Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson
| Diocese of Nelson Dioecesis Nelsonensis | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Territory | South-eastern British Columbia |
| Ecclesiastical province | Vancouver |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 124,272 km2 (47,982 sq mi) |
| Population | 65,000 (17.8%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | February 22, 1936 |
| Cathedral | Mary Immaculate Cathedral, Nelson |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Gregory John Bittman |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Richard W. Smith |
| Bishops emeritus | Eugene Jerome Cooney John Corriveau |
| Website | |
| www.nelsondiocese.org | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson (Latin: Dioecesis Nelsonensis) (erected 22 February 1936) is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Diocesan demographics
The diocese contains 31 parishes. Serving or retired in the diocese are 28 diocesan priests and 7 religious priests ministering to 75,000 Catholics. As of March 2011 it also has 13 religious sisters and supports 7 Catholic schools. This diocese covers two time zones with the East Kootenay and Columbia Valley on Mountain Time and the rest on Pacific Time.
History
In the late 1830s French Canadians in the Oregon Territory petitioned the Quebec bishops to have missionary priests sent beyond the Rocky Mountains. In response to this plea, Fathers François-Norbert Blanchet and Modeste Demers were sent West to a remote part of the Quebec diocese referred to as New Caledonia by the Hudson’s Bay Company. While at Boat Encampment on the Columbia River (Mica Dam area), Blanchet and Demers celebrated Mass on October 10, 1838, the first Mass celebrated in what later became the Diocese of Nelson.
During the years of westward expansion and settlement, the spiritual needs of the region presently administered by the Diocese of Nelson came under the jurisdiction of various bishoprics:
- Vicariate Apostolic of the Oregon Territory, 1843–1846
- Diocese of Vancouver Island, 1846–1863
- Vicariate Apostolic of British Columbia, 1863–1890
- Diocese of New Westminster, 1890–1908
- Archdiocese of Vancouver, 1908–1936
On February 22, 1936, Pope Pius XI erected the Diocese of Nelson to cover the Kootenay and Okanagan regions of southeastern British Columbia.
Bishops
Ordinaries
- Martin Michael Johnson (1936–1954), appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Vancouver, British Columbia
- Thomas Joseph McCarthy (1955–1958), appointed Bishop of Saint Catharines, Ontario
- Wilfrid Emmett Doyle (1958–1989)
- Peter Joseph Mallon (1989–1995), appointed Archbishop of Regina, Saskatchewan
- Eugene Cooney (1996–2007)
- John Corriveau (2007–2018)
- Gregory John Bittman (2018-present)
Other priest of this diocese who became bishop
- Bartolomeus Van Roijen, appointed Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador, Newfoundland in 2019
Churches
| Castlegar St. Rita's Cranbrook St. Mary's Christ the Servant Creston Holy Cross Fernie Holy Family Fruitvale St. Rita's Golden Sacred Heart Grand Forks Sacred Heart Invermere Canadian Martyrs Kelowna Immaculate Conception Church St. Pius X Corpus Christi St. Charles Garnier Keremeos Our Lady of Lourdes Kimberley Sacred Heart Nakusp Our Lady of Lourdes |
Nelson Mary Immaculate Cathedral[] Oliver Christ the King Osoyoos St. Anne's Penticton St. Ann's St. John Vianney's Princeton St. Peter's Revelstoke St. Francis of Assisi Rossland Sacred Heart Sparwood St. Michael's Summerland Holy Child Trail Our Lady of Perpetual Help St. Anthony / St. Francis Xavier West Kelowna Our Lady of Lourdes Winfield St. Edward's |
Education
Catholic high schools
| School | City | Est. | Website | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immaculata Regional High School | Kelowna | 1960 | https://www.immaculatakelowna.ca | ~350 (co-ed) |
Catholic elementary schools
| School | City | Est. | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Cross | Penticton | http://www.holyc.com/ | |
| Our Lady of Lourdes | West Kelowna | https://www.olol-bc.com/ | |
| St. Joseph | Nelson | http://www.stjosephnelson.ca/ | |
| St. Mary's | Cranbrook | http://www.stmarysschool.ca/ | |
| St. Joseph | Kelowna | 1938 | http://www.stjosephkelowna.ca/ |
| St. Michael's Catholic | Trail | http://www.smces.ca/index.html |
Religious institutes
Religious institutes of men
- Order of St. Augustine
- Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin
- Order of the Friars Minor
- MSTU Order
- Order of St. Basil
Religious institutes of women
- Sisters of the Atonement (SA)
- Sisters of Charity of Halifax (SC)
- Sisters of Charity of St. Louis (SCSL)
- Daughters of Providence (FDLP)
- Congregation of Notre Dame (CND)
Notes
The diocese publishes the Catholic Mountain Star newspaper.[1]
Canonical status and jurisdiction
Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.[2]
External links
References
Bibliography
- "Diocese of Nelson". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2007-03-13.