Reginald Heber Weller

Reginald Heber Weller, Jr.

Reginald Heber Weller (born November 6, 1857 - † November 22, 1935 ) was a priest and bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America . He was very active ecumenically and was co-founder of a dialogue between Protestant , Catholic and Orthodox Christians.

Life

youth

Weller himself was the son of an Episcopal priest. He was born on November 6, 1857 in either Jefferson City , Missouri or Jacksonville , Florida . He received his education in Florida. After studying at the University of the South at Sewanee , Tennessee , he received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Nashotah House in 1884. He was ordained a deacon in 1880 and a priest at All Saints' Mission , Providence , Rhode Island , in 1884 after he had already served his diaconate there. Weller had been married to Bessie Brown since 1886 and lived in Eau Claire , Wisconsin during that time . They had a daughter, Ruth, and five sons, Daniel, George, Walter, Horace, and Reginald.

Career

Temporarily he served as Rector at Christ Church , Eau Claire and St. Matthias , Waukesha , before becoming Rector at the Church of the Intercession, Stevens Point , where he was from 1900 at the time of his election as Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac served.

Bishop election

Consecration of Rt. Rev Weller in Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle in the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac , with Rt. Rev. Anthony Kozlowski of the Polish National Catholic Church of America and Tikhon of Moscow (together with his Chaplains John Kochurov and Sebastian Dabovich) of the Russian Orthodox Church .

Weller was ordained coadjutor on November 8, 1900 in the Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle in Fond du Lac . The then Russian Orthodox Bishop of Alaska, Tikhon of Moscow , took part in this ceremony, as did the Polish clergyman Antoni Kozlowski (Antoni Kozłowski) of the Polish National Catholic Church . The bishops Charles Chapman Grafton and Weller were doing together photographed with them, and they copes and mitres wore a "Catholic" tradition which had not yet been accepted into the "Protestant" Episcopal Church. The photo, which was widely used in the eastern states, became known as the Fond du Lac Circus .

Episcopate

During his 33-year tenure, Weller preached in all parts of America. His tenure had the longest duration of his time and he filled numerous important positions in the Church and was also known in England. He became diocesan bishop on August 30, 1912, after Grafton's death. In addition, he held the post of Superior General of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament from 1913-35, also succeeding Grafton (1890-1912).

In 1919 Weller took part in the Commission on Faith and Order , which worked for a world conference on the fundamental principles of Christianity and advocated the restoration of communion between Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican Christians. As a participant in the 1930 Lambeth Conference , Weller played an active role in the meetings and also preached in several English cathedrals.

He was also very active in the House of Bishops in America. On St. Andrew's Day, November 30, 1929, he served as chief consecrator in the consecration of Harwood Sturtevant to Bishop Coadjutor , who was to replace him four years later, in November 1933. Weller died on November 22, 1935, at his son George's home in Aurora , Illinois .

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Weller Opposition Is Recalled after Death. In: Oshkosh Daily Northwestern . November 23, 1935; P. 9 via Newspapers.com
↑ "Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926", database, FamilySearch ( https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRT1-H5S : December 12, 2014), RH Weller in entry for Charles Grafton Weller, April 8, 1895; citing Stevens Point, Portage, Wisconsin, reference cn 1102; FHL microfilm 1,305,144.
↑ "Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926", database, FamilySearch ( https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRT1-3HG : 12 December 2014), RH Weller in entry for Weller, 6 October 1891; citing Stevens Point, Portage, Wisconsin, reference cn 177; FHL microfilm 1,305,144.

Web links

Commons : Reginald Heber Weller - Collection of images, videos and audio files

predecessor	Office	successor
Charles Chapman Grafton	Episcopal Bishop of Fond du Lac 1900–1933	Harwood Sturtevant

personal data
SURNAME	Weller, Reginald Heber
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America
DATE OF BIRTH	November 6, 1857
DATE OF DEATH	November 22, 1935

[Obit-1] Weller Opposition Is Recalled after Death. In: Oshkosh Daily Northwestern . November 23, 1935; P. 9 via Newspapers.com

[2] "Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926", database, FamilySearch ( https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRT1-H5S : December 12, 2014), RH Weller in entry for Charles Grafton Weller, April 8, 1895; citing Stevens Point, Portage, Wisconsin, reference cn 1102; FHL microfilm 1,305,144.

[3] "Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926", database, FamilySearch ( https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRT1-3HG : 12 December 2014), RH Weller in entry for Weller, 6 October 1891; citing Stevens Point, Portage, Wisconsin, reference cn 177; FHL microfilm 1,305,144.