Karen Knaus Fast, Senior Associate Priest

Karen joined the staff at St. John the Divine on September 1, 2000. Prior to her coming she was serving in Gold River, B.C., as Incumbent of St. Peter and St. Paul Anglican-United (shared ministry) for four years.

Born in northeastern Colorado, Karen grew up in and around Denver. She graduated from Colorado State University with a BA in Humanities and English. After living in Eugene, Oregon, one year and teaching high school language arts, she immigrated to Toronto during Canada's centennial year and taught academic writing at York University for five years.

Karen moved to Victoria in 1973, teaching in the Sooke and Saanich School Districts before entering the Vancouver School of Theology to earn a Master of Divinity degree in 1991. Ordained deacon that same year by Bishop Ronald Shepherd, Karen served first as Curate on Salt Spring Island, then as Anglican Chaplain at the University of Victoria for three years. While at UVic, Karen also assisted at St. George's, Cadboro Bay. It was during these appointments that she was priested by Bishop Barry Jenks.

Karen likes to think of the Diocese of B.C. as her extended family in Canada. She has served as Chair of the Diocesan Environmental Commission and as a member of the Diocesan Council. Having helped to develop the "Diocesan Policy Regarding the Investigation of and Response to Allegations of Sexual Misconduct," she now chairs the committee appointed by the Bishop to evaluate and revise the Policy as needed. I also serve the Diocese as a member of the Educational Trusts Board.

Karen has two adult children.

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