Friday is Bishop of the Windward Islands

Vincentian, the Reverend Canon C. Leopold Friday has been elected Bishop of the Windward Islands.

Canon Friday’s election came on Monday 21st November at the 31st session of the Synod of the Diocese of the Windward Islands held at the Anglican Pastoral Centre here in St. Vincent. {{more}}

Last Monday’s synod was the second attempt by the Diocese to elect a Bishop to fill the See made vacant by the retirement of The Right Reverend Dr. Sehon Goodridge on 31st July, 2005.

The opening celebration of the Holy Eucharist was at the St. George’s Cathedral, Kingstown at 8:00 a.m. The Chief Celebrant at the Concelebrated Mass was the Diocesan Administrator, the Very Reverend Patrick E. McIntosh, and the preacher, retired Bishop of the Diocese of Barbados, the Right Reverend Rufus Broome.

Canon Friday emerged as Bishop from a field of five, the other nominees being, the Venerable Archdeacon Dr. Sylvanus Regisford, the Very Reverend Dean Patrick E. McIntosh, the Reverend Dr. Lionel Richards and the Reverend Father Clement Francis.

Six Ballots were Cast, with clergy and laity voting in their respective Houses. The nominee with the least number of votes after each ballot had to withdraw in accordance with the Diocesan Regulations. The Reverend Canon C. Leopold Friday received the required 2/3 majority of the votes in both houses on the sixth ballot and was declared as the Bishop elect by the President of the Elective Assembly the Very Reverend Ulric Smith (Dean Emeritus). Members of the Synod then journeyed to the St. George’s Cathedral where the Te Deum was sung, prayers said and the bells rung. The election must now be confirmed by the House of Bishops of the Church in the Province of the West Indies.