Texas Elects Father Benitez as Its Bishop
Episcopal News Service. June 26, 1980 [80226]
Houston -- The Episcopal Diocese of Texas has elected the Rev. Maurice M. Benitez, for six years rector of the Church of St. John the Divine here, as its sixth diocesan bishop.
He was elected on the eighth ballot in the closing minutes of a day-long session of the 131st diocesan council meeting in Christ Church Cathedral here on June 13.
His election must now be confirmed by the majority of the diocesan bishops and standing committees of the Episcopal Church.
In accepting the election he said, "I am utterly awestruck by this honor. . . . As long as I live I will never be able to express what I am feeling right now."
He went on to say that he would pledge the use of "whatever talents and gifts the Lord God might have chosen to give me or chooses to give me in the days to come in the service of this diocese, its lay members and its clergy." He promised to "use all of the energy I possess to fulfill my pledge to serve the Lord in this diocese."
The 52-year-old Washington, D.C.-born clergyman received a final count of 256 in the lay order and 96 in the clergy order, with 94 clergy votes needed and 222 lay votes needed to elect.
The more than 600 accredited delegates struggled with the decision to pick their bishop from among 16 candidates nominated, six of whom were from outside the diocese. The council turned down several attempts to adjourn early and reconvene the following day.
At the accomplishment of his election, Father Benitez was received with standing and prolonged applause as he walked to the front of the church and was warmly greeted by the Rt. Rev. Roger Cilley, Suffragan Bishop of Texas and the presiding officer of the council. Later Father Benitez presented his wife, Joanne and two of his three daughters.
The new bishop will succeed the Rt. Rev. J. Milton Richardson who died last March 24 after a lengthy illness.
Following his graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1949, Father Benitez served in the U. S. Air Force for six years with the rank of Captain. His Bachelor of Divinity degree was received from the School of Theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., in 1958. He received an honorary D. D. degree from the latter institution in 1973.
He served churches in three cities in Florida -- Lake City, Jacksonville and Ocala -- and a church in San Antonio, Tex., before becoming rector of the Church of St. John the Divine in Houston in 1974.
He was elected by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 1979 to a six-year term on the national Executive Council.