Episcopal Press and News
Bishop Harold Wright of New York Dies
Episcopal News Service. June 15, 1978 [78171]
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Rt. Rev. Harold Louis Wright, Jr., S. T. D., Suffragan Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of New York, died unexpectedly June 11. He was 48 years old.
Bishop Wright, who was told 26 years ago that there was no place for blacks in the Episcopal Church, was consecrated a bishop in February, 1974 after his election by the clergy and laity of the diocese at a special convention held in late 1973. He was the first black bishop in the large, predominantly urban diocese and as suffragan bishop had special responsibility for the development of ordained ministry within the diocese.
The bishop was buried at the Order of the Holy Cross cemetery at West Park, N. Y., after a Solemn Requiem Mass June 15 at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. The Bishop of New York, the Rt. Rev. Paul Moore, was president and chief celebrant of the mass. The Rt. Rev. Richard B. Martin, executive for ministries at the Episcopal Church Center, preached.
Bishop Wright was a native of Boston and a graduate of Boston public schools, the New England Conservatory of Music and Boston University.
It was at the University that he was told there was no place for blacks in the Episcopal Church but this encouraged rather than discouraged him and he went on to earn a theological degree from the General Theological Seminary and to be ordained by the Bishop of Long Island in 1957.
He became vicar of the Church of the Resurrection in East Elmhurst, N. Y., and led the congregation from mission status to that of one of the larger parishes in the diocese. During that time, he held a number of diocesan and civic posts including the vice-presidency of the New York City School Board for seven years.
He worked in training and field education for the Executive Council staff for a year before joining the diocesan staff in New York in 1970, the post he held at the time of his consecration. Both as a staff officer and a bishop, much of his work was with the recruiting, screening and supervision of candidates for ordained ministry and he made it his goal to seek out candidates who themselves sought "challenge rather than status."
The bishop was an accomplished organist and singer -- he had worked in this field before ordination -- and served on the House of Bishops Committee on Church Music.
He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold L. Wright of Boston and four sons.