Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador
Bishop Bartholomeus van Roijen, Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador, was born on August 4, 1965, in Diemen, a suburb of Amsterdam, and came to Canada at the age of eight. He studied philosophy at the University of Saskatchewan, obtaining a diploma in arts. In 1983 he entered St. Pius X Seminary in Saskatoon for the Diocese of Nelson, and studied theology at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario. From 1992 to 1995 he was director of religious education for the then Diocese of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. He completed his studies for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Seminary in Edmonton, obtaining a diploma in divinity from the University of Western Ontario. He was ordained a priest for Nelson on April 25, 1997, in Kelowna. He then served as parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception parish in Kelowna (1997-1998); parish priest of Sacred Heart in Grand Forks and of the missions of Greenwood and Christina Lake (1998-2001); parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and of St. Anthony/St. Francis in Trail (2001-2007); in pastoral service to small communities in the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith (2005-2007); parish priest of St. Pius X in Kelowna (2007-2010); and parish priest of St. Michael's in Sparwood, Holy Family in Fernie and St. Bernard's Mission in Elkford (2010-2014). From 2014 he was parish priest of Holy Trinity Church in Trail, and from 2017 vicar general of the Diocese of Nelson. He also served as dean and president of the diocesan office for religious education, president of the presbyteral council, diocesan director of vocations, and a member of the diocesan office for Catholic schools. On October 7, 2019, he was appointed Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador. He received episcopal ordination on December 12, 2019, with Peter Joseph Hundt as principal consecrator and Gregory John Bittman and Luigi Bonazzi as co-consecrators. His episcopal motto is "Via Veritas Vita".