Bishop Austin Rios of California


It was a joyful, colourful, multicultural three-hour liturgy. At Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, the Revd Austin Rios was consecrated the bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of California. I have known Austin from his time as the Rector of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Rome, where he was a great friend and collaborator with our own Church of England All Saints Chaplaincy in that city.

The liturgy, appropriately, marked the multiculural make-up of the diocese, with prayers, readings, hymns and songs in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Tonga and Mandarin. The final procession was led by a Chinese dragon!

I was told that there were about 300 in the procession and 2000 present in the beautiful gothic cathedral on Nob Hill San Francisco.


My good friend and ecuenical colleague from Rome Fr Keith Peckers SJ was also in attenance, so the Church of Rome and the Church of England were both represented!


Among the bishop friends present were Bishop Mark Edington of the Episcopal Convocation in Europe, and Bishop Thomas Brown of Maine, who has done locum work for us in Malta.

Bishop Thomas Brown (Maine) and Bishop Mark Edington (TEC Europe)


Ad multos annos, Bishop Austin!

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