De Pencier, Adam Urias

Third Bishop of New Westminster; Second Metropolitan of British Columbia; Acting Primate of All Canada.

Adam Urias De Pencier was born in Burritt's Rapids, Ontario. He was ordained deacon in 1890 in Belleville, then priest soon after. He was a missionary to Navan, Ontario from 1890 to 1893, and priest vicar of the Cathedral of St. Alban the Martyr in Toronto from 1893 to 1899. He received a B.A. (1895) and an M.A. (1896) from the University of Trinity College, and was the rector of Uxbridge, Ontario from 1899 - 1901, then curate of St. James Cathedral from 1901 to 1904. He became rector of Brandon, Manitoba in 1904, then of St. Paul's Church in Vancouver in 1908. In 1910, he was consecrated Bishop of New Westminister. During the First World War, he was appointed Chaplain and Honourary Captain in the Canadian Chaplain Services, and was attached to the 62nd Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expedentiary Forces in 1915. By 1918, he was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel, as well as appointed to the Order of the British Empire in recognition for valuable services rendered in connection with Military operation in France and Flanders. In 1921, he transferred to the Reserve of Officers at the rank of Lieutanent Colonel. He was elected to the office of the President of the House of Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia in 1925, and became the Archbishop of New Westminster and Metropolitan of British Columbia. He resigned in 1940, and passed away in 1949.

He received an honourary D.D. from the University of Trinity College in 1911.