Parish Outreach

Brother John Blyth

Father John Blyth

Br. John Blyth served as a priest in the Diocese of Caledonia (northern British Columbia) until 1980 and was adopted into the Nisga'a Nation while there. He was dean of Calgary for six years and chaplain to the Vancouver School of Theology for nine years. In 1995, he felt a call join Volunteers in Mission and go to the South Pacific. Not long after his arrival, he was appointed Principal of Bishop Pattison Theological College. In 1999, he started working with the Brothers, and was soon invited to join them. He is the second of just three non-Melanesians to have been admitted to the Brotherhood. In 2003, Br. John travelled to Palawan, to opening a new house for the order, the first in the Philippines. He then returned to the motherhouse at Tabalia on Guadalcanal to be "Soul Friend" and spiritual mentor to the 150 novices and brothers there.

Nov. 1, 2005, Br. John returned to Canada to reside in Vancouver, returning to teach and visit for a couple of months each autumn. In his small apartment by St. James Church, the Brotherhood has a house in Canada.

Br. John was back to Vanuatu and the Solomons Sept. 10 to Nov. 10, 2006 to teach, to attend the Brotherhood's regional conference, and to visit as inter-island transportation allowed. He returned to us on Feb. 10, 2007 with greetings from the Archbishop, Sir Ellison Pogo, and tales of the convivial household of Bishop Terry Brown of Malaita.