By Mary W. Cox, editor Less than a month into his new Bishop Leo Frade and Trinity ministry as the diocesan Canon Cathedral’s Dean Douglas McCaleb Missioner for Immigration were among Anglican and and Social Justice, Canon Episcopal representatives from Fritz Bazin said he sees as around the Western Hemisphere a primary goal of his work the and Europe who attended the creation of a deanery and consecration in June of two bishops parish level network of people suffragan for Iglesia Episcopal de involved in these Cuba. ministries. The Rev. Canon Nerva Cot “I have a very clear Aguilera — the first woman plan to work very closely Anglican bishop in Latin with the America — and Archdeacon deans,” he says. Ulises Mario Aguero Prendes were He will ask to consecrated in a nearly three hour meet with the service Sunday, June 10, at Havana’s clergy in each Episcopal Cathedral of the Holy deanery to urge Trinity. each congregation Anglican and Episcopal bishops to establish a and clergy from such countries as group working Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, • Bishops from throughout the Western Hemisphere and with social justice issues. Guatemala, Haiti, Spain, Canada Europe assist in the historic consecration of the Rev. Canon “Until the whole concept is and the United States were joined Nerva Cot Aguilera — the first woman Anglican bishop in owned by the people in the at the service by representatives Latin America — as bishop suffragan in Iglesia Episcopal pews,” says Bazin, “it will just from a number of Cuban faith de Cuba. By Mary W. Cox, editor The Ven. Mary Gray- Reeves, 44, archdeacon for The end of July marked a transition at the Duncan deployment for the Conference Center: Fr. Stephen Fregeau retired after nine Diocese of Southeast years as the Center’s executive director and Alison Florida, was elected Walsh began her ministry as the fourth executive June 16 to be the third director in the center’s 22-year history. bishop of the Diocese of El Walsh comes to the Duncan Center from the Diocese of Camino Real in central Central Florida, where she has worked for the past 12 years California. at that diocese’s She was chosen to Canterbury Retreat succeed Bishop Richard and Conference Shimpfky, who resigned at Center in Oviedo, Fla. the end of March 2004, Shortly after after leading the diocese for graduating from the 14 years. Bishop Sylvestre University of Central Romero-Palma, formerly Florida in 1995, Bishop of the Anglican Walsh began as a Diocese of Belize, has been part-time financial serving as assisting bishop assistant at for the diocese. Canterbury, where Her election came on the her father, the Rev. second ballot, when she Paul McQueen, has received a total of 163 lay been executive votes and 91 clergy votes. director for 17 years. Soon she was the full-time One hundred three lay financial manager, and for the past seven years votes and 58 clergy votes has been the center’s director of operations. were needed for a In 2003 she received her certification as a candidate to be elected. Conference Center Professional from the The other nominees International Association of Conference Center Administrators (IACCA). She says coming to the Duncan Center feels like a “really neat move” not only for herself, but also for her husband, who has close friends in the area, • On a June 24 visit to and for her 15-year-old daughter. her former parish, St. Walsh comes from a family with a gift for Margaret’s, Miami Lakes, hospitality. In addition to her father’s ministry Archdeacon Mary Gray- as executive director of Canterbury Center, her Reeves was welcomed mother runs a bed-and-breakfast in an historic with many purple gifts — Victorian house in Oviedo. Her sister assists both including a poster-board parents, working in the b-and-b and also managing miter — in celebration of the bookshop at Canterbury. For six years Walsh’s her election as bishop of husband was director of maintenance at El Camino Real. It was a very important day for the church in Cuba. The presence of so many members of other parts of the Communion was a gift........... — Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori • Archbishop Andrew Hutchison of Canada (left) and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori (right) applaud as Bishops Suffragan Ulises Mario Aguero Prendes and Nerva Cot Aguilera are introduced to the congregation at Trinity Cathedral in Havana after their consecration on June 10. Cuba’s interim Bishop Miguel Tamayo [The consecration] was a very stands behind them, second from right. special moment in the life of the Cuban church, a moment in which growth and vitality were being demonstrated. was elected Bishop of Uruguay, and in January and communication difficulties that the Cuban What makes this extraordinary is that 2004 he agreed to serve as interim diocesan bishop church