“It’s been the great blessing of my life to be able to exercise the priestly ministry as a bishop and to be able to do so with you,” Archbishop J. Michael Miller told hundreds of Catholics at a dinner celebrating his priesthood and his time as Archbishop of Vancouver.

The April 29 event marked the upcoming 50th anniversary of Miller’s ordination on June 29 and honoured his nearly 18-year legacy leading the archdiocese.

Thomas Cooper, president and founder of City in Focus, said Miller is everything a bishop should be: humble, firm and trustworthy.

“Everything he has turned his hand to he has made better, and deeper,” said Cooper. “And he has done it with a humble spirit — firm only when he needs to be, to protect the Church — trustworthy with all that he hears. He is a tremendous gift to the archdiocese.”

Miller told the gathering that serving as Archbishop was one of his life’s great honours.

“Over the years I haven’t lost my sense of how blessed I am to be among you for so many years. You have done so much, and do so much … that we as a people should give the Lord thanks for,” he said.

Among the many blessings he noted during his years were the ordination of 70 permanent deacons, the founding of the Neocatechumenal Seminary Redemptoris Mater, which turns 10 this year, and the construction of numerous schools, churches and shrines. 

Miller also highlighted the Sacred Covenant signed last year between the archdiocese and the Kamloops First Nation as one of many “significant steps” taken by the Church toward reconciliation with Indigenous communities. 

More than anything, he said, he is grateful for and inspired by the evangelization and outreach that flourishes within the archdiocese. Vancouver Catholics, he said, have embraced the call of recent popes, especially Pope Francis, to “get out of the sacristy and proclaim the good news to those around us.”

As a final reflection, the Archbishop said: “Vancouver — I never thought I would be here, folks. It was never in any plan — it was purely the work of divine providence. It’s been an enormous blessing for me. I am delighted to be able to share my 50th year with all of you.”