Charles Arthurson was the first aboriginal bishop in Canada. He was born in 1937 in

Norway House, Manitoba Norway House is a population centre of over 5,000 people, some north of Lake Winnipeg, on the bank of the eastern channel of the Nelson River, in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The population centre shares the name ''Norway House'' with the ...

and ordained in 1972 in the

Diocese of Keewatin The Diocese of Keewatin was a diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada. As of 1 August 2014, it no longer had any territorial jurisdiction, but it continued to exist as a legal entity until 30 September 2015, when it was formally closed. Formerl ...

. He has served in the parishes of Shamattawa (1966–70) as

catechist Catechesis (; from Greek language, Greek: , "instruction by word of mouth", generally "instruction") is basic Christian religious education of children and adults, often from a catechism book. It started as education of Conversion to Christia ...

; Norway House, Manitoba (1972–73);

Big Trout Lake, Ontario Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Oji-Cree: ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ (''Gichi-namegosib ininiwag''); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ or ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ (''Gichi-namegosibiwininiwag ...

(1974–76);

Split Lake, Manitoba Split Lake, or Tataskwayak (), is a community in Manitoba on the northern shore of Split Lake along the Nelson River, about west southwest of the river's mouth at Hudson Bay, and is within the Tataskweyak Cree Nation reserve, Split Lake 171. ...

(1976–78) and

Sioux Lookout, Ontario Sioux Lookout is a town in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, with a population of 5,838 people (up 10.8% since 2016). Known locally as the "Hub of the North", it is serviced by the Sioux Lookout Airport, Ontario Highway 72, Highway 72, and the Sioux ...

(1978–83). In 1983 the Arthursons moved to

La Ronge, Saskatchewan La Ronge is a northern town in the boreal forest of Saskatchewan, Canada. The town is also the namesake of the larger La Ronge population centre, the largest in northern Saskatchewan, comprising the Northern Village of Air Ronge, and the Ki ...

, where he was elected

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led ...

bishop in 1989. He served half time as the parish priest in La Ronge, while spending the other half of his time in the episcopal ministry. In July 2008 Arthurson retired as suffragan bishop.

References

Anglican bishops of Saskatchewan 21st-century Anglican Church of Canada bishops Living people Cree people Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century Anglican Church of Canada bishops {{Canada-Anglican-bishop-stub