Bishop Hunt Consecrated in Rhode Island
Episcopal News Service. May 8, 1980 [80168]
Providence, R.I. -- The Rev. George Nelson Hunt, III, was ordained and consecrated eleventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island on May 3 at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul here.
The consecration of the former executive officer of the Diocese of California as leader of Rhode Island Episcopalians took place at an 11 a.m. service, with the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, as chief consecrator.
More than 1,500 persons -- including bishops, clergy and dignitaries -- filled the cathedral, with an additional 100 viewing the ceremony on closed circuit television in the parish hall. The Roman Catholic cathedral seats about twice as many as the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John.
Bishop Hunt's predecessor, Bishop Frederick H. Belden, who died last November, was consecrated eight years ago at Brown University's Meehan Auditorium, which has a greater capacity than the Roman Catholic cathedral.
The Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul was selected for ecumenical reasons as well as seating capacity for the ordination and consecration of Bishop Hunt.
Present for the ordination rite were 16 Episcopal bishops and two Roman Catholic prelates, including Bishop Louis E. Gelineau of the Roman Catholic diocese, and many ecumenical leaders in the state and city. A number of friends of the Hunts from California were also present.
Co-consecrators at the service were Bishop William E. Swing of California, retired Bishop John S. Higgins of Rhode Island, retired Bishop James W. Hunter of Wyoming, and retired Bishop George E. Rath of Newark.
The preacher at the ceremony was Bishop C. Kilmer Myers, who retired last year as Bishop of California. The entire service was televised live on a local station.
Bishop Hunt was elected Bishop of Rhode Island on the second ballot at a special diocesan convention last Nov. 30.
A native of Louisville, Ky., Bishop Hunt, 48, received his bachelor's degree at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., and his Master of Divinity at Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, Va.
His parish ministry has been in the Dioceses of Wyoming and California. He was appointed executive officer of the Diocese of California in 1975 by Bishop Myers and served in that office until his election to the episcopate.
In 1955 he married Barbara Noel Plamp and they have three children.