[Magdalen] R.I.P. John Andrew, Priest

[Scott Knitter]

The famed former rector (two rectors ago) of St. Thomas', Fifth
Avenue, apparently has died of a heart attack after a dinner with one
of NYC's RC bishops.

Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord: and let light perpetual shine
upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the departed, through the
mercy of God, rest in peace.

I believe every time I've heard him preach, he's included this anecdote...

I had the good fortune to know slightly a legendary woman in Britain.
All the last century, until she died some years ago, she had
captivated and convulsed and scandalized and enslaved both men and
women by her astonishing beauty with an extraordinary honesty and wit.
She was utterly refreshing, alarmingly unpredictable, and had one
vanity; shortsightedness, which she never advertised with glasses or
contact lenses. So her glorious face would turn blankly right at you
until by something you said or a gesture familiar to her she had
pinned your identity. There was a horrifying occasion which she told
against herself: at a grand diplomatic reception a quietly spoken
woman turned to her and talked of this and that. Something in the
voice warned my friend. She realized she was talking to The Queen and
swept into a deep curtsey, saying as she did so, “Do forgive me,
please, Ma’am! I didn’t recognize you without your crown on.” What The
Queen replied isn’t recorded.

-- 
Scott R. Knitter
Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA