Remarks given by the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, at the Boston Vigil to #EndGunViolence, Thursday, December 14, 2017, being the 5th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Massacre Gun fatalities in the U.S. this past Sunday, December 10, 2017: Chicago (3 deaths); Brooklyn; Lafayette, LA; Birmingham, AL; Lancaster, PA; Oklahoma City; Jacksonville; … Continue reading Remarks from the Boston Vigil to End Gun Violence

The current was alarmingly swift. Though experienced since childhood at canoeing on lakes and streams, I had never paddled on such a large river, nor in such dramatically powerful current. This was to be a new experience. The seven Episcopal dioceses of New England sponsored the River of Life: Connecticut River Pilgrimage, a 40-day journey … Continue reading Upstream, downstream

I had not anticipated the level of grief. The departure of Episcopal Divinity School to New York City was announced in February.  The trustees had declared last summer that the school would cease granting degrees in Cambridge as of May 2017.  The decision to partner with Union Theological Seminary represents a new identity for the … Continue reading A farewell full of regret and gratitude

The annual liturgy for Clergy Vow Renewal on Tuesday in Holy Week is a time of mutual support and spiritual rededication.  It is a poignant moment for colleagues to be together, and I find preaching at this service to be one of the singular honors of serving as Bishop.  Here is the sermon I delivered … Continue reading Troughs and crests

I have twice been to the top of Cannon Mountain, near New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch. An aerial tramway carries visitors to the mountain’s pinnacle. One of my family visits there was on a clear, sunny day. You could see in every direction, as far as Vermont, Maine, and even Quebec – a stunning vista of … Continue reading Cloudy, with a chance of revelation