WHITEHORSE, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. - It is situated in northwestern Canada and is entrusted to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
It was erected on 14 Jan. 1944 by the division of the apostolic vicariate of Yukon and Prince Rupert, and comprises the whole region of Yukon and the northern part of British Columbia. It lies in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and has an area of more than 500,000 sq. km., but only 10,783 inhabitants, of whom approximately 9,000 are white. Of the 2,550 Catholics, 1,443 are white, 973 Indians, and 134 Métis. The greater part of the whites came into the territory as miners and soldiers after the construction of the famous road which, passing through the vicariate, leads to Alaska. The Indians belong to two different tribes. The 1,200 Dini live scattered in small groups, each of which has its own dialect, and devote themselves to hunting in the mountains. The 400 Klinkets speak the same language, having come from Alaska with the whites. English is understood and spoken by almost all the whites and Indians. The vicariate has 25 priests, 3 brothers, and 23 sisters in 2 quasi-parishes, 11 principal stations, and 20 secondary stations. There are also 10 schools for Indians. Between 1944 and 1952 the number of Catholic Indians and Métis almost doubled, owing to the beneficial influence exerted through the schools.