First Indian bishop dies

By Dan Daly, Journal Staff Writer | Thursday, November 14, 2002

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

CHANDLER, Ariz. — In 1972, the Rev. Harold Jones was consecrated as a bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota. He was the first American Indian to be elevated to the office of bishop by any Christian denomination.

A year later, in an interview with the Rapid City Journal, Bishop Jones was still downplaying the historic precedent.

"It is secondary to being a bishop — my ministry is to all the people," he said. And according to those who knew him, Bishop Jones spent his life balancing his Indian heritage and his ministry.

Bishop Jones died Tuesday in Chandler, Ariz., at age 92.

"I didn't see a dichotomy," the Rev. Ron Hennies of Rapid City, an Episcopal priest and longtime friend of Bishop Jones, said.

"He lived the Native American concept of generosity. ... He'd give you literally the shirt off his back, and he'd never check to see if he had a spare," Hennies said. "He brought many of the characteristics of the best of Native American culture with him to this Christian expression."

Hennies said he will serve as master of ceremonies at Jones' burial ceremonies. Arrangements are pending with Osheim-Catron Funeral Home in Rapid City.

"He was a fine mentor and a fine man," Hennies said. "He didn't get out of me the best I could produce by bawling me out or laying out goals and all that. He did it by modeling — humble and generous and Gospel-oriented in the best sense of the word. ... I never wanted to short-change that man."

Bishop Jones loved to tell stories and sing Lakota hymns, Hennies recalled.

In a ceremony at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Sioux Falls, Jones was consecrated as a suffragan bishop of the Episcopal Church on Jan. 11, 1972. More than 1,000 people, from the Episcopal Church and other denominations and faiths, attended. Parts of the ceremony were conducted in the Lakota language.

His consecration marked the highlight of a career that began in 1938 with his ordination. Five days later, he married Blossom Steele at a ceremony in Santee, Neb.

Jones began his work with 13 years of service at the Pine Ridge Mission, first in the small rectory of Christ Church at Red Shirt Table. He also lived at the rectories of St. John's, St. Peter's and Holy Cross.

Later, he served at the Cheyenne River Agency, Gettysburg, Dupree, Pine Ridge, Wahpeton, N.D., Fort Defiance, Ariz., and Rapid City. After his consecration as a bishop, the Joneses settled into their home in Rapid City, and he began to travel throughout the South Dakota diocese.

Just nine months after he became a bishop, doctors diagnosed heart problems in Jones. By 1976, he was forced to retire.

However, he remained active in the church and in the community.

In 1988, Hennies and Jones attended the ceremony in which the Rev. Charles J. Chaput, an American Indian Roman Catholic priest, became the bishop of Rapid City. Hennies recalled that Chaput hurried over to where Jones and Hennies were standing. "Bishop Chaput said, ‘Your grace, I want to humbly apologize for the press saying that I'm the first Native American bishop,'" Hennies recalled. "That was such a nice moment. Bishop Chaput made such a point of saying that."

Blossom Jones, who preceded her husband in death, worked as a teacher in Bureau of Indian Affairs and public schools in the places where Bishop Jones served. Their daughter, Norma Pederson, and son-in-law Jerry Pederson, live in Chandler. At the time of his death, Jones was living in the Chandler area, too. He died at Chandler Regional Hospital.

Contact reporter Dan Daly at 394-8421 or dan.daly@rapidcityjournal.com