Necrology
May the Angels lead thee into Paradise: at thy coming, may the Martyrs receive thee, and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem. May the Choirs of Angels receive thee. And with Lazarus, once poor, mayest thou have eternal rest. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Fr Michael Birch (1940-2016)
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FATHER MICHAEL BIRCH was born on 19th January 1940 in Vancouver. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of British Columbia in 1967 and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Theological College of British Columbia in 1970. He worked as a bank teller and a municipal clerk for the City of Vancouver before discerning a call to Holy Orders.
Fr Birch was ordained a deacon for the Anglican Church of Canada in 1970 and a priest of the same jurisdiction on 23rd May 1971. His years of priestly ministry included service as Rector of St John the Evangelist in Calgary (1974-1984); Rector of St Mark’s in Calgary (1992-2003); and founding pastor of Christ the King Anglican Catholic Church of Canada parish in Calgary (2003-2006). |
Fr Birch was received into the Catholic Church in 2012 and was ordained a priest for the Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Victoria on 14th June 2013. In a 2014 edition of the Diocesan Messenger, a publication of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria, Fr Birch composed a column on vocations, writing: ‘I love being a priest, for it is what God wants me to do… And may he call you, young men, to that ministry, and you, young women, to the consecrated life of prayer and action, that he will not be without witness in this, your generation. And when you hear or feel that call, may you add your “yes” to that of Our Lady. By her “yes” the Saviour was born; by your yes, his continued presence is assured. Then we shall understand St Paul’s statement about his ministry, “Not I, but Christ in me.”’
Fr Birch married his wife, Noella Ann, in May 1967. He served as Parochial Vicar of St John Henry’s for three years until his death, aged 76, on 26th November 2016. He is survived by his wife and children.
Fr Birch married his wife, Noella Ann, in May 1967. He served as Parochial Vicar of St John Henry’s for three years until his death, aged 76, on 26th November 2016. He is survived by his wife and children.
with Bishop Morse Goodman, Calgary, 1980s
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Imparting First Blessings, 2013
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with Noella, following his First Mass, 2013
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at Fr Colin O’Rourke’s Ordination, Calgary, 2014
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at Bishop Lopes’ consecration, Houston, Texas, 2016
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Fr Donald Malins (1939-2025)
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FATHER DON MALINS was born on 4th April 1939 in Vancouver. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Classics and English at the University of British Columbia, and trained for the Anglican ministry under the sponsorship of the Bishop of Kootenay. He was ordained in 1967, serving his curacy in the Diocese of Kootenay at All Saints, Vernon, and then at St Andrew, Trail, following which he was appointed to the parish of Salmon Arm-Sicamous, having the care of three churches. Fr Malins was later appointed to Holy Trinity, North Saanich in Greater Victoria, and served his final appointment in the Anglican Church of Canada at St Luke, Victoria.
In 1999 Fr Malins resigned from the Anglican Church of Canada and joined the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, serving the parish of St John the Evangelist, Victoria. |
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Fr Malins was received into the Catholic Church in 2012 and was ordained a priest for the Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Victoria on 14th June 2013. At the time of his ordination in the Catholic Church he said, ‘The Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus is a very generous offer and I am more than excited about the prospect of continuing my ministry in the Catholic Church.’
Fr Malins married his wife, Virginia, in June 1964. He served as Parochial Vicar of St John Henry’s for 12 years until his death, aged 85, on 4th March 2025. Fr Malins is survived by his wife and son.
Fr Malins married his wife, Virginia, in June 1964. He served as Parochial Vicar of St John Henry’s for 12 years until his death, aged 85, on 4th March 2025. Fr Malins is survived by his wife and son.
With Virginia
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Chaplain
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Mgr Peter Wilkinson (1940-2026)
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MONSIGNOR PETER WILKINSON PH was born in Victoria and educated at the University of British Columbia (BA English Literature, History & Classics), with post-ordination study (BD Prelim) at the University of London, England under the tutelage of Dr Eric Mascall.
Peter trained for the Anglican ministry at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, Yorkshire. Following ordination by Archbishop Michael Ramsey in Canterbury Cathedral in 1965, he served his curacy in the Diocese of Canterbury at St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, before returning to Mirfield as a novice of the Community of the Resurrection. Coming back to Canada in 1970, Peter served in the Diocese of British Columbia as a hospital chaplain and assistant at Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria. |
In 1977 Peter was a participant in the Congress of Concerned Churchmen in St Louis, Missouri, which led him to found the first Continuing Anglican parish in Canada. He assisted in the formation of the Diocese of Canada and in 1985 was appointed Honorary Canon of the diocese. In 1999 Peter was elected Suffragan Bishop of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, within the Traditional Anglican Communion, becoming Bishop Ordinary in 2005, in succession to Bishop Robert Mercer CR.
In the years before the establishment of the Ordinariate, Peter was amongst the bishops of the Traditional Anglian Communion who petitioned for corporate unity with the Catholic Church. Having realised this goal, he was received into the Church and ordained priest in 2012, serving as St John Henry’s first Parochial Administrator until 2014. In October 2012 he was appointed Consultor to the Anglicanae Traditiones Commission by Archbishop Augustine Di Noia OP to supply texts for Divine Worship: The Missal and Divine Worship: Occasional Services. He served the commission for three years. In 2013 Peter was appointed Prelate of Honour by Pope Benedict XVI, with whom, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he had been in regular correspondence.
Following retirement, Mgr Wilkinson served for 12 years as Parochial Vicar of St John Henry’s until his death, aged 86, on 6th June 2026.
In the years before the establishment of the Ordinariate, Peter was amongst the bishops of the Traditional Anglian Communion who petitioned for corporate unity with the Catholic Church. Having realised this goal, he was received into the Church and ordained priest in 2012, serving as St John Henry’s first Parochial Administrator until 2014. In October 2012 he was appointed Consultor to the Anglicanae Traditiones Commission by Archbishop Augustine Di Noia OP to supply texts for Divine Worship: The Missal and Divine Worship: Occasional Services. He served the commission for three years. In 2013 Peter was appointed Prelate of Honour by Pope Benedict XVI, with whom, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he had been in regular correspondence.
Following retirement, Mgr Wilkinson served for 12 years as Parochial Vicar of St John Henry’s until his death, aged 86, on 6th June 2026.
Canon, 1985
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Archbishop, 2005
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with Pope Benedict XVI
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Enthronement as Archbishop, 29th January 2005
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First Mass, 9th December 2012
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The Birch Memorial Cross
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In honour of Fr Michael’s long service and ministry, both Anglican and Catholic, and with his wife Noella’s blessing, a beautiful antique English brass and enamel processional cross was blessed and dedicated on Advent Sunday 2021, to mark the fifth anniversary of his death. The Birch Memorial Cross first led the way as we recited the Great Litany in procession. This gift serves as a treasured memory of Fr Michael Birch’s legacy and also as a testament to the affection in which he was held.
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