MACKENZIE, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. — Situated in the north-central regions of Canada, it was erected on 30 July 1901 by division of the vicariate of Athabasca-M. Its vast extent and the difficult mountain ranges traversing it, which hindered the work of evangelization, led the S. Congr. de Propaganda Fide, in 1907, to detach from M. the district of Yukon, which, together with other districts detached from the diocese of New Westminster, was erected as an apostolic prefecture (now the apostolic vicariate of Whitehorse). This amputation was, however, compensated on 15 March 1927 by the annexation to the vicariate of the district of Athabasca, which until then had belonged to Cronard.
The territory of M. is covered with forests and is poorly suited to cultivation because of the severity of the climate. The population consists of Eskimos and Indians, who inhabit respectively the shores of the Arctic Ocean and the southern part of the territory, engaging in fishing and hunting, their only means of livelihood. The whites, scattered more or less everywhere, are employed in the gold mines and in air and river services. Efforts are currently being made to organize agriculture in the western zone, on the initiative of missionaries supported by the government, which is also organizing sanatoria equipped with modern facilities to prevent and treat tuberculosis, which is claiming numerous victims among Indians and Eskimos. There are no major centres in the vicariate. The population numbers approximately 14,000, of whom 8,202 are Catholics and the remainder Protestants and pagans. The Oblate Fathers of Mary Immaculate are responsible for its evangelization. Today the problem of distances has been successfully solved through aviation, placed directly at the service of the missionaries. According to statistical data for 1950, there are 60 priests, 48 lay brothers, and 96 sisters. There are 11 elementary schools, 2 secondary schools, and 4 vocational schools; 16 dispensaries, 8 hospitals with 800 beds, and 4 orphanages with 11 places.