Remi De Roo facts for kids

Styles of Remi De Roo
Reference style	His Excellency, The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Remi Joseph De Roo (born February 24, 1924 – died February 1, 2022) was an important leader in the Catholic Church in Canada. He served as the Bishop of Victoria from 1962 to 1999. When he retired, he had been a Catholic bishop in Canada for the longest time. He was also the last living bishop who had attended all the meetings of the Second Vatican Council. People knew him for speaking up about fairness in society and for making investments for his church.

Early Life and Education

Remi De Roo was born in Swan Lake, Manitoba, Canada, on February 24, 1924. He was one of many children in his family. His sister became a nun, and his younger brother also became a priest. His first language was Flemish.

Becoming a Priest

De Roo started studying to become a priest when he was 15 years old. He went to a special school called a seminary in Winnipeg. On June 8, 1950, he became a Catholic priest in his hometown. After that, he continued his studies in Rome, Italy. He earned a special degree in theology in 1952.

Time as a Priest

After becoming a priest, Remi De Roo worked at Holy Cross Parish in Winnipeg. The next year, he started helping to organize Catholic activities. He also worked in important roles for the church leader in Saint Boniface.

In 1960, he became the main priest at Holy Cross Parish. This was his last job before he became a bishop in 1962. He served as a priest in Saint Boniface for 12 years.

Time as a Bishop

Remi De Roo was chosen to be the Bishop of Victoria on October 29, 1962. The position had been empty since March of that year. He became a bishop in a special ceremony on December 14, 1962, in Winnipeg. Maurice Baudoux was the main bishop who performed the ceremony.

Six days later, on December 20, he officially started his role in Victoria. He was the youngest Catholic bishop at that time. He was also the first Bishop of Victoria who was born in Western Canada.

Views on Society and Church

During his time as bishop, De Roo was known for supporting social fairness. He believed that helping people's needs should be more important than just making money. He helped create an important statement in 1983 called "Ethical Reflections on the Economic Crisis."

He also had ideas about other church topics, like allowing women to be ordained or priests to marry. These ideas were sometimes different from the official views of the Pope and the Vatican. For example, he was asked to discuss his views with church leaders in Rome in 1986.

De Roo also wrote books that discussed different ideas within the church. One book he co-wrote in 1992 was called In the Eye of the Catholic Storm.

Financial Challenges

The diocese faced financial challenges during De Roo's time as bishop. Over 15 years, he made some large investments in real estate and a horse farm. These investments did not follow all the church rules about getting permission from the Vatican or talking with other church leaders.

When these ventures did not succeed, the diocese ended up with a debt of over $17 million. De Roo was not accused of cheating, but he did not get the Vatican's approval for these large deals. In May 2000, De Roo apologized to the Catholics in his former diocese. He said he was "truly sorry" and asked for their forgiveness.

The diocese sold some of its property and issued bonds to pay off the debt. In November 2006, the diocese sold land it owned in Washington state. This helped them pay off all their debts, including money owed to people who had bought bonds. Later, a court case found that De Roo had actually made a good investment.

Second Vatican Council

De Roo attended all four sessions of the Vatican II council. This was a very important meeting in the Catholic Church that aimed to update its practices. He was the last living bishop who had attended this council.

This experience had a big impact on him. He often said it was a "voyage of discovery" that changed his view of the world. After he retired, De Roo continued to travel and talk about Vatican II.

Later Life and Passing

After serving as Bishop of Victoria for 37 years, De Roo reached the age of 75 in February 1999. This is the age when bishops usually retire. Pope John Paul II accepted his retirement less than a month later, on March 11. At the time he retired, he had served as a Canadian bishop for the longest period.

He continued to live on Vancouver Island after retirement. Even in his nineties, De Roo kept giving talks and helping people. He also co-authored a book in 2002.

Remi De Roo passed away on February 1, 2022, at a nursing home in Victoria. He was 97 years old. He was the last bishop alive who had been part of the Second Vatican Council.