Bishop had ‘profound love’ for Church

Bishop Joachim Fricker, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Toronto from 1985 to 1993, died on Oct. 28 in Burlington, Ont.

Bishop Fricker received his theological education at Huron College in London, Ont., and was ordained deacon and priest in the Diocese of Niagara in 1952. He served at St. Augustine of Canterbury, Hamilton (1952-59), St. David, Welland (1959-1965), St. James, Dundas (1965-1973), and as the Dean of Niagara and rector of Christ’s Church Cathedral, Hamilton (1973-1985). He also served in the Diocese of Niagara as the chair of the Hamilton Wentworth Regional Food and Shelter Assistance Committee and was a member of the Hamilton Arts Awards Committee. He is survived by his wife Shirley and their children.

After he was consecrated bishop in the Diocese of Toronto in 1985, he served as the area bishop of the Credit Valley Episcopal Area (now called the York-Credit Valley Episcopal Area). He worked with several other bishops in the diocese in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Archbishop Terence Finlay, Bishop Douglas Blackwell and Bishop Taylor Pryce.

As he prepared to retire in 1993, he wrote, “My eight years in this diocese as bishop of the Credit Valley have been a rich and rewarding experience. I am deeply grateful to the clergy and lay people of the area for their cooperation and encouragement.”

Bishop Fricker and his wife Shirley moved to Burlington in 1995 but he continue to serve as an associate priest at the Church of the Redeemer, Bloor St. in Toronto until 1999. He was an interim priest-in-charge at St. Clement, Eglinton and St. Paul, Lorne Park. He was also the interim dean at St. Paul’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Western New York (1994-95 and 2004-6.) He celebrated the 50^th anniversary of his ordination in 2002 at Christ Church Cathedral in Hamilton.

Archbishop Colin Johnson said he received the news of Bishop Fricker’s death with sorrow. “He was one of my mentors and I learned much from him. I asked him to preach at my consecration as bishop and was not disappointed. He had a sharp intellect, a robust sense of humour, a deeply honed faith in God the Holy Trinity, and a profound love for the Church. He was a major force in the development and introduction of the BAS (“Jo’s green book” as it was affectionately called by the bishops.) May he rest in peace and rise with Christ in glory.”

His funeral was held on Nov. 5 at Christ’s Church Cathedral, Hamilton.