Bishop Gary Gordon

Bishop, Diocese of Victoria

I became aware of Bishop Gary Gordon from others who worked with him, either during his time as the bishop of Whitehorse in the Yukon from 2006-2014 or the bishop of Victoria in British Columbia where he has been since 2014. This is not your usual bishop, each person tried to convey to me. He has a huge heart. He'll go anywhere. Reach out to anyone. For many years now Bishop Gary has been the link between the Canadian Catholic Bishops Conference and the Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy with the Correctional Services of Canada. He has a long and deep relationship with the First Nations people and is most proud of the name he was gifted with by the Sto’:lo (Stah lo) people in 2006: Xylohmetoxw (pronounced Hy-oth’-meh-took) meaning “Taking Care of the People.”

Bishop Gary’s episcopal crest with its salmon in the middle speaks to his ongoing commitment to the part of the world he has now long called home… and also quite possibly his abiding love for fishing. When you hear him speak, you’ll hear him reference Tasso—his favorite fishing haunt. And you’ll understand why people near and far talk about his approachable style of ministry leadership. (Released July 19)