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Remi De Roo

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The Most Reverend

Remi De Roo
Bishop of Victoria
DioceseVictoria
AppointedOctober 29, 1962
InstalledDecember 20, 1962
Term endedMarch 18, 1999
PredecessorJames Michael Hill
SuccessorRaymond Roussin
Orders
OrdinationJune 8, 1950
byArthur Béliveau
ConsecrationDecember 14, 1962
byMaurice Baudoux
Personal details
Born
Remi Joseph De Roo

(1924-02-24)February 24, 1924
Swan Lake,Manitoba,Canada
DiedFebruary 1, 2022(2022-02-01)(aged 97)
Victoria,British Columbia,Canada
Alma materCollège de Saint-Boniface
Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
MottoAedificatio in Caritate[1]
Ordination history of
Remi De Roo
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byArthur Béliveau
DateJune 8, 1950
PlaceSwan Lake, Manitoba,Canada
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorMaurice Baudoux(Saint Boniface)
Co-consecratorsGeorges Cabana(Sherbrooke)
Martin Michael Johnson(Vancouvercoad.)
DateDecember 14, 1962
PlaceSaint Boniface Cathedral,Winnipeg,Manitoba,Canada
Source(s):[2][3][4]
Styles of
Remi De Roo
Reference styleHis Excellency,
The Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Remi Joseph De Roo(February 24, 1924 – February 1, 2022) was a Canadianbishopof theCatholic Church.He wasBishop of Victoriafrom 1962 to 1999 and the longest-serving Catholic bishop in Canada at the time of his retirement. He was also the last living bishop who had attended all sessions of theSecond Vatican Council.[5]He was notable for his advocacy of social justice and for making investments that impacted diocesan finances.

Early life

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De Roo was born inSwan Lake, Manitoba,on February 24, 1924.[2]He was the second of eight or nine children;[2][3]his sister became aUrsulinenun and his younger brother also became a priest.[3]His first language wasFlemish.De Roo attendedseminaryat St. Boniface seminary inWinnipegstarting when he was 15 years old.[2]On June 8, 1950, he wasordained to the Catholic priesthoodin his hometown.[3][6]He subsequently undertookpostgraduate studiesat thePontifical University of Saint Thomas AquinasinRome,obtaining aDoctor of Sacred Theologydegree in 1952.[3]

Presbyteral ministry

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De Roo's first pastoral assignment was as assistant parish priest at Holy Cross Parish in Winnipeg's Norwood neighbourhood shortly after his ordination. He then became diocesan director ofCatholic Actionthe following year, before serving as vice-chancellor of theArchdiocese of Saint Bonifaceand secretary toMaurice Baudoux.He eventually became parish priest at Holy Cross in 1960, his final position before becoming bishop in 1962.[6]He ultimately served as a priest in Saint Boniface for 12 years.[2]

Episcopal ministry

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De Roo was appointed as the thirteenthBishop of Victoriaon October 29, 1962. The see had been vacant since March of that year, whenJames Michael Hilldied.[3][7]He wasconsecrated bishopon December 14, 1962, atSaint Boniface Cathedralin Winnipeg, with Maurice Baudoux serving as the principal consecrator. He was installed inVictoriasix days later on December 20. He was the youngest Catholic bishop at the time, as well as the first Bishop of Victoria born inWestern Canada.[3]

During his tenure as diocesan bishop, De Roo was known as a strong proponent ofactivismandliberation theologyand was a critic ofcapitalism.He was the main force behind the 1983 Canadian bishops' statement "Ethical Reflections on the Economic Crisis". That document stated that the "goal of serving the human needs of all people in our society must take precedence over the maximization of profits and growth" "[8]He also supported theordination of womenandmarried priests.[3]His decision to broach the latter subject during a lunch withPope John Paul IIand other bishops in 1994 drew the ire of the pope, while his address to a conference in the US calling for a dialogue about the former resulted in De Roo being summoned to Rome in 1986 and reprimanded byJoseph Ratzinger,the prefect of theCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faithat the time.[9]De Roo co-wrote the bookIn the Eye of the Catholic Stormwith a former nun in 1992. The decision by Catholic newspapers in the nearbyArchdiocese of Vancouver(The B.C. Catholic) as well asToronto(The Catholic Register) not to run ads promoting the book made national headlines, underscoring the friction between conservative and liberal Catholics.[3][10]At around the time of his retirement, he intended to address an international convention of married Catholic priests inAtlanta.However, he ultimately backed out after the Vatican told him not to proceed.[3][11]

De Roo was at the centre of a financial scandal that left his diocese nearly bankrupt. Over a 15-year period, despite being a critic of capitalism he made a series of large investments in real estate and in a horse-breeding ranch without adhering to canonical requirements for consent from the Vatican, consultation with diocesan clergy, or financial record-keeping. When the ventures failed the diocese was left with a debt of over $17 million.[12]De Roo was not accused of fraud but did not obtain Vatican approval for any of these transactions. Vatican approval is required for transactions over $3.5 million.[13][14]In May 2000, De Roo issued an apology to all Catholics in his former diocese which was printed in parish bulletins. In the apology he wrote that "I am truly sorry and beg your forgiveness."[12]The diocese sold off assets and issued bonds to clear the debt.[12]

