A blue graphic featuring the Anglican Church of Canada primatial crest with a red cross and green maple leaves on the left, and the words “From the Primate” in white serif type on the right.

Election of a new Anglican Bishop Ordinary to the Canadian Armed Forces: A Call for Nominations

The Right Reverend Nigel Shaw will be retiring as Anglican Bishop Ordinary later this year after a decade of faithful serving as the spiritual head and pastor to members of the Anglican Church of Canada serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. It is my duty as Primate to preside over the electoral process of the Anglican Military Ordinariate of Canada (AMO), and I write now to call for nominations. The election of a new Anglican Bishop Ordinary will be held on June 23, 2026.

Military chaplaincy is dynamic and demanding. AMO chaplains work in challenging environments, at home and abroad, serving Canadian Armed Forces members wherever Canada requires them to go. Clergy who offer themselves as chaplains have extraordinary demands placed on them and their families. This is why the Bishop Ordinary is so vitally important. As a bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Bishop Ordinary is the principal bond between the Church and the chaplains.

The AMO is seeking a bishop who is grounded in Christian faith, has spiritual depth and breadth, and is called to guide and support clergy; one who will be proactive in providing pastoral care, worship, and connection opportunities to chaplains; who will actively seek innovative ways to develop the Bishop Ordinary Trust held by the Anglican Foundation of Canada in order to safeguard and sustain this ministry into the future.

The position of Anglican Bishop Ordinary of the Canadian Armed Forces is a half-time position, with a stipend of $75,000.00 and expenses. With the permission of the Primate, the Bishop Ordinary may engage in other employment. The enclosed profile provides detailed information on the role of the Bishop Ordinary and the structure of the AMO.

Please direct all enquiries and nomination forms (also enclosed) to the Chair of the Search Committee, Lieutenant-Colonel the Reverend Mike Gibbons [email protected] no later than May 15, 2026.

Please join with the AMO as we pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this election.

Yours Faithfully,

[signed] +Shane

The Most Reverend Shane A.D. Parker
Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada

Enclosures: Anglican Military Ordinariate Profile June 2026; Nomination Form