As Pope Francis continues to work from his sick bed in hospital, he has just named a new leader for the Roman Catholic Church in Vancouver – one who coordinated the pope’s historic pilgrimage to Canada in July 2022, in 2022, when apologized for the treatment of Indigenous people who had attended church-run residential schools.
Pope Francis named Archbishop Richard Smith as the new Archbishop of Vancouver. Image from video of his live broadcast.
A February 25 release from the Archdiocese of Vancouver announced the appointment of the Most Reverend Richard W. Smith as the 12th Archbishop of Vancouver. He will replace Archbishop J. Michael Miller.
The statement began:
Early this morning, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Richard W. Smith as the next Archbishop of Vancouver and accepted Archbishop J. Michael Miller’s resignation . . .
Archbishop Smith, 65, has been Archbishop of Edmonton since 2007. He has been a priest for almost 38 years and a bishop since 2002.
With his move to Vancouver, he will have served the Church from coast to coast. After ministering in the Archdiocese of Halifax, his birthplace, he was named Bishop of Pembroke, Ontario, before moving to Edmonton.
Go here for the full statement.
During a live broadcast in Edmonton on the day of the announcement, Archbishop Smith responded to a question about his personal relationship with Pope Francis.
After stating, “What I have found beautiful over the last little while is how the whole world has rallied in prayer for Pope Francis,” he said:
Through the years I had had occasion to meet the Holy Father in Rome and in his office for a variety of different occasions. But the relationship really did deepen and intensify, I’d have to say, in the context of our Indigenous relationships that we have here in Canada.
You remember, for example, we had the delegation of indigenous representatives that went to Rome in early 2022. I was one of a few bishops privileged enough to accompany them and I saw firsthand how the Holy Father connected with them very deeply and openly to all that they had to share with him.
It was there in Rome that he made a promise to them to come to this country to be on their land because he knew just how important it was for them, yes to hear from him in Rome, but also to hear from him in their own territory.
In a year when he was cancelling one international trip after another because of his poor health, he remained faithful to that promise and in spite of his debilitating condition – and I saw firsthand that he was in constant pain all the time he was here – he still insisted in coming to Canada to be with the Indigenous peoples.
So that gave me a chance to see even more closely the heart of the man. Pope Francis wears his heart on his sleeve – even to the public, even before mass, mass audiences – but to see him open his heart, open his mind to the Indigenous was an example to us all and particularly an example to me as a bishop as to how we go forward in the church in opening our hearts to those in need, those who are hurting in any way, those who are suffering and find new ways suited to their situation that they can hear the gospel and find hope in it. As to legacy, yes I think he will be remembered for that above all.
Archbishop Michael Miller at the Synod on Synodality in Rome last fall. (Synod.va photo)
Vancouver has been given a shepherd of extraordinary gifts and vast experience.
We warmly welcome Archbishop Smith, who is already familiar with the challenges facing us here – evangelization, passing on the faith to young people, Indigenous reconciliation, vocations to the priesthood, to name just a few.
I am extremely happy knowing that the faithful of this Archdiocese are entrusted to such capable and dedicated hands.
We are deeply grateful to Pope @Pontifex for discerning this appointment over an extended period of time, allowing it to be announced even as he deals with serious illness.
We have been very close to the Holy Father in recent days, praying fervently for him throughout the Archdiocese. The appointment of a new Archbishop brings the Pope and his ministry as Successor of Peter even nearer to our hearts and minds.
Miller came to Vancouver in 2007 after having been Archbishop Secretary at the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome, and succeeded the late Archbishop Raymond Roussin, SM, as Archbishop in January 2009.
Church law required Miller to submit his resignation to the Pope on his 75th birthday, in 2021, but he was asked to remain in office until his successor’s arrival. With his resignation from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Vancouver this week, he has been named Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese until the new Archbishop’s arrival.
During his 17 years in Edmonton, Archbishop Smith served as President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and is a member of the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council. He will likely be installed in late May.
Gloria Macarenko, host of CBC’s On the Coast conducted a good interview with Archbishop Richard Smith. And CBC’s Early Edition host Stephen Quinn followed up by asking Archbishop Michael Miller about his time here and the transition.