Outgoing Vancouver archbishop offers a parting call to hope

Vancouver, Canada, May 25, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In his last months leading the Catholic Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Archbishop J. Michael Miller sat down for a series of interviews offering encouragement, reflection, and insight as he prepares to step down after 18 years of ministry.

Miller reached the age of 75 in 2021 and submitted his resignation to the pope as required by canon law. Pope Francis accepted his resignation and in February appointed Archbishop Richard W. Smith of Edmonton, Alberta, as his successor in Vancouver.

Across three conversations — two podcast appearances and a final farewell interview with the archdiocese’s former communications director — he spoke candidly about his hopes for the Church, his years in Vancouver, and the path that lies ahead.

‘Don’t be a couch potato Christian’

In a conversation with the archdiocese’s communications team, Miller urged Catholics to live the Jubilee Year of Hope through acts of discipleship, charity, and pilgrimage, reminding listeners that hope is found in a faith that is lived, not simply believed.

“Pilgrimages have been an ancient practice since the first jubilee in 1300,” he said, highlighting the three local sites designated as pilgrimage locations during the jubilee: Holy Rosary Cathedral in downtown Vancouver, St. Jude’s Parish in East Vancouver, and the Shrine of the Santo Niño of Cebu in Agassiz.

Speaking on the challenges facing many today, especially young people, the archbishop pointed to social and economic pressures that have left many feeling directionless. “It does appear from studies that a lot of people, especially young people, feel a little hopeless,” he said.

To this, he offered a practical and spiritual antidote: movement. “Don’t be a couch potato Christian,” he said, echoing Pope Francis’ challenge to “make a mess” by going out into the world with missionary zeal. “We are agents of hope, and we have a mission to go and make disciples.”

He also warned against the “culture of complaint” that fosters cynicism. “We must remember: God is good, he is with us, and he calls us to share his hope with the world,” he said.

‘Set the table for encounter’

In a separate appearance on a podcast called “Proclaim,” the archbishop turned his focus to evangelization, encouraging Catholics to adopt an apostolic mindset rooted in confidence, joy, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

“To take the commission of the Lord seriously, we have to have a certain mindset,” he said. “We call it apostolic because we hope it mirrors the enthusiasm of the apostles at Pentecost.”

He cautioned against reducing evangelization to programs or checklists. “We must remind ourselves that conversion of heart and mind is the real goal,” he said. “A parish could run many programs without internalizing a focus on conversion.”

In a culture shaped by relativism, he called for clarity and courage in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. “The Gospel doesn’t just exhort or edify; it proposes real truth. It tells us about the world as it truly is.”

Above all, he emphasized that evangelization is not something we do alone. “We don’t deliver the Holy Spirit — the Holy Spirit delivers himself,” he said. “Our role is to set the table for that encounter.”

A final farewell

In a wide-ranging conversation with former Vancouver communications director Makani Marquis just before the election of Pope Leo XIV, Miller reflected on his 18 years of ministry in Vancouver and the legacy of a local Church that has grown in faith and mission.

He named the reinstitution of the permanent diaconate, the establishment of Redemptoris Mater Seminary, and the building of the archdiocese’s new pastoral center among key milestones. He also pointed to a reawakening of evangelization and community life — particularly seen in the growing number of converts, small-group initiatives, and renewal efforts across parishes.

“I think people have become more aware of their co-responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel,” he said. “That was clear this past Easter — around 700 people came into the Church, most of them baptized.”

He also expressed deep gratitude for the communities of consecrated women who have come to the archdiocese. “We’ve had nine new communities of consecrated women come to the archdiocese — by invitation — and I think that’ll leave a lasting impact.”

Looking ahead, Miller said he will be returning to the University of St. Thomas in Houston, where he spent two decades earlier in his priesthood. 

“We have a residence on campus,” he said. “There are about seven or eight Basilians that I’ll be living with in the residence right across from the library.” 

He expects to serve as an adviser to the university’s new president and to remain involved in the life of the local Church. “I’m sure I’ll be called upon to give talks and little retreats around the archdiocese — which is quite huge now.”

Though retirement will offer more quiet, it won’t be idle. “I like activity,” he said. He may spend some time exploring his family history — particularly his father’s Belgian and English roots — and shared plans to organize his “stacks” of homilies and other documents “that could probably be put into some order.”

Miller also expressed confidence in the future leadership of the Vancouver Archdiocese. “I’m so delighted that Archbishop Richard Smith is my successor,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier about the selection that the Holy Father made. I know that he will do a bang-up job.”

Asked what he will miss most, Miller didn’t hesitate: the people. “I’ve been extraordinarily blessed to work with really wonderful people who are competent, good, even holy,” he said. “That’s what I’ll miss.”

This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and has been reprinted with permission and adapted by CNA.

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264227/outgoing-vancouver-archbishop-offers-a-parting-call-to-hope