The diocese eventually sold the land it owned inWashington statein November 2006. This allowed it to pay off its debts completely, including to the many parishioners who had purchased bonds.[15]De Roo was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing by a jury in the civil action, which determined that he had actually made a sound investment.[16]

Second Vatican Council

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De Roo attended all four sessions ofVatican IIand was the last living bishop who had attended the council. This experience deeply affected him and he referred to himself as "a pilgrim of the Second Vatican Council". He described attending the sessions as "a voyage of discovery that would radically alter my whole outlook on reality" and "it was indeed a time of euphoria".[17]After his retirement, De Roo continued to travel and lecture about Vatican II and gave the keynote address, "Rebuild My Church – A Vatican Council Father Shares an Inspired Vision", at aCall to Actionconference in 2008.[18]

Later life

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After 37 years of serving as Bishop of Victoria, De Roo reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in February 1999. His resignation was accepted by Pope John Paul II less than one month later on March 11.[19]He was the longest serving Canadian bishop at the time of his retirement.[3]He subsequently remained onVancouver Islandand retired near toNanaimo.[9]De Roo continued to give lectures and minister into his nineties.[3][20]He was also anEnneagram of Personalityteacher and co-authored a book on the subject in 2002.[10][21]

De Roo died on February 1, 2022, at the Mount St. Mary's nursing home in Victoria. He was 97 years old.[2][3]He was the last surviving bishop to have participated in the Second Vatican Council.[3]

References

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  1. ^"Armoiries de S. Exc. Mgr. Remi De Roo".L’Action catholique(in French). January 12, 1963. p. 8.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  2. ^abcdefDickson, Louise (February 3, 2022)."Obituary: Remi De Roo, former Catholic Bishop of Victoria who was 'driving figure for change' in church".Times Colonist.Victoria.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  3. ^abcdefghijklmnSchratz, Paul (February 2, 2022)."Bishop Remi De Roo, Second Vatican Council father, dies at 97".The B.C. Catholic.Vancouver.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  4. ^"Bishop Remi Joseph De Roo".Kansas City:Catholic-Hierarchy.org.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  5. ^"Vatican II: Last surviving bishop, 'radical' Remi De Roo, in Vancouver",Vancouver Sun,September 16, 2016.
  6. ^ab"Remi De Roo – Biographical Notes"(PDF).L’association historique francophone de Victoria.Archived(PDF)from the original on February 5, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  7. ^"L'abbé Rémi de Roo est nommé évêque de Victoria".La Presse(in French). Montreal. October 31, 1962. p. 60.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  8. ^"Western Catholic Reporter".wcr.ab.ca.Archived fromthe originalon June 26, 2002.
  9. ^abTodd, Douglas (January 3, 2013)."'Radical' bishop candid about disputes with popes ".Vancouver Sun.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  10. ^abTodd, Douglas (August 2, 1997)."Contrasting two B.C. Catholic dioceses – De Roo and Exner".Vancouver Sun.p. E1.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  11. ^Valpy, Michael (May 29, 2001)."Wedding highlights celibacy issue".The Globe and Mail.Toronto. Archived fromthe originalon February 5, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  12. ^abcVictoria Times Colonist
  13. ^Edwards, Greg J. (July 10, 2000)."Retired bishop broke several canon laws".The B.C. Catholic.Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2002.
  14. ^Chattaway, Peter T. (July 2000)."Con men fleece the sheep".BC Christian News.Archived fromthe originalon November 17, 2003.
  15. ^Moneo, Shannon (February 2, 2007)."$8.5-million ruling against diocese reversed".The Globe and Mail.Toronto. Archived fromthe originalon April 20, 2020.RetrievedApril 20,2020.
  16. ^Matas, Robert (May 31, 2005)."U.S. jury backs former Victoria bishop over land deal".The Globe and Mail.Toronto. Archived fromthe originalon February 4, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  17. ^"Experiences of a Council Father".Vatican II – Voice of The Church. 2002.
  18. ^"2008 West Coast Regional Call To Action Conference".California Call to Action. Archived fromthe originalon July 4, 2008.
  19. ^McMahon, Laureen (January 19, 2004)."Announcement caught new archbishop 'by surprise'".The B.C. Catholic.Archived fromthe originalon February 16, 2006.RetrievedFebruary 4,2022.
  20. ^Todd, Douglas (September 16, 2016)."Vatican II: Last surviving bishop," radical "Remi De Roo, in Vancouver (update)".Vancouver Sun.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
  21. ^Todd, Douglas (January 3, 2013)."Does the Enneagram have the answers?".Vancouver Sun.RetrievedFebruary 5,2022.
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