There has been no bishop in Victoria since the appointment in January of Raymond Roussin as archbishop of Vancouver.
Born in 1948 in Lethbridge, Alberta, Richard Gagnon studied philosophy and theology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and Beda College in Rome.
He was ordained to the priesthood in 1983 for the Archdiocese of Vancouver and has served there in many capacities, including director of the office of religious education.
Since 2002, he has served as vicar general, diocesan consultor and pastor of St. John the Apostle Parish in Vancouver.
The Victoria Diocese has a Catholic population of 94,465 in 38 parishes and missions, served by 19 diocesan priests, 17 religious order priests, one permanent deacon and 78 religious sisters and brothers.
