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November 13, 2025
Election...
This last week has been a whirlwind. Honestly, I’ve barely had a moment to think. It started last week with our Diocesan Convention. This was a particularly important convention, because we were going to elect our next, and only the eighth, Bishop of Los Angeles. Three candidates had been selected by the search committee, though several others had either been nominated or applied. These three went through the “process” of extensive vetting and multiple interviews across the diocese with the people of God (both clergy and lay). It is a daunting process, and as one clergyperson I know quipped, “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone!”
Having participated in one of those “meet and greet” sessions with the candidates, I understand what that friend was saying. Nonetheless, all the candidates did very well in these forums, where anyone could ask just about anything (within reason). We had our slate of candidates.
All three of these candidates, I believe, felt called to put themselves forward in this way, maybe for different reasons but all good reasons. And as the initial ballot showed, we clearly had three excellent candidates, who were all liked for their varying abilities. Any one of them would have been a good choice. This was going to take a while, as the would-be bishop had to obtain a majority of the votes of both the clergy and the laity, and because of a quirky rule about attendance, the candidate at this convention would actually have to receive a supermajority (2/3) in both orders.
At the start of Convention, there were approximately 200 clergy and more than 250 laypeople voting. It would take eight ballots over two days! But, we finally elected the Rev. Antonio Gallardo, as the Eighth Bishop of Los Angeles.
Gallardo is now our “Bishop Elect,” until his consecration on July 11 of next year. A little tid-bit, while it only requires one bishop to ordain someone a priest. It requires three bishops to consecrate someone a bishop in our tradition. According to our present Bishop Diocesan, John Taylor, our Bishop-Elect will take on some of his duties as soon as May of next year, and then we will have the “passing of the Crozer” (one of the symbols of the Episcopal office) at Gallardo’s consecration. Taylor promises to remain as an advisor until September (with his full retirement in October).
When a bishop is “installed” (also called “enthronement”) it usually takes place at a cathedral, which is so named because it contains a “cathedra” or the official seat or throne of the bishop of that diocese. I should also mention that between now and the consecration, our Bishop-Elect will have to receive consent from the Standing Committees (made up of clergy and laity) of a majority of the dioceses, along with consent from the majority of the bishops having jurisdiction. We do this because a bishop represents and functions within the wider Church, and by obtaining this consent, the Bishop-Elect is shown to have found acceptance by the other bishops, clergy and laity of the broader Church.
Well, by now, your head is surely swimming. But perhaps the most significant thing to consider is that we ELECT our bishops in the Episcopal Church. And that to me is an enormous blessing and gift.
The people of God choose their bishops in an electoral process. And you have a role in that. Even if you weren’t one of our parish’s representatives to this Convention, many of you voted for the people who were. You elected them as representatives from our parish, or you elected them to the vestry at our annual meetings of the parish. In addition, to our clergy (active and retired) who have the opportunity to vote at convention, our parish is also afforded three elected lay representatives (two of which are our Senior Warden and Junior Warden respectively). You also elect alternates, who faithfully serve should one of our representatives be unable to attend convention for any reason.
Of course, electing a bishop isn’t the only thing we do at convention. We take up matters that impact our whole diocese or even our whole denomination. At this convention, for example, we heard of the many ways that this diocese came together to assist the people of God, the churches and parish schools who had been impacted by the terrible fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
It is because we are part of something bigger, because the Holy Spirit binds us together, that some of those churches and schools are now starting to rise like phoenixes from the ashes. They spoke of the loving care, encouragement and amazing material support they had received from parishes and schools throughout this diocese. And it was palpable reminder that the bishop of a diocese is a symbol and instrument of our unity.
God, of course, has a role in all of this, calling individuals by the power of the Holy Spirit to step out and step up in faith to offer themselves for these ministries. Then their call is affirmed by those to whom that person will minister, as well as those throughout the larger Church. Doubtlessly, everyone who participates in this process is transformed by it. New insights are attained, a greater clarity of God’s call, and I’m sure a greater comprehension of God’s nearness, goodness, and love.
If the above seems interesting to you, God may be calling you to stand for election to our vestry, or for election as a representative of our parish to Diocesan Convention or our Deanery (a council of our local parishes in this end of the diocese). As a baptized, confirmed or received member of this parish, you have such an opportunity. You can offer yourself to serve on these councils and, if elected, to participate in the future direction of our beloved Church in this way.
As always, I welcome your feedback (and questions): frpatrick@scbythesea.org
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Patrick
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