Qu’Appelle bishop to retire

Bishop Duncan Wallace of Qu’Appelle has announced his retirement effective May 31.

Bishop Wallace, 67, told his diocesan council Jan. 22 that his retirement would fall near the 40th anniversary of his ordination as a priest on May 22.

In an interview, Bishop Wallace said his seven years as bishop have been “pretty stressful,” citing not just the challenges of lawsuits over native residential schools, but also the fact that he has had to shut down “more churches than anybody.” Churches closed because of continuing depopulation of rural communities.

But there have also been positive developments in Qu’Appelle, among them the recognition of lay ministry and the development of new clergy, he said.

Bishop Wallace intends to spend time at his family’s cottage in West Hawk Lake, Man., doing carpentry projects. “I do know the meaning of the word retirement and I intend to stick to it,” he said. More recently, he has explored an interest in model trains.

Aside from Qu’Appelle, he has served in the dioceses of Rupert’s Land and Niagara. He was dean of Qu’Appelle and rector of Regina’s St. Paul’s Cathedral from 1978 until his consecration as bishop in 1998.

He and his wife of 40 years, Mary Emily, a school principal, have two children and three grandchildren.

Bishop Wallace and his wife will remain in Regina.