Episcopal Press and News

Bishop Swift Appointed to Europe Post

Diocesan Press Service. March 22, 1974 [74083]

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Rt. Rev. A. Ervine Swift, former Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Puerto Rico, has been appointed Bishop-in-Charge of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe, according to an announcement by Presiding Bishop-Elect John M. Allin.

Bishop Swift, whose appointment is effective July 1, will succeed Bishop Edmond Lee Browning, who will become Deputy for Jurisdictions on the Executive Council staff when Bishop Allin takes office as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in June.

Bishop Swift, who was Bishop of Puerto Rico from 1951 to 1965, was also Bishop-in-Charge of the Diocese of the Virgin Islands from 1951 to 1963.

Born in Claremore, Okla., in 1913, Bishop Swift received his B.A. degree from the University of Oklahoma. Following his graduation from Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, Mass., in 1938, he joined the faculty of St. John's University, Shanghai, China. The following year he was ordained priest and became vicar of St. John the Evangelist in Hankow.

Forced to return to this country just before the United States and Japan went to war, he served as curate of St. David's Church, Baltimore. In 1943 he became an assistant secretary in the Overseas Department of the National (now Executive) Council, where he was responsible for recruiting new missionaries for overseas fields. He also served as acting director of the department for a brief period.

In 1948 Bishop Swift became rector of Holy Trinity Church, Manila, The Philippines. Hie was appointed acting dean of St. Andrew's Seminary, Manila, in 1950, where he served until his consecration in 1951 as Bishop of Puerto Rico.

Following his resignation as Bishop of Puerto Rico in 1965 in order than an indigenous bishop might be elected, Bishop Swift was Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, the Diocese of South Florida, and the Diocese of Southeast Florida.

In addition to his current responsibilities as Assistant Bishop of Southeast Florida, he is rector of St. Gregory's Church, Boca Raton, Fla.

In 1973 Bishop Swift was appointed by the Presiding Bishop to do an on-the-spot study of the needs of the Episcopal Church in Honduras and spent nine months in that country.

Bishop Swift was married in 1940 to Elizabeth Ann Slusser, who was then on the faculty of St. Mary's Hall, Shanghai. They have a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren. Their son and son-in-law are priests in the Episcopal Church.