John Charles Vockler FODC (22 July 1924 – 6 February 2014) was an Australian bishop and Franciscan friar. He was originally a bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia but later become the primate of the Anglican Catholic Church, a Continuing Anglican church.[1]


John Vockler
Archbishop emeritus of the Anglican Catholic Church, Bishop emeritus of the Diocese of New Orleans
ChurchAnglican Catholic Church
In office2001-2005
SuccessorMark Haverland
Other post(s)Assistant Bishop of Adelaide, Bishop of Polynesia (Anglican Communion), Assistant Bishop of Chelmsford, Assistant Bishop of Southwark
Orders
Ordination1948
Consecration1959
Personal details
Born(1924-07-22)July 22, 1924
DiedFebruary 6, 2014(2014-02-06) (aged 89)

Vockler was educated at the University of Adelaide and trained for ordination at St John's College, Morpeth. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1948.[2] He was an assistant priest at Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle, then vice-warden of St John's College, University of Queensland. After a short time in New York he was a lecturer in theology at St John's Theological College, Morpeth, New South Wales. Later he was Archdeacon of the Eyre Peninsula and an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Adelaide: he was consecrated a bishop on November 30, 1959.[3][4] In 1963 he became the Bishop of Polynesia,[5] a post he held for five years. He served as an Assistant Bishop of Chelmsford from 1972[6] until 1974, and Assistant Bishop of Southwark from 1974 to 1975.[1] After moving to the United States he was initially an assistant bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy. He was a candidate for bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island in 1987.[7]

After resigning as Bishop of Polynesia in 1968, he was professed as an Anglican Franciscan friar (as Brother John-Charles)[6] and made life profession in 1975. In 1981 he transferred to the American Province and became a friar resident at the Little Portion Friary on Long Island.[8] He later became a member of the more conservative Franciscan Order of the Divine Compassion.[4]

He was received into the Anglican Catholic Church in 1994, and he initially resided at Holyrood Seminary in Liberty, New York as the Sub-Dean for Academic Affairs.[9][4]

He was appointed bishop of the Anglican Catholic Church's Diocese of New Orleans in 2001 in succession to Dean Stephens who had died suddenly earlier that year.[10] He was the archbishop of the Anglican Catholic Church from 2001 to 2005. He retired as both archbishop of the ACC and Bishop of New Orleans in 2005 and moved to his native Australia.

As an author he wrote several books, including Can Anglicans Believe Anything: The Nature and Spirit of Anglicanism, One Man’s Journey (1972); and Two Paths to Holiness.

Vockler died peacefully at his home in Australia, early in the morning of the old Feast of St. Titus, on 6 February 2014.[11]

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b "Vockler, Brother John-Charles". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975-76 London: Oxford University Press, 1976 ISBN 0-19-200008-X
  3. ^ "Archived copy". www.anglicanarchives.org.au. Archived from the original on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ a b c "Holy Eucharist Service Set at Area Church". Tyrone Daily Herald. 5 March 1994. p. 9.
  5. ^ The Times, 5 June 1963, p. 9.
  6. ^ a b "Franciscan as Assistant Bishop of Chelmsford". Church Times. No. 5694. 30 March 1972. p. 2. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 3 March 2020 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. ^ Kelly, Joan (13 November 1987). "The Bishop's Race: politics without ego". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). p. 23.
  8. ^ "Spiritual Growth is Weekend Focus". Daily Hampshire Gazette. 2 February 1983. p. 5.
  9. ^ "Religion Notes". Centre Daily Times. 5 March 1994. p. 15.
  10. ^ "Oh Brother! What a mission". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 June 2001. p. 24.
  11. ^ "Announcements". Anglican Catholic Church website, announcements page. Anglican Catholic Church. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
Anglican Communion titles
Preceded by Bishop of Polynesia
1962–1968
Succeeded by
Anglican Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
John T Cahoon, Jnr.
Metropolitan Original Province
2001–2005
Succeeded by