Brief Chronological History Of The Victoria Diocese

1789 – First Mass offered at Nootka.
1838 – Frs. F.N. Blanchet and Modestes Demers arrive in Fort Vancouver (Portland) from Quebec.
1843 – March 19. First Mass in Victoria area celebrated by Fr. Bolduc at Cadboro Bay.
1844 – Vicariate or Mission of Columbia (Oregon Territory) established with Bishop Blanchet named as first Vicar Apostolic.
1846 – Vicariate raised to Ecclesiastical Province to be known as The Diocese of Vancouver Island. This took in all territory north of the 49th parallel and including the Arctic region of Alaska and the Yukon. Bishop Modeste Demers named in charge.
1852 – Bishop Demers arrived in Victoria Aug. 29 after a lengthy tour in search of staff, funds and supplies for the new diocese.
1858 – Arrival of Sisters of St. Ann who founded numerous schools and hospitals.
1858 – Construction of the first Cathedral by Brother Michaud and Fr. Peter Rondeault. Later became the chapel at St. Ann’s Academy.
1859 – Arrival of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate who founded several missions and built St. Louis College in 1863. On their departure in 1866 Bishop Demers had only 5 priests.
1863 – Vicariate Apostolic of British Columbia which later became the Archdiocese of Vancouver was separated from this diocese.
1873 – Bishop Charles John Seghers. Establishment of West Coast Missions.
1879 – Bishop Jean Baptiste Brondel
1885 – Archbishop Seghers – Apostle of Alaska – murdered in Alaska in 1886 while establishing missions.
1888 – Bishop J. Lemmons.
1892 – Consecration of the new St. Andrew’s Cathedral built in the Victorian gothic- revival style.
1894 – Alaska ceded to Portland diocese.
1898 – Bishop Alexander Christie
1900 – Bishop Bertram Orth Arrival of Benedictine priests and nuns for Christie School at Kakawis.
1903 – Diocese of Vancouver Island separated from Portland Diocese and became and Archdiocese in June.
1904 – Name changed to Archdiocese of Victoria on Sept. 6th. Arrival of de Montfort Fathers for Duncan area missions.
1908 – Returned to status of Diocese on Oct. 1st.
1909 – Bishop Alexander MacDonald Time of great difficulty for diocese and all churches because of the new “Single Tax” land on which churches stood. Problem finally settled in favour of Church exemption by 1921 appeal to Privy Council in London.
1915 – Arrival of Christian Brothers to teach at St. Louis College.
1924 – Bishop Thomas O’Donnell obtained assistance from the Catholic Church Extension Society to assist with work in the missions.
1930 – Bishop Gerald Murray, CSsR Establishment of a Catholic Welfare Bureau.
1934 – Bishop John Hugh MacDonald
1937 – Bishop John C. Cody
1938 – Completion of memorial chapel at St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
1940 – Arrival of Scarboro Missionaries and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Angels to work with the Chinese people. Return of the Oblate Fathers.
1942 – Arrival of Sisters of the Love of Jesus
1943 – Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary arrive
1946 – Bishop James M. Hill 1962 – Bishop Remi J. De Roo
1999 – Bishop Raymond Roussin
2004 - Bishop Richard Gagnon

The above is a very brief sketch of diocesan history. There are several books available which enter into greater detail. Among these are:

Apostle of Alaska de BAets, Maurice. St. Anthony Guild Press, Paterson, N.J. 1943
Heralds of Christ the King Sr. M. Theodore, SSA P.J. Kennedy, New York, 1939
Early Indian Village Churches Veilette, John University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, 1977
Mission to Nootka Lilliard, Charles, ed. Gray’s Publishing, Sidney, B.C. 1977
Cross in the Wilderness Cronin, Kay. Mission Press, Toronto, 1960