later in 1884 | 26 | 2,727 | 852 |
Calgary | Northern Lights | Alberta | Cathedral Church of the Redeemer | Calgary | Greg Kerr-Wilson | 1888, from Saskatchewan diocese | 67 | 7,523 | 2,496 |
Yukon | British Columbia and Yukon | Yukon | Christ Church Cathedral | Whitehorse | Lesley Wheeler-Dame | 1891 (as Selkirk; from Mackenzie River) | 13 | 963 | 122 |
Ottawa | Ontario | Ontario and Quebec | Christ Church Cathedral | Ottawa | Shane Parker | 7 April 1896, from Ontario diocese | 68 | 8,809 | 2,277 |
Kootenay | British Columbia and Yukon | British Columbia | St. Michael and All Angels Cathedral | Kelowna | Lynne McNaughton | 1899, from New Westminster diocese | 26 | 2,363 | 840 |
Keewatin | Northern Lights | Ontario and Manitoba | St. Alban's Cathedral (former) | Kenora, ON | Lapsed in 2015 (territory split between the Moosonee and Mishamikoweesh dioceses) | 1902, from Rupert's Land diocese | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Brandon | Northern Lights | Manitoba | St. Matthew's Cathedral | Brandon | Rachael Parker | 1913, from Rupert's Land diocese | 25 | 2,935 | 337 |
Edmonton | Northern Lights | Alberta | All Saints' Cathedral | Edmonton | Stephen London | 1913, from Calgary diocese | 44 | 5,912 | 1,417 |
Cariboo | British Columbia and Yukon | British Columbia | St. Paul's Cathedral | Kamloops | Ceased operation as at December 31, 2001 | 1914, from New Westminster diocese | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Arctic | Northern Lights | Northwest Territories and Nunavut | St. Jude's Cathedral | Iqaluit, NU | Diocesan: David Parsons
Suffragan: Joey Royal, Annie Ittoshat, Lucy Netser |
1933, from Mackenzie River diocese and parts of Moosonee and Keewatin dioceses | 48 | 33,889 | 1,808 |
Saskatoon | Northern Lights | Saskatchewan | St. John's Cathedral | Saskatoon | Vacant | 1933, from Saskatchewan diocese | 19 | 1,500 | 525 |
Central Newfoundland | Canada | Newfoundland and Labrador | St. Martin's Cathedral | Gander | John Watton | 1976, from Newfoundland diocese | 27 | 9,375 | 2,642 |
Western Newfoundland | Canada | Newfoundland and Labrador | Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist | Corner Brook | John Organ | 1976, from Newfoundland diocese | 30 | 16,360 | 1,394 |
Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh | Northern Lights | Ontario and Manitoba | none designated | Kingfisher Lake | Lydia Mamakwa | 2014, from Keewatin diocese | 28 | 14,000 | 900 |
Territory of the People | British Columbia and Yukon | British Columbia | St. Paul's Cathedral | Kamloops | Clara Plamondon | 2015 ("recognized territory" status) 2002 (closure of Cariboo diocese) |
19 | 1,005 | 295 |
Anglican Military Ordinariate of Canada | NA | Extra-Territorial | Christ Church Cathedral | Ottawa | Nigel Shaw | 1939 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
See also
Notes
- The old Diocese of Newfoundland was founded in 1839. The Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador came into being upon that diocese's 1976 split.
- On November 14, 2015, the Council of the Anglican Church of Canada's General Synod gave final approval to recognition of then-Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior as a "recognized territory the status of a diocese" (but not called one) and the former territory of the former Cariboo diocese.
- The Territory of the People encompasses the area formerly known as the Anglican Diocese of Cariboo, which was rendered insolvent by legal claims arising from abuse that occurred in Church-administered First Nations residential schools, and ceased to operate on December 31, 2001. The parishes are currently the pastoral responsibility of the Metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province, and are overseen by a suffragan bishop to the Metropolitan.
External links
References
- "Anne Germond". The Diocese of Algoma. Anglican Church of Canada. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- "Public Announcement of the Resignation of Archbishop Mark MacDonald". The Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- "Chris Harper appointed national Indigenous archbishop". The Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
- ^ Elliot, Neil (15 March 2024). "Dioceses of the ACC – by numbers". Numbers Matters. (Neil Elliot is the statistics officer for the Anglican Church of Canada.). Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- "No. 12910". The London Gazette. 7 August 1787. p. 373.
- Literary & Historical Society of Quebec – The English Cathedral of Quebec Archived 2013-08-19 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 3 July 2013)
- ^ Responsible Government in the Dominions, Part VII: The Church in the Dominions, pp. 1424–1425 (Google Books; accessed 3 July 2013)
- ^ Peddle, G. The Anglican Church in Newfoundland: An Exceptional Case? p. 28 (Accessed 7 July 2013)
- Diocese of Rupert's Land – History (Accessed 3 July 2013)
- Borthwick, Douglas: History of the Diocese of Montreal, 1850–1910 p. 5 (Internet Archive; accessed 3 July 2013)
- Anglican Diocese of British Columbia – Diocesan Archives Archived 2013-07-08 at archive.today (Accessed 4 July 2013)
- ^ Diocese of Niagara – About Us (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- ^ MacDonald, Wilma – Anglican Archives in Rupert's Land (pp. 246–247; accessed 3 July 2013)
- Ontario's Anglican Cathedrals – Diocese of Algoma (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- MemoryBC: The British Columbia Archival Information Network – Anglican Church of Canada. Diocese of Caledonia. Synod (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- MemoryBC: The British Columbia Archival Information Network – Fonds - Synod of the Diocese of New Westminster fonds (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- ^ Anglican Church of Canada – Metropolitans of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land
- Diocese of Athabasca – History (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- Anglican History – An Historical Sketch of the Diocese of Saskatchewan of the Anglican Church of Canada (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- Diocese of Qu'Appelle – How the Diocese Got its Name (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- ^ Diocese of Saskatchewan – History (Accessed 5 July 2013)
- Anglican Diocese of Ottawa – History Archived 2015-05-13 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 7 July 2013)
- MemoryBC: The British Columbia Archival Information Network – Fonds - Synod of the Diocese of Kootenay fonds (Accessed 7 July 2013)
- Council of the North Prayer Circle Archived 2014-08-11 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 7 July 2013).
- The Synod of the Diocese of Brandon Incorporation Act (Accessed 7 July 2013)
- Anglican Diocese of Edmonton – Centennial Celebration Year (Accessed 7 July 2013)
- Diocese of New Westminster – Residential Schools Archived 2013-07-08 at archive.today (Accessed 7 July 2013)
- Archives Canada – Anglican Church of Canada. Diocese of the Arctic fonds Archived 2013-07-08 at archive.today (Accessed 7 July 2013)
- Anglican Church of Canada — Highlights from the Council of General Synod: November 14, 2015 (Accessed 16 November 2015)
- (Accessed 11 July 2016)