The Rev. Carl Wright, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Pasadena and a chaplain in the Air Force, was elected bishop suffragan for the armed services and federal ministries on Tuesday.
"I'm so grateful to God that I have grown through this process," Wright said in a statement. "This was totally different than 2009 when I was a nominee for this same position."
Maryland Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton announced Wright's election in an email to the Episcopal community.
"I am grateful the House of Bishops recognized the gifts and talents Carl brings to this position," Sutton said. "Of course we will miss him in Maryland but it is apparent that his whole career of military chaplaincy and pastoral ministry pointed him to this high calling."
The bishop suffragan for the armed services and federal ministries oversees all Episcopal chaplains serving the military, Veterans Administration hospitals and federal prisons. Based in Washington, the bishop suffragan is a member of the staff of Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael Curry.
Wright was elected Tuesday during the fall meeting of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in Detroit. Pending confirmation by a majority of the House of Bishops and a majority of the diocesan standing committees in the church, Wright is to be ordained and consecrated in February.
Wright, an associate member of the Anglican religious Order of the Holy Cross, is archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland for deployment and pastoral care for the deacons of the diocese. He has been rector of St. Andrew's since 2013.
Sutton said the diocese "will now embark on a transition time seeking new leadership for those positions."
Wright was commissioned an Air Force chaplain in 1993, and served in Maryland, Montana, California, South Carolina, Utah, Texas and Louisiana. He was deputy command chaplain for the Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
"The work of this bishop suffragan is daunting," Wright said. "It is hard work and good ministry. I pray the Lord will give the strength to carry that out."
Other nominees were the Rev. Christopher Garcia of the Diocese of Virginia and the Rev. David McElwain of the Diocese of Wyoming.
Wright said a retreat with the other nominees "all but eliminated a spirit of competition. We got to know each other better. We will be colleagues forever."
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