Episcopal Motto: Go into all the world (Mark 16:15)
Bishop Susan Bell became the 12th Bishop of Niagara on June 1, 2018, and is the first woman to serve in this role. She was elected coadjutor bishop on March 3, 2018, and consecrated on May 5, 2018.
A strategic, mission-focused, and spiritually grounded leader, Bishop Bell is committed to discerning where God is at work and joining in that mission. Under her leadership, the diocese and its parishes have developed Mission Action Plans (MAPs) to support the renewal of a mission-shaped and mixed ecology Church.
Bishop Bell serves on a range of local, provincial, national, and international bodies, including as co-chair of the Anglican-Methodist International Coordinating Committee and member of the Evangelism and Discipleship Commission of the Anglican Communion, and is chair of the Ontario Provincial Commission on Theological Education. Through all of this, Bishop Bell is also a sought-after retreat leader and conference speaker.
Bishop Bell grew up in Hamilton, Ontario – the see city of the Diocese of Niagara. She earned a BA in English from McMaster University and an MDiv from Wycliffe College. Bishop Bell received a Doctor of Theology in 2024 from Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto for her doctoral thesis, “The Form and Character of a True Pastour”: Recoding the Priest in George Herbert’s The Country Parson; an exploration of The Country Parson within its 17th century ecclesiastical and political context. She also holds a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from Trinity College (2022) and a Doctor of Divinity (jure dignitatis) from Wycliffe College (2019). Bishop Bell has a lifelong love of music, with a particular interest in vocal performance.
Ordained to the diaconate in 1997 and to the priesthood in 1999 in the Diocese of Toronto, Bishop Bell has served the church in a variety of leadership roles. Prior to her election as Bishop of Niagara, she ministered for over 20 years in the Diocese of Toronto, including as canon missioner, associate priest at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and honorary assistant at St. James Cathedral in Toronto.
Her previous roles also include senior chaplain at Havergal College and national team leader for Fresh Expressions Canada.
In 2018, Bishop Bell was elected as the 12th Bishop of Niagara, making history as the first woman to serve in this role. Her episcopate has been marked by a commitment to reconciliation, including environment stewardship, and supporting parishes through change and missional renewal. During COVID-19 pandemic, she provided steady leadership as the diocese navigated unprecedented challenges.
Bishop Bell serves on several national and international Anglican bodies, advocating for human rights, fostering engagement with disability theology, supporting advocacy for climate action, and the full inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the life of the church. She is also a member of the Council of General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Bishop Bell serves on several national and international Anglican bodies, advocating for human rights, fostering engagement with disability theology, supporting advocacy for climate action, and the full inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the life of the church. She is also a member of the Council of General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada.
A community of dedicated supporters partnering with Bishop Bell, empowering her to respond with compassion and strategic insight to emerging needs within the diocese and beyond.
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