Father Ian Charles Stuart passed away on April 9 in Victoria, leaving behind an enduring legacy of welcome, courage, caring, and kindness to all who knew him.
Long before his ordination, Father Ian’s gift for connecting with people was already evident in his work as a young principal of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in North Vancouver. Martin Dale, one of his students at the time and now a school principal himself, remembers “Mr. Stuart” as a favourite among students and staff alike.
Dale recalled one particularly memorable adventure in the spring of 1977, when Ian served as teacher-chaperone for a two-week voyage to Alaska aboard a tugboat. Thirty students took shifts in various seafaring jobs, gaining hands-on experience under the guidance of a man who treated each of them with genuine kindness, humour, and dedication.
Those same qualities were front and centre when Father Ian answered the call to the priesthood. Ordained in 1987, he served as assistant pastor at Holy Rosary Cathedral and St. Mary’s in Chilliwack before being named pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Vancouver. His priestly vocation was filled with joy and strength, and he was always willing to travel to visit those in need, whether in a jail, a hospital, or at a sickbed.
Father Stanley Galvon fondly recalled the many trips and pilgrimages they shared, including visits to the Passion Play in Oberammergau and the Holy Land, as well as many trips to shrines in Europe such as Fatima and Lourdes. “He greatly enjoyed travelling with others,” Father Galvon said, and wherever his friend travelled, he remained faithful to his life of prayer and encouraged mutual respect and goodwill with everyone he met.
Near and dear to his heart were the islands of Hawaii, and the “spirit of aloha” may be one of the best ways to describe his character (and one he’d deeply appreciate). He organized pilgrimages to Molokai and even brought a work crew of young men from Vancouver to paint and repair the aging Catholic church there.
For Father Ian, everyone was family, and no one was unimportant. He had a remarkable ability to converse with anyone, aided by a natural gift for languages. He remembered people’s family ties, their cultural traditions, their favourite foods, the songs that mattered to them, and who among their loved ones needed prayer.
Father Ian later became pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish in West Vancouver before returning to Victoria in 2009 to care for his aging mother.
Laila Maravillas, who served as elementary school principal at both St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony’s during his tenure, saw firsthand how Father Ian “lived his life in a way that pleased God.”
She witnessed his extraordinary patience with fallen-away Catholics, young people who were not practising, and others seeking the faith — all of whom were offered gentleness, guidance, and friendship. With cappuccino in hand, many tired souls seeking direction were listened to, counselled, and brought to faith.
Thank you, Father Ian, for showing us how to live humbly and peacefully, and how to share the Gospel.
A memorial Mass for Father Stuart will be held at St. Francis of Assisi on Tuesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. His funeral Mass will be Friday, May 8, at Saint Patrick's Church in Victoria at 1 p.m.
Makani Marquis is IT manager for the Archdiocese of Vancouver and a longtime friend of Father Stuart.
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