March 21, 2009

The Reverend Lawrence C. Provenzano was elected March 21 as bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island.

Provenzano, 54, rector of St. Andrew's Church, in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, was elected on the second ballot out of a field of seven nominees. He received 130 votes of 211 cast in the lay order and 103 of 146 cast in the clergy order. An election on that ballot required 106 in the lay order and 74 in the clergy order.

The election was held at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City, New York.

Provenzano will serve as bishop coadjutor until the retirement of the Rt. Rev. Orris G. Walker, Jr, Long Island's seventh bishop, who is retiring and has served the diocese since January 1991. Upon Walker's retirement, Provenzano will become diocesan bishop.

Ordained an Episcopal priest in 1984, Provenzano holds a Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York and a Master of Divinity from Christ the King Seminary. For two years before his ordination he was a member of a religious community.

Prior to becoming rector of St. Andrew's, Longmeadow, Provenzano served as curate and priest-in-charge of Christ Church in Westery, Rhode Island and rector of St. John's North Adams, Massachusetts.

Provenzano is married to the former Jeanne Ross, of Waterford, Connecticut who is an assistant district attorney for Hampden County, Massachusetts. They have three children – Katy age 25, Mary age 23 and Christopher age 19.

The Episcopal Church's General Convention will be asked to consent to Provenzano's election because it occurred within 120 days of the convention, which will be held July 8-17 in Anaheim, California.

The consecration is due to take place on September 19.

The other nominees were:

• The Rev. Ronald G. Abrams, rector, St. James, Wilmington, North Carolina;

• The Very Rev. Peter Eaton, dean, St. John's Cathedral, Denver, Colorado;

• The Rev. Dr. Titus Presler, sub dean, General Theological Seminary, New York City;

• The Rev. Canon Petero Sabune, Episcopal chaplain, Sing Sing Correctional Facility, Ossining, New York;

• The Rt. Rev. Johncy Itty, acting director, George Mercer Jr. Memorial School of Theology, Garden City, New York; and

• The Rev. Caroline Stacey, rector, St. Luke in the Fields, New York City.

Stacey withdrew her name from the election after the first ballot.

Information about all the nominees is available at http://www.bishopforlongisland.org/.

"The election process that we have just experienced bears witness to the richness of our polity," said Walker. "The unique contribution of The Episcopal Church to the worldwide Anglican Communion and beyond is the ministry of all orders carrying out their baptismal ministry as they participate in the election of a bishop for the Church Universal. And today that process has worked with the election of Provenzano as bishop coadjutor for the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island.

"I look forward to the coming days as we serve together as contemporary disciples and perpetual students of Jesus."

The Diocese of Long Island comprises approximately 52,700 parishioners worshipping in 156 congregations.

Episcopal News Service