Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Miller, as Archbishop of Vancouver, and Appoints Archbishop Richard Smith, as Successor
Episcopal Resignation and Appointment for the Archdiocese of Vancouver
Tuesday, February 25 2025
OTTAWA, 25 February 2025 – Today, His Holiness Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, C.S.B., as Archbishop of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and appointed the Most Reverend Richard Smith, presently Archbishop of Edmonton, as his successor.
Born on 28 April 1959, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Archbishop Richard Smith was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Halifax on 23 May 1987. He was appointed Bishop of Pembroke, Ontario, on 27 April 2002, and received episcopal consecration at St. Columbkille Cathedral on 18 June 2002. On 22 March 2007, he was appointed Archbishop of Edmonton, Alberta, and was installed in this role on 1 May 2007.
Archbishop Smith holds a Bachelor of Commerce from St. Mary’s University in Halifax, a Master of Divinity from the Atlantic School of Theology (1985), a Licentiate in Theology (1993), and a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1998). He has served as a chaplain to the Deaf community in Halifax, pastoral leader in various parishes, and teacher of Sacramental and Dogmatic Theology at St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. He has also contributed to diocesan formation programs for deacons and lay faithful.
Archbishop Smith has held numerous roles within the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB): among others, he has served as CCCB Vice President (2009-2011) and CCCB President (2011-2013); as member and chair of several CCCB commissions and committees, especially in the areas of catechesis, bioethics, communications, government relations, and matters related to family and life. He has played an important role in matters related to Indigenous Peoples, being a member of the Episcopal Working Group for the Coordination of Indigenous Initiatives and then of the Ad hoc Committee for Indigenous Issues; he participated in the Indigenous delegation that met with Pope Francis in Rome (April 2022) and was the General Coordinator of the Pope’s visit to Canada (July 2022).
In 2015, Archbishop Smith was selected as the second national delegate of the English Sector to the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, on 9 July 1946, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, C.S.B., entered the novitiate of the Congregation of St. Basil on 3 September 1965, and professed his vows as a member of the Congregation on 12 September 1966. He was ordained to the priesthood by Pope Paul VI on 29 June 1975, at St. Peter’s Square in Rome. In 2024, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Vertara with the rank of archbishop while serving as Secretary at the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome. He arrived in Vancouver in 2007, first as Coadjutor Archbishop (1 June 2007) and then took possession of the Archdiocese on 2 January 2009, succeeding the late Archbishop Raymond Roussin, S.M.
Archbishop Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Latin American Studies from the University of Toronto (1969), a Master of Arts from the University of Wisconsin (1970), and a Master of Divinity from the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto (1974). He further pursued theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning both a Licentiate (1974-1979) and a Doctorate in Theology.
His academic and pastoral ministry includes joining the Department of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, where he later served as Chair and Dean of the School of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary. In 1990, he was named Vice-President for Academic Affairs at St. Mary’s Seminary, and on 1 July 1997, he was elected the seventh President of the University of St. Thomas. Throughout his career, he has contributed to numerous academic, social, and ecclesial organizations, serving on the boards of institutions such as the Association of Texas Colleges and Universities, the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston, and the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.
Archbishop Miller has played an active role within the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). He has served as a member of the National Commission for Doctrine (2008-2011) and its Chair (2011-2014), the CCCB Permanent Council (2009-2011), and the Episcopal Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interfaith Dialogue (2014-2017). He was also Chair of the Standing Committee for Responsible Ministry and the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons (2019). He currently serves as a member of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace.
He contributed to the work of the Holy See as a member of the English-language section of the Secretariat of State from 1992 to 1997. On 23 November 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed him Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Vice President of the Pontifical Work of Priestly Vocations. He has also been a member of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses and a consultor to the Congregation for Bishops.
The Archdiocese of Vancouver has 103 diocesan priests, 98 priests who are members of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, 121 brothers and sisters members of institutes of consecrated life, 40 permanent deacons, and serving a Catholic population of 410,594 in 85 parishes and missions.
