(LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Nicola De Angelis, bishop emeritus of Peterborough and former auxiliary bishop of Toronto, has passed away at age 84.

On June 16, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bishop De Angelis, known for his work to protect the unborn and the family, died at Montefiascone, Villa Santa Margarita Hospital in Italy, according to the Archdiocese of Toronto.

“As many people who knew the bishop would say, he had a fatherly and Italian heart for the people of God,” Theresa Bonafede, a former member of the Toronto archdiocese, told LifeSiteNews.

“He may have been in Toronto and Peterborough for many years, but his presence was very much a joy-filled Italian!” she added.

“He was also a great supporter of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and directly encouraged families to get their children involved in this program,” Bonafede continued.

De Angelis, born in Sabina, Italy, in 1939, immigrated to Canada in 1967. Upon his arrival, he entered St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto for his theological studies. Three years later, he was ordained into the Sons of the Immaculate Conception order.

As pastor of St. Sebastian’s Parish in Toronto, De Angelis served two terms as a school trustee for the Metropolitan Separate School Board (now Toronto Catholic District School Board).

In 1980, De Angelis was appointed Vice Chancellor of Temporal Affairs for the Archdiocese of Toronto. In 1984, he served on the Archdiocesan Senate of Priests and the Archdiocesan Italian Pastoral Commission. Beginning in 1986, De Angelis served as Superior General of his order for six years.

In 1992, he was elected and consecrated as auxiliary to Archbishop (later Cardinal) Aloysius. On February 26, 2003, De Angelis was appointed Bishop of Peterborough east of Toronto. He retired in 2014 at age 75.

As bishop, De Angelis was a crusader for protecting the unborn. In 2010, he restricted donations to the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (D&P) after the organization was exposed for funding abortions overseas.

Being a voice for the unborn was always paramount to De Angelis, whether it be speaking at the March for Life or urging Catholics to vote for pro-life candidates.

“To be Catholic is to be unconditionally pro-life,” the bishop said, quoting Pope St. John Paul II at the 2012 March for Life.

“My friends, we cannot be neutral or remain as mere spectators,” he added. “Every crime against life is an attack on Peace. Let’s respect and defend life and we will have peace.”

As bishop, De Angelis valued the well-being of his flock over public opinion and was not afraid to defend them.

In 2005, De Angelis removed a priest from office after the priest refused to withdraw his support for a group of women pretending ordination to the priesthood.

In 2009, a homosexual adult altar server filed a human rights complaint against De Angelis after the bishop dismissed him from his duties.

In 2000, De Angelis was attacked for refusing to support the radically feminist March for Women.

“He held firm that the Archdiocese of Toronto would not endorse the March for Women 2000 and he and many priests who were also vocal about this were criticized and maligned,” Bonafede remembered. “God bless Bishop DeAngelis for his steadfast love for the unborn.”

“I attended the 2008 Eucharistic Congress, held in Quebec City, with a busload of people from the Diocese of Peterborough,” she recalled. “I met the many seminarians that Peterborough had and was floored at their orthodoxy, their love of the Lord, and their admiration to their bishop.”

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.