Anglican Diocese of Algoma
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Algoma is a diocese
of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario
of the Anglican Church of Canada
. It comprises nearly 182,000 square kilometres of the Ontario districts of Algoma
(from which it takes its name), Thunder Bay
, Sudbury
, Manitoulin
, and parts of the districts of Nipissing
and Timiskaming
. The diocese forms a wide band stretching from just west of Thunder Bay
on the northern shore of Lake Superior
east to the border of Ontario
and Quebec
. Neighbouring Anglican dioceses are Keewatin to the west, Moosonee to the north, Ottawa to the east, and Ontario, Toronto
, Huron to the south.
Algoma's See city
is Sault Ste. Marie
, and its Anglican population of 18,000 on the parish rolls is served by 50 parishes. The Right Reverend Dr. Stephen Andrews is the Bishop of Algoma. The Dean
of Algoma and Rector of St. Luke's Cathedral is Nelson Small. Apart from Sault Ste. Marie, other major centres in the diocese include North Bay
, Sudbury, and Thunder Bay
. Nineteen of the diocese's fifty parishes are located in these communities. Most of the rest of the parishes are located in small towns and First Nations communities.
The Diocese of Algoma, founded in 1873, was one of four carved off from the original Diocese of Toronto. Consisting of a large First Nations
population, the primary focus of the new diocese was intended to be missionary
activity combined with ministry to the growing European settlements in the Muskoka and Parry Sound
areas around Lake Huron
. By the turn of the twentieth century, the demographics
of the territory had shifted considerably, as mining and forestry attracted more European settlement. By 1906, Algoma ceased to be a missionary diocese of the ecclesiastical province
and held its first synod
.
The diocese maintains active chaplaincies at Thorneloe University
located in Sudbury and the Mission to Seafarers
, located in Thunder Bay.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario
Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario
The Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario is one of the Anglican Church of Canada's four ecclesiastical provinces. It was established in 1912 out of six dioceses of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada located in the civil Province of Ontario, and the Diocese of Moosonee from the Ecclesiastical...
of the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
. It comprises nearly 182,000 square kilometres of the Ontario districts of Algoma
Algoma District, Ontario
Algoma District is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858 comprising territory as far west as Minnesota...
(from which it takes its name), Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay District, Ontario
Thunder Bay District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. The district seat is Thunder Bay....
, Sudbury
Sudbury District, Ontario
The Sudbury District is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1894 from townships of eastern Algoma District and west Nipissing District....
, Manitoulin
Manitoulin District, Ontario
Manitoulin District is a district in Northeastern Ontario within the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1888 from part of Algoma District. The district seat is Gore Bay....
, and parts of the districts of Nipissing
Nipissing District, Ontario
Nipissing District, Ontario is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858. The district seat is North Bay.In 2006, the population was 84,688...
and Timiskaming
Timiskaming District, Ontario
Timiskaming is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. The district was created in 1912 from parts of Algoma, Nipissing, and Sudbury districts. In 1921, Cochrane District was created from parts of this district and parts of Thunder Bay...
. The diocese forms a wide band stretching from just west of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
on the northern shore of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
east to the border of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Neighbouring Anglican dioceses are Keewatin to the west, Moosonee to the north, Ottawa to the east, and Ontario, Toronto
Diocese of Toronto
Diocese of Toronto may refer to:*Anglican Diocese of Toronto*Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto...
, Huron to the south.
Algoma's See city
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
is Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
, and its Anglican population of 18,000 on the parish rolls is served by 50 parishes. The Right Reverend Dr. Stephen Andrews is the Bishop of Algoma. The Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of Algoma and Rector of St. Luke's Cathedral is Nelson Small. Apart from Sault Ste. Marie, other major centres in the diocese include North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, Sudbury, and Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
. Nineteen of the diocese's fifty parishes are located in these communities. Most of the rest of the parishes are located in small towns and First Nations communities.
The Diocese of Algoma, founded in 1873, was one of four carved off from the original Diocese of Toronto. Consisting of a large First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
population, the primary focus of the new diocese was intended to be missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
activity combined with ministry to the growing European settlements in the Muskoka and Parry Sound
Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...
areas around Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
. By the turn of the twentieth century, the demographics
Demography
Demography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...
of the territory had shifted considerably, as mining and forestry attracted more European settlement. By 1906, Algoma ceased to be a missionary diocese of the ecclesiastical province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
and held its first synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
.
The diocese maintains active chaplaincies at Thorneloe University
Thorneloe University
Thorneloe University is a federated school of Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. Affiliated with the Anglican Church of Canada, the university offers programs in fine arts , religious studies, classical studies, women's studies and theatre arts...
located in Sudbury and the Mission to Seafarers
Mission to Seafarers
The Mission to Seafarers is an international not-for-profit charity serving sailor sailors in over 230 ports around the world. It is supported entirely by donations from the public, whose generosity has funded its work for more than a century and a half...
, located in Thunder Bay.
Bishops of Algoma
| Bishop of Algoma | Name | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | The Right Reverend Frederick D Fauquier | 1873-1881 |
| 2ed | The Right Reverend Edward Sullivan Edward Sullivan (bishop) Edward Sullivan was a Canadian Anglican priest.He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was Rector of Holy Trinity, Chicago from 1868 to 1879 and of St George, Montreal until 1882 when he was elevated to the Episcopate as the second Bishop of Algoma... |
1882-1896 |
| 3rd | The Most Reverend George Thorneloe | 1896-1926 |
| 4th | The Right Reverend Rocksborough Remington Smith | 1927-1939 |
| 5th | The Most Reverend George Kingston | 1939-1944 |
| 6th | The Most Reverend William Lockridge Wright | 1944-1974 |
| 7th | The Right Reverend Frank F. Nock | 1974-1982 |
| 8th | The Right Reverend Leslie E. Peterson | 1982-1994 |
| 9th | The Right Reverend Ronald Ferris | 1995-2008 |
| 10th | The Right Reverend Stephen Andrews | 2009- |