Priest dies in Wainfleet crash
Former St. Catharines rector also a military chaplain
Anglican priest Robert Fead, the former rector of St. George’s Church in St. Catharines, was killed in a traffic collision Monday afternoon in Wainfleet.
Fead, 54, was riding his 2015 Yamaha south on Wellandport Road at about 2:30 p.m. when it collided with a Dodge Ram pickup truck headed west on Willford Road. The truck driver, a 28-yearold Dunnville man, was not injured.
The Anglican Diocese of Niagara identified Fead as the driver of the motorcycle Tuesday afternoon.
“Robert had a wonderful way of connecting with people, which in turn allowed him to have a very credible ministry,” said Niagara Anglican Bishop Michael Bird.
Fead began his career as a Roman Catholic priest in 1993 in the Hamilton Diocese. He transferred to the Anglican church in 2002 and was posted to the Niagara Anglican diocese, which includes Hamilton and Oakville.
From 2003 to 2014, Fead was the rector at St. George’s Anglican Church in St. Catharines. More recently he was rector at St. Jude Parish in Oakville.
Bird said Fead was also a military chaplain, serving with the 31 Canadian Bridgade Group. He presided over the Hamilton funeral of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who was killed during the Ottawa terrorist shooting on Parliament Hill in 2015.
“Robert was able to convey a sense of hope and peace,” Bird said. “He served his community, and his country, well.”
Bird said Fead, who was in the running to become the diocese bishop in March, was a big sports fan and was particularly fond of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Fead is survived by his wife Veronica, and Bird said the diocese is standing with her.
On the diocese’s website, Fead said in an era when church attendance is declining, it is important for believers to stay focused on the core mission of Jesus.
“I believe that Jesus gave us a very clear vision to feed the hun-
gry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, welcome the stranger and proclaim the Good News,” he wrote. “It is easy to get distracted from the mission of the church and only focus on the maintenance and sustainability of the bricks and mortar. One of the great things we learned from the leadership of Jesus is that one can accomplish great things, even with a small group of faithful disciples who are focused and passionate.”
Fneral arrangements for Fead are still being planned.
The collision is under investigation by the coroner’s office and Niagara Regional Police collision reconstruction unit detectives.