A 91原创 priest who heads the Catholic colleges at the University of B.C. has been appointed by Pope Francis to be bishop of Canada鈥檚 largest diocese.
Monsignor Mark Hagemoen will become Bishop of the diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, based in Yellowknife.
Mackenzie-Fort Smith includes most of the Northwest Territories and parts of Nunavut and Saskatchewan, covering 1.5 million square kilometres. It has a population of 49,150 and a Catholic population of about 27,000, according to Paul Schratz, communications director for the Archdiocese of 91原创 at the John Paul II Pastoral Centre.
91原创 Archbishop J. Michael Miller called the appointment 鈥渧alued recognition of a very gifted administrator who has taken in hand the stewardship of our two Catholic colleges at UBC in a very able way.鈥�
Miller said Hagemoen has strong connections with First Nations people, and has worked to foster healing and reconciliation with the Catholic church.
The date of his ordination and installation has not been set yet.
