[Magdalen] 54 years a bishop...and counting

[Scott Knitter]

Learned yesterday that Bp. Montgomery was at Normandy, on D-Day in
1944. OMG. He apparently was momentarily conflicted over being ordered
to shoot a sniper cell off a church tower. He carried out the order.
Some years later he was able to visit Normandy and see the rebuilt
tower.

Little did he know (or did he?) that in 18 years he'd be consecrated a
bishop and then be a bishop for more than half a century.

He led or spoke at many civil rights events here in Chicago in the
early years of his episcopate, including a visit of Dr. King to St.
James Cathedral (and various other events in town).

He's in a very nice, new-ish senior highrise now (The Admiral) near
the Lake Michigan shore at the north end of Lincoln Park the park.
Probably writing more of his 800 Christmas cards.

On Fri, Sep 23, 2016 at 4:16 PM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com> wrote:
> Chicago's former bishop, +James Winchester Montgomery, reaches his
> 54th anniversary as a BISHOP this Sunday. There will be a big
> celebration at the Church of the Atonement here in Edgewater.
>
> Our priest-in-charge, ordained by Bp. Montgomery, said this week he
> felt called to visit the bishop in his senior apartment near the lake
> and take him Communion. When he arrived, the bishop was writing
> Christmas cards. (Those who know Bp. M will know where this is
> headed.) Fr. Raymond asked him why he's doing this so early in the
> year, and he said it's because he's got 800 people on his Christmas
> card list, having pared the list down in recent years from 2,000.
>
> Every time I've served as subdeacon for a Mass at which he has been
> celebrant, I have received in the mail a couple of days later a
> handwritten thank-you note from Bp. Montgomery, and it has always
> mentioned something we talked about in the sacristy. Molly, I believe
> I conveyed greetings from you on one such occasion, and his thank-you
> note also thanked me for doing so. Most longtime Chicago Episcopalians
> I know were baptized or (more likely) confirmed by him, and he seems
> to remember something significant about each of them if you mention
> their names to him. Amazing pastor.
>
> He's been a little less mobile lately (owing to being 95!); when he
> lived in the Edgewater Beach apartments, he swam in their pool every
> morning before walking to Atonement to say or attend daily Mass. Now
> he's a few blocks farther away but still gets to Atonement regularly.
>
> May God continue to bless him and give him as much more time as he
> wants and needs to finish his faithful work among us.
>
> --
> Scott R. Knitter
> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA



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