Bishop Henton Elected in Western Louisiana
Episcopal News Service. April 24, 1980 [80146]
Alexandria, La. -- The Rt. Rev. Willis Ryan Henton, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas, was elected first bishop of the Diocese of Western Louisiana at a special convention here on April 18.
Bishop Henton, who has been Bishop of Northwest Texas since 1972, was out of the country at the time of the convention and it is not known whether he will accept his election.
Bishop Henton had served as Bishop Coadjutor of Northwest Texas for a year before he succeeded Bishop George H. Quarterman. He was archdeacon of the Diocese of Louisiana at the time of his election to the episcopate.
Bishop Henton was nominated from the floor and was a favorite among the clergy and lay delegates from the first ballot. He received the required majority of votes in both the clergy and lay orders on the sixth ballot.
The Rev. B. Shepherd Crim, Lecompte, La., and the Rev. Kenneth W. Paul, Shreveport, La., were runners-up in the election which took place at St. James Church here.
The General Convention of the Episcopal Church gave approval last September to the division of the Diocese of Louisiana -- which embraced the entire state -- and the new jurisdiction was formally organized Oct. 11-12.
The Western Diocese of Louisiana includes the entire western and northern sections of the state. The Rt. Rev. James B. Brown remains as bishop of the continuing Diocese of Louisiana, whose see city is New Orleans.
Since 1967, the Constitution of the Episcopal Church provides for a diocesan or coadjutor bishop to be elected by another diocese, provided he has served at least five years in his present jurisdiction and provided he receives the consent of the House of Bishops to resign his present post and to accept his new election.
The Diocese of Western Louisiana has set May 3 as the date for a second special electing convention if Bishop Henton should decline his election.