I: Introduction: 

The Anglican Diocese of the West (ADOTW) began as the Western District of the Convocation of Anglicans in North American (CANA) in 2011 during the leadership of The Right Reverend Martyn Minns, then Missionary Bishop of the Convocation of Anglican in North America.  As the district grew, the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in collaboration with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) decided to constitute it as a diocese. It became the Diocese of CANA West in 2013 with The Right Reverend Dr. Felix C. Orji as its first and current Bishop.  

 

The Rt. Reverend Dr. Felix C. Orji was elected Bishop in March 2011 by the House of Bishops of the Church of Nigeria and appointed Bishop of the area of CANA West later that same year.  In June 2011, Dr. Orji was received into the Anglican Church in North America's House of Bishops.  On September 25, 2011, he was consecrated in the Church of Nigeria in Lagos, Nigeria.   

 

II: Description: 

The Anglican Diocese of the West is a diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).  The Bishop is seated in the House of Bishops of the Church of Nigeria and both he and the clergy are clergy in the Church of Nigeria.  The current Bishop is also the coordinating Bishop of the Church of Nigeria North American Mission (CONNAM).  CONNAM consists of three dioceses (Anglican Diocese of the West, Anglican Diocese of the Trinity, and the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy).  

 

Geographically and culturally the diocese is diverse with parishes located in the United States, Canada, and the Persian Gulf.  The Cathedral parish of Holy Trinity is located in Houston, Texas with a metropolitan area of over 7,000,000.  The original Cathedral (St. Francis) is located in El Paso, Texas.  El Paso is a metropolitan area with more than 800,000 people bordering the country of Mexico and the State of New Mexico (US) and home to one of the largest military bases in the United States.  It remains designated as a cathedral to honor its historic role in the formation of the diocese.    

 

Parishes are located in sixteen (18) US states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisanna, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.  The largest concentration of parishes is within the State of Texas (second most populous state with more than 25,000,000 people spread out over 268,000 square miles or 696,000 square kilometers).  We also have parishes located in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and British Columbia as well as the Persian Gulf.  In addition, the Anglican Diocese of the West has facilitated the formation of postulants for the military chaplaincy who live within ADOTW under the direction of the Bishop for the Diocese of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy.  The Anglican Diocese of the West is also home of the Order of Saint Benedict, a growing order authorized by the diocese with the diocesean Bishop as Protector/Episcopal Visitor for the order.