Diocese of Keewatin

The Diocese of Keewatin was a diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada. As of 1 August 2014, it no longer had any territorial jurisdiction, but it continued to exist as a legal entity until 30 September 2015, when it was formally closed.

This article is about the Anglican Diocese of Keewatin. For the Catholic Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas, see Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas.
Diocese of Rupert's Land
Location
Ecclesiastical provinceRupert's Land
Information
RiteAnglican
Dissolved2015
CathedralSt. Alban's Cathedral, Kenora (former)

Formerly, the diocese straddled the border of the civil provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, comprising over 900,000 square kilometres. The diocese was geographically isolated, consisting of mainly small, and mostly First Nations, communities. The largest of these, Kenora, Ontario, was also the diocese's See city. There were just over 11,000 Anglicans on forty-eight parish rolls. The diocese was established by the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land in 1902, and it was a major focus for missionary activity among the indigenous peoples there.

The last bishop (the diocese's ninth) was Archbishop David Ashdown. Elected Bishop of Keewatin in 2001, he was subsequently elected Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land in June 2009. The dean was the Very Rev. Hugh Matheson.

Closure of diocese

As set out in a June 2013 resolution of the Anglican Church's General Synod, the diocese of Keewatin ceased to operate on 31 December 2014. It was formally closed on 30 September 2015, at which time Archbishop Ashdown retired as both diocesan bishop and as Metropolitan of Rupert's Land.[1] The First Nations parishes in northwestern Ontario and northern Manitoba were separated from Keewatin on 1 June 2014 to form the new diocese of Mishamikoweesh. The Rt. Rev. Lydia Mamakwa, the area bishop for Northern Ontario within the former Keewatin diocese, is now diocesan bishop of Mishamikoweesh.[2]

The southern parishes in the diocese were transferred to the Diocese of Rupert's Land on 1 August 2014.[3] There were also minor adjustments to the boundaries of the Diocese of Brandon.

Bishops of Keewatin
No.NameDatesNotes
1Joseph Lofthouse1902–1921
2Alfred Dewdney1921–1938
3Joseph Lofthouse, Jr.1938–1953
4Harry Hives1953–1969
5Hugh Stiff1969–1974afterwards Dean of Toronto, 1974–1996
6James Allan1974–1991
7Thomas Collings1991–1996
8Gordon Beardy1996–2001
9David Ashdown2001–2015Last Bishop of Keewatin; Metropolitan of Rupert's Land, 2009-2015

References
  1. Tears of joy for new diocese. Anglican Journal, 6 July 2013
  2. Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh. Anglican Church of Canada, 4 June 2014.
  3. Rupert's Land Keewatin Boundary Changes. Rupert's Land diocesan website (pdf), 19 June 2014.

See also Anglican Church of Canada, Anglican Church Directory, 2007. Anglican Book Centre, 2006.

49.8°N 94.5°W / 49.8; -94.5

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