On Saturday, April 5th at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Boston, lay and clergy delegates elected Alan M. Gates of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on the fourth ballot:
To return to the Diocese of Massachusetts a quarter century after my ordination to the priesthood there will be a genuine delight. To be called to do so as bishop-elect is an unimagined honor and a privilege beyond the telling.
I am humbled to follow the episcopate of Bishop Tom Shaw who has led the diocese with grace and courage for 20 years.
I salute my fellow nominees, an extraordinary group of gifted and collegial priests. I thank the electors at today’s convention for their confidence. I thank my parishioners at St. Paul’s, Cleveland Heights, for their unwavering support. I thank my family for their love. Above all, I thank God, the source of all strength and every joy.
As I said during the recent gatherings, the Diocese of Massachusetts is a singular manifestation of the Episcopal Church’s gift to hold in creative unity the rootedness of tradition and an openness to Spirit-led change. I am thrilled to be called to lead in such a vital place with such dedicated Christian people.
Tricia and I look forward to being in Massachusetts, once we have devoted ourselves to a time of bittersweet endings with our companions in Cleveland.
For more on the election of Alan Gates and the decision in the Diocese of Massachusetts, visit the DioMass news site.