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The beginnings of the Episcopal Church in Mexico go back to the mid nineteenth century when, following the Constitution of 1857, various reforming movements joined forces to create "La Iglesia de Jesus" or the Church of Jesus. Due to the Civil War in the United States and its aftermath in later years, it was not until 1879 that the American Church consecrated a bishop, an Englishman born in Chile, as Bishop of the Valley of Mexico. |
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The first Episcopal Church in Monterrey (St. Paul's) began in 1884. The parish was situated on Pino Suarez and included British, Canadian, and U.S. families. When revolutionary activity reached Monterrey about 1913, the parish was forced to close. After the Revolution, Mexican national reforms became more secular and nationalistic, and difficulties for protestants increased, especially for those churches with foreign alliances. In 1958, Bishop Jose G. Saucedo was the fourth Missionary Bishop of Mexico. A handful of English-speaking individuals in Monterrey began to meet in the Lutheran Church. On May 5, 1962, the present church building (in Colonia Mitras Centro) named Holy Family was consecrated and the Rev. Bruce Kennedy served as Priest-in-Charge for some four years. From July 1966 to June 1969, the Rev. Harry Brant served the parish as Priest. From July 1, 1975 to Dec. 1977, the Rev. Richard B. Lampert became Priest-in-Charge. During most of 1978, the first Bishop of Northern Mexico, the Rt. Rev. Leonardo Romero was in charge while the search for a new priest was in process. The Rev. Don Griswold arrived at the end of that year and served for the following six fruitful years, 1978-1984. Fruitful, because he was the one with the vision to implement the Monterrey Hunger Ministry, Bienvenidos, and the model for the present non-stipendiary ministry, which Holy Family Church successfully uses today. |
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Harold Lowe, a U.S. Rhodes Scholar who was working in Monterrey and fell in love with a Regiomontana, was ordained under this special canon (church law) and served until September 1987. That same month, John E. Hayes, (U.S. Mexican resident, Peter T. Hutchison, (Anglo Chilean Mexican resident) and Rita M. Hutchison (British Mexican resident) were ordained as deacons by the second Bishop of Northern Mexico, the Rt. Rev. Germán Martínez. One year late, John and Peter were ordained to the priesthood. John left Monterrey to live in Cancun, where he formed a church. Peter has been the Rector of Holy Family to this date. He was assisted by the Rev. Gregory Pitts (U.S. Mexican resident) ordained here in 1997. The Reverend Pitts passed away in July 2002. In the year 1998, the Mexican Episcopal Church became an autonomous province within the Anglican Communion. Holy Family is part of the Northern Diocese of the Mexican Anglican Church and shares the church facilities with a sister Spanish speaking congregation. |
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