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OTTAWA, 25 February 2025 – Today, His Holiness Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, C.S.B., as Archbishop of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and appointed the Most Reverend Richard Smith, presently Archbishop of Edmonton, as his successor.
Born on 28 April 1959, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Archbishop Richard Smith was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Halifax on 23 May 1987. He was appointed Bishop of Pembroke, Ontario, on 27 April 2002, and received episcopal consecration at St. Columbkille Cathedral on 18 June 2002. On 22 March 2007, he was appointed Archbishop of Edmonton, Alberta, and was installed in this role on 1 May 2007.
Archbishop Smith holds a Bachelor of Commerce from St. Mary’s University in Halifax, a Master of Divinity from the Atlantic School of Theology (1985), a Licentiate in Theology (1993), and a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1998). He has served as a chaplain to the Deaf community in Halifax, pastoral leader in various parishes, and teacher of Sacramental and Dogmatic Theology at St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. He has also contributed to diocesan formation programs for deacons and lay faithful.
Archbishop Smith has held numerous roles within the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB): among others, he has served as CCCB Vice President (2009-2011) and CCCB President (2011-2013); as member and chair of several CCCB commissions and committees, especially in the areas of catechesis, bioethics, communications, government relations, and matters related to family and life. He has played an important role in matters related to Indigenous Peoples, being a member of the Episcopal Working Group for the Coordination of Indigenous Initiatives and then of the Ad hoc Committee for Indigenous Issues; he participated in the Indigenous delegation that met with Pope Francis in Rome (April 2022) and was the General Coordinator of the Pope’s visit to Canada (July 2022).
In 2015, Archbishop Smith was selected as the second national delegate of the English Sector to the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, on 9 July 1946, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, C.S.B., entered the novitiate of the Congregation of St. Basil on 3 September 1965, and professed his vows as a member of the Congregation on 12 September 1966. He was ordained to the priesthood by Pope Paul VI on 29 June 1975, at St. Peter’s Square in Rome. In 2024, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Vertara with the rank of archbishop while serving as Secretary at the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome. He arrived in Vancouver in 2007, first as Coadjutor Archbishop (1 June 2007) and then took possession of the Archdiocese on 2 January 2009, succeeding the late Archbishop Raymond Roussin, S.M.
Archbishop Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Latin American Studies from the University of Toronto (1969), a Master of Arts from the University of Wisconsin (1970), and a Master of Divinity from the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto (1974). He further pursued theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning both a Licentiate (1974-1979) and a Doctorate in Theology.
His academic and pastoral ministry includes joining the Department of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, where he later served as Chair and Dean of the School of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary. In 1990, he was named Vice-President for Academic Affairs at St. Mary’s Seminary, and on 1 July 1997, he was elected the seventh President of the University of St. Thomas. Throughout his career, he has contributed to numerous academic, social, and ecclesial organizations, serving on the boards of institutions such as the Association of Texas Colleges and Universities, the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston, and the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.
Archbishop Miller has played an active role within the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). He has served as a member of the National Commission for Doctrine (2008-2011) and its Chair (2011-2014), the CCCB Permanent Council (2009-2011), and the Episcopal Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interfaith Dialogue (2014-2017). He was also Chair of the Standing Committee for Responsible Ministry and the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons (2019). He currently serves as a member of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace.
He contributed to the work of the Holy See as a member of the English-language section of the Secretariat of State from 1992 to 1997. On 23 November 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed him Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Vice President of the Pontifical Work of Priestly Vocations. He has also been a member of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses and a consultor to the Congregation for Bishops.
The Archdiocese of Vancouver has 103 diocesan priests, 98 priests who are members of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, 121 brothers and sisters members of institutes of consecrated life, 40 permanent deacons, and serving a Catholic population of 410,594 in 85 parishes and missions.
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Text CCCB Press Release
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