Barbara Dowding

Barbara Dowding joined the Providence Health Care Society in June 2023.

She has recently retired from the Archdiocese of Vancouver after 33 years of service. She was Vice Chancellor from 2004 to 2020, as well as Director of the Stewardship Office. Barbara has extensive expertise in event planning, has chaired all the celebratory diocesan events, and worked extensively with volunteers and clergy to develop leadership and communications skills at parish level. In 2020 she was appointed Chancellor for the Archdiocese.

A Life Member of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada, Barbara has served at every level and was National President from 2014 – 2016 (membership of 80,000). She participated in many delegations to the Federal Government presenting national resolutions on Palliative Care and other pro-life initiatives.

Barbara has served on several international Boards including the Board member for the International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC) from 2011 – 2016, was a founding member of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation in its inaugural year 2015 and currently serves as Member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Indigenous Reconciliation Fund Board.

She was part of the delegation representing the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) at the Opening of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, 2021 and a member of the North American Writing Team for the Continental Stage (2021-2023). In May 2023, Barbara was elected Regional Vice President for North America on the Board for the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO).

Barbara was born and raised in Vancouver, is married to Alan. They have three grown sons and are blessed to have six grandchildren.