Bishop Martin Mate was a dedicated figure in the Anglican Church. He passed away at the age of 95 on November 28, 2023.
Preceded by his wife Florence of over 50 years in 2016, Bishop Mate lived a robust, industrious life. Born on November 12, 1929, to John and Hilda (Toope) in Port Rexton TB, he pursued education in Port Rexton, Memorial University College, Queen’s College (earning an LTh and an Honorary DD in 2009), and Bishops University (achieving an Honours BA and MA in Philosophy and Theology in 1967).
Ordained as a Deacon in 1952 and as a Priest in 1953, he briefly served as a Curate at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s before undertaking roles in several parishes, including Pushthrough (South Coast), St. Anthony (as the Rural Dean of St. Barbe), Cookshire, Quebec, and as Rural Dean at Catalina-Newmans Cove-Amherst Cove. He later served as Priest at Pouch Cove-Torbay before assuming the role of Diocesan Treasurer in 1976.
In 1980, he was elected as the second Bishop of Eastern Newfoundland & Labrador, navigating the Anglican Church in his dicoese through a period of significant transformations in the region’s religious landscape. As the Bishop, he facilitated groundbreaking steps such as the ordination of the first woman Deacon and Priest in Newfoundland, the recognition of same-sex relationships, and prioritized support for remote areas in Newfoundland and Labrador. Additionally, he established essential pension and healthcare plans for the clergy, leaving the diocese in a robust financial position upon his retirement at the close of 1992.
May he rest in peace, and rise in glory.
