Bishop Remi De Roo, a proponent of women’s ordination and a leading advocate of the Canadian bishops’ 1968 Winnipeg Statement on Humanae Vitae, died on February 1.

The influential Canadian prelate was Bishop of Victoria (British Columbia) from 1962 to 1999. His poor investments left the diocese $17 million in debt, and following his retirement, an inquiry found that he had broken canon law in spending funds.