Celebrating Success: 2021 Report

The 2021 Bishop’s Appeal, Spirit of Hope—Healing and Reconciliation, collected $886,000 in donations. Each year, at least twenty percent of Appeal proceeds are returned to parishes. In 2021, $64,000 was spent on Appeal related expenses and $206,000 was given to parishes who used their portions in meaningful ways.

In 2021, St. Patrick’s Parish in Victoria sponsored a refugee family. They are pictured here: from left to right, Sabah, Yousif, Wafaa, Lina and Margireet.

One hundred percent of the net Appeal proceeds in 2021 went towards healing and reconciliation projects. These included:

• $511,000 for Indigenous directed health and wellness projects
• $75,000 for Cowichan Valley and West Coast Ministry Religious Sisters Outreach
• $30,000 for the Tsawout First Nation “Raise the Big House” Project

Bishop Gary visits the Ahousaht Nation to deliver funds raised in the 2021 Appeal for wellness and healing projects

An interior view of the Tsawout Big House

Ongoing Indigenous Support for 2021 and beyond

The Diocese of Victoria is dedicated to ongoing healing and reconciliation with Indigenous partners. Separate from the funds raised by donations during the Appeal, the Diocese has dedicated an additional $737,000 of Diocesan funds for Indigenous projects:

• $9,000 to hold Returning to Spirit workshops in the Diocese
• $181,000 for the Clayoquot/Ahousaht Mission
• $547,000 to establish an ongoing Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation Reserve

Members of the Diocese of Victoria participating in Returning to Spirit's "Roots of Reconciliation" workshop

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund

In 2021, the Canadian Bishops announced the establishment of a $30 million Indigenous Reconciliation Fund. All the proceeds that are raised will be dedicated to local Indigenous programs and initiatives.

The Diocese of Victoria contributed $1,250,000 towards this fund, which was raised by the sale of a residential property that was being held to build a bishop’s residence. The Diocese of Victoria does not hold many surplus properties, but taking a tangible and concrete action was a realistic and expedient way to satisfy the financial commitments and not burden individual parishioners with addition special collections or financial requests.

The Diocese of Victoria Indigenous Reconciliation Fund Committee is now accepting and reviewing applications from groups that wish to access these funds.