The Episcopal Church has confirmed the election of an Annapolis priest as the first openly lesbian bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
The Rev. Mary Douglas Glasspool, who has served in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland since 1992, said Wednesday that she was “overjoyed and overwhelmed” by news that a majority of bishops and diocesan committees had approved her election as assistant bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles.
“And grateful,” she added. “I’m grateful to so many people, and to God.”
When she is consecrated in May, Glasspool will become the first openly gay bishop in the 77 million-member Anglican Communion since the 2003 election of V. Gene Robinson in New Hampshire brought a decades-long divide over homosexuality within the church out into the open.
Bishop-elect Glasspool’s former parish, St. Margaret, did extremely well during 2002 through 2008 with Members up about 70 percent, ASA up about 33 percent, and Plate & Pledge up over 100 percent. This parish should serve well the newly arriving homosexual Midshipmen (male and female) at the U.S. Naval Academy once the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is made null and void by Congess and President Obama. Stay tuned. Statmann