Pope Francis has appointed the Most Rev. Gary Gordon as the Roman Catholic bishop of the Victoria diocese, which stretches across Vancouver Island and to the Gulf Islands.
The Vatican made the announcement June 14 that Gordon will fill the position left vacant when Most Rev. Richard Gagnon was appointed archbishop of Winnipeg last fall.
“It was a bit of a surprise,” Gordon said from Whitehorse, where he has been bishop since 2006. “But once you decide to follow God’s plan, you happily say yes and move forward.”
Gordon, 57, is originally from B.C. He was born in Burnaby and called to the church at the age of 25, he said.
Prior to being appointed a bishop, he served in churches throughout B.C. He’s also been active in interfaith and correctional communities, and said the environment is an important issue to him.
Gordon said he’s looking forward to leaving his snow shovel and checking out the gardens of Vancouver Island, where he has fond memories of fishing and kayaking as a child.
“There are so many beautiful things in that area,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to getting to know people in their communities.”
Cynthia Bouchard, chancellor at the Victoria diocese, said Gordon’s appointment is great news for the community.
“You know that saying, ‘a shepherd who smells like his sheep?’ That’s him, very pastoral. He relates well to people,” she said.
The date for Gordon’s installation mass at St. Andrew’s Cathedral has not been set, but in accordance with canon law, it should occur in about two months.
The cathedral will serve as the home parish for the bishop but he’ll also travel throughout the 41 parishes and missions on the Island. According to the diocese, there are 94,465 Catholics in the region.
