Launch of new "Hearts of Compassion Fund" for the Community Ministries of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa

For the first time in the church’s history, a Bishop from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa has been elected as the leader of Canada’s Anglicans. Archbishop Shane Parker has been elected the 15^th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, the national leader of one of Canada’s largest Christian denominations. Installed on June 29, 2025 as the Primate, Archbishop Parker has since carried both responsibilities as Primate and Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. On September 20, 2025, he will officially conclude his role as Bishop of Ottawa. That same day, his ministry will be honoured at a Service of Thanksgiving with Holy Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa.

Archbishop Shane has served the Diocese, which spans communities in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, since 1987 in many roles: parish priest, Archdeacon, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, and since 2020, Bishop of Ottawa. His leadership has been marked by a steady presence during the COVID-19 pandemic, a strong commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and a dedication to building bridges with leaders of other faith traditions. He was recognized with the City of Ottawa’s Interfaith Award in 2010 for his long-standing contributions to multi-faith dialogue, and in 2021 he appointed Algonquin spiritual leader Albert Dumont as the Cathedral’s first Indigenous Spiritual Teacher-in-Residence.

Reflecting on his years in the region, Archbishop Parker said: “Ottawa and the wider Diocese have been my spiritual home for nearly four decades. What I will remember most is the way people here—whether in city neighbourhoods or rural communities—come together with resilience, generosity, and a genuine desire to care for one another. The Anglican Church has always been at its best when it opens its doors to serve the community, and I have witnessed that spirit lived out time and again across our Diocese.”

As Primate, Archbishop Shane will serve as the national leader of the Anglican Church of Canada, which includes nearly 1,600 congregations from coast to coast to coast. His responsibilities include chairing national decision-making bodies, representing Canadian Anglicans internationally, and guiding the Church in responding to social challenges such as reconciliation, poverty, justice, refugee sponsorship, climate change, and interfaith cooperation. He has spoken about his vision for this role as one of renewal and relevance, calling the Church to become a catalyst for compassion and justice in Canada and abroad.

Hearts of Compassion Fund

To honour Archbishop Shane’s decades of service, the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa is launching the Hearts of Compassion Fund (HCF). All donations will directly support the Diocese’s five Community Ministries, which provide safety and essential services such as food programs, housing, counselling, refugee sponsorship, and community outreach for people living in vulnerable or precarious circumstances.

These ministries are Belong Ottawa, Centre 105 in Cornwall, Cornerstone Housing for Women, the Ottawa Pastoral Counselling Centre, and the Refugee Ministry Office.

Archbishop Shane noted: “Each of our Community Ministries began when Anglicans, seeing human need with hearts of compassion, responded in faith and in action. Over time, these ministries have grown into places where Christ’s love is made visible—offering compassion, welcome, and hope to the most vulnerable in our society. They remind us that when we open our hearts and join together in service, we share in God’s work of healing and reconciliation.”

The Hearts of Compassion Fund will be a lasting legacy of Archbishop Parker’s years of leadership in Ottawa, ensuring that the Anglican Church continues to support vulnerable people across eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

A Service of Thanksgiving for our Journey with Bishop Shane

A Service of Thanksgiving with Holy Eucharist will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 11 a.m., at Christ Church Cathedral, located at 414 Sparks St., in Ottawa. This event will celebrate Archbishop Shane’s ministry in the Diocese of Ottawa and mark his transition to serving solely as Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. The public is welcome to attend in person or follow the service in real time via the Cathedral’s livestream here.

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