became an extra-provincial diocese under in Cuba, splitting his time between the two the Metropolitan Council of Cuba (MCC). these were bishops of a church that countries. In February of 2006 Frade and a team of clergy has been struggling for years in very Prior to his selection as bishop suffragan, and laypersons from our diocese visited Cuba at difficult circumstances…........... Aguero was archdeacon in Santiago de Cuba the invitation of Tamayo, a longtime friend, to begin and rector of two congregations, St. Mary’s and to establish a relationship between the Diocese of St. Luke’s. Southeast Florida and Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba. — Bishop Leo Frade The 69-year-old Cot was a secondary “For me as a Cuban Christian,” Frade told the school teacher and one of the first three diocesan Executive Board after returning from that Episcopal women priests ordained in first trip, “I believe that this [partnership with the Cuba in 1987. Her daughter, Marianela Church in Cuba] is something we need to respond de la Paz Cot, was ordained in February, and to… it means a lot to people there that people from her husband, the Very Rev. Juan Ramon de la Southeast Florida, where the ‘enemy’ may reside, Paz Cerezo, is dean of the cathedral in Havana. will go there to call them our brothers and sisters….” traditions, including Greek Orthodox and Afro- Another son is a priest and another daughter Cuban clergy. is a church administrator. This report was adapted and expanded from Also present was the head of the Religious Cot promises a new feminine model of an article by Jan Nunley for Episcopal News Affairs Office for the Communist Party of Cuba, leadership for the Cuban church, which has Service. Caridad Diego, who told the BBC her suffered internal tensions stemming from the government was proud that the country had government’s long-term suspicion of religious a woman bishop. Since 1992, Article 8 of the organizations — what she called a “period of Cuban Constitution has stated that the country’s polarization” for the church. communist government “recognizes, respects In addition to attending the consecration, and guarantees freedom of religion.” Frade accomplished two other goals on his five- “It was a very important day for the church in day visit: To introduce the dean of Trinity Cathedral, Cuba,” said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Miami, “a city where the majority of the population Schori, who participated in the rites. “The presence is Cuban” to Trinity Cathedral, Havana, and the of so many members of other parts of the roots of the Episcopal Church in Cuba; and to build Communion was a gift.” on a relationship planted in visits last year with the Frade agreed that the consecration was “a very Havana congregation of El Calvario in Luyano, one special moment in the life of the Cuban church, a of the poorest districts in the city. moment in which growth and vitality were being Frade and McCaleb met with El Calvario’s priest- demonstrated.” in-charge, Fr. Ivan Gonzalez, and visited the “What makes this extraordinary,” he continued, property that is the site of the congregation’s once “is that these were bishops of a church that has and future buildings. The previous church building been struggling for years in very difficult collapsed completely, and parishioners currently circumstances.” hold services in the living room of the rectory, next The two new bishops will assist interim Bishop door to the vacant lot where their church once Miguel Tamayo in local oversight of some 40 stood. The parish envisions not only a space for congregations serving Cuba’s estimated 10,000 worship, but also a youth/senior center and a Episcopalians. Cuba is almost as wide as the State guesthouse for parishioners and friends who come of Florida is long, Frade explains, and travel from in from the countryside. one end of the island nation to the other can take After last year’s visit Frade requested donations nearly a day. The church in Cuba is growing rapidly, for the rebuilding of El Calvario. To participate in he says, so the episcopal assistance is much needed. this ministry, go to www.episcopalchurch.org, click Aguero will be based in Santiago de Cuba, in the on “donations” and indicate that your gift is for eastern part of the country, and Cot will be in “assistance for Cuban church,” or mail your Havana, in the west. Both hope that two new contribution to: Diocese of Southeast Florida, 525 dioceses can be established within a few years. NE 15 St., Miami FL 33132-1411. Cot and Aguero were selected in February from The Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba (IEC) traces its among seven candidates interviewed by the beginnings to 1871, when an Episcopal bishop Metropolitan Council that provides provincial visited Havana in the middle of an epidemic and oversight to Cuba.