wfn.org | Duque is first Colombian "cradle Episcopalian" to lead diocese

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2001-194

Duque is first Colombian "cradle Episcopalian" to lead diocese

By Mardi Mauney

     (ENS) Francisco José Duque Gómez was consecrated bishop coadjutor of the 
Diocese of Colombia at St. Alban's Church, Bogotá on July 14, 2001. Duque, a 
member of the Episcopal Church's Executive Council, is the first Colombian 
"cradle Episcopalian" to be elected to lead the diocese, and its fourth bishop. 
He was elected on February 2, 2001 by unanimous vote in both the lay and clergy 
orders. 

     Presiding Bishop Frank Tracy Griswold III was the consecrating bishop and 
diocesan bishop Bernardo Merino Botero was the preacher at the service. A number 
of other bishops were in attendance, including Armando Guerra of Guatemala; 
Neptalí Larrea of Ecuador; James Ottley, now of Long Island; Benito Juarez of 
Southeast México; Alfredo Morante of Litoral, Ecuador; Martín Barahona of El 
Salvador; Leo Frade, now of Southeast Florida; and the former and first bishop of 
Colombia, David Reed. 

     The Episcopal Church of the United States was represented by Executive 
Council members Louie Crew, Frank Oberly and Rita Redfield. Also participating 
were the Rev. Jean Smith and Douglas Stevenson of the Seamen's Church Institute. 
Duque recently spent six months in Port Newark, New Jersey completing the 
Seamen's Church Institute training program for port ministries.

     The new bishop's family, including his wife, Blanca Lucia, and daughters 
Angelica Lucia, Maria Victoria and Elizabeth, vested him in the traditional 
garments and symbols of the episcopate. Reed presented Duque with the original 
crosier which had first been given to Reed twenty-five years ago, when he was 
consecrated the first bishop of the diocese of Colombia.

     A reception followed at the residence of the United States Ambassador, Ann 
Wright Patterson, and her husband, members of the Cathedral Parish of St. Paul's. 
Some 150 guests gathered to congratulate Bishop Duque and his family and to meet 
Bishop and Mrs. Griswold.

Ministry in a civil war

     Bishop Griswold also met privately for about an hour with a dozen or more of 
the clergy of the diocese to hear more about their hopes and concerns. Colombia's 
long-running, low-grade, civil war of some fifty years' duration has severely 
damaged the economy and the well being of Colombia's citizens, especially those 
in the more remote countryside. The more recent development of significant drug 
trafficking and growing United States military presence has made life even more 
difficult for many people. 

     One priest described having to schedule his church services at hours 
determined by the guerrillas controlling that area. Another priest described the 
occasional visits to his church by local militia groups requesting protection 
money to allow his congregation to stay open. Still another spoke of the 
decimation of the young people in their churches as so many fall to prey to drug 
addiction and/or trafficking, resulting jail sentences, disappearances at the 
hands of various militia groups, conscription by paramilitary or guerrilla 
groups, or escape to other countries.  

Beyond sacristies

     Duque spoke passionately about expanding the church's preaching of love and 
peace, a witness he said would be much more effective if offered ecumenically. He 
also spoke of the gifts and ministry of his wife and law partner, Blanca Lucia, a 
human rights and indigenous rights lawyer as well as a respected peace 
negotiator. 

     Duque said he dreams of expanding the Episcopal Church so that it will 
become a national presence in Colombia, rather than widely scattered and often 
isolated as it is now. He said he would like to see the church's ministry include 
social and economic groups not traditionally drawn to the Episcopal Church. 
"Church is more than masses," he commented. "We need to move beyond our 
sacristies."

     The Episcopal Diocese of Colombia was formed in 1963 and currently has about 
25 thousand members.  

--Mardi Mauney is co-convener of the Presiding Bishop's Committee for the 
Episcopal Churches of the United States and Brazil. A former missionary in Brazil, she 
was raised in Venezuela.