Cyprian Fields
August 28, 1924 – September 12, 2013
The Rev. Canon Cyprian William Fields, whose priesthood included ministries in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York, New Jersey and New Orleans, died on Sept. 12. He was 89.
Requiem Eucharist is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, at St. Philip’s Church, 2800 Stanford Avenue, Los Angeles. Bishop Chester Talton, bishop of San Joaquin and former bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Los Angeles will preach the homily, and Bishop J. Jon Bruno will preside. A gathering with music will begin at 2:30 p.m.
Fields’ ministry in the Diocese of Los Angeles most recently included pastoral work at St. Philip’s, Advent, St. Mary in Palms, and Christ the Good Shepherd parishes, starting in the mid-1990s. In 2004 he was named an honorary canon of the Cathedral Center of St. Paul. In earlier years in Los Angeles, he was a member first of St. Philip’s and later St. John’s.
Before returning to Los Angeles, Fields served as rector of St. Luke’s Church, New Orleans (1993-95); assistant at St. Timothy’s, Washington D.C. (1990-93) while serving the Bishop of Washington as assistant for social ministries; associate at St. Philip’s, New York City, and associate chaplain at St. Luke’s Hospital (1986-88); vicar of St. Agnes and St. Paul’s, Orange, New Jersey (1980-86); rector of All Souls, New York City (1978-80) and priest-in-charge of St. Andrew’s, New York City (1976-77) following his ordination to the priesthood in 1976 by the Bishop of Jamaica. Cyprian also served as rector of Christ Church, Port Antonio, Jamaica.
Fields was a member of the Order of the Holy Cross, serving for a time as assistant superior, in the 1970s. Under the auspices of the Order he held the positions of associate dean of students at UC Santa Barbara, and as the chancellor’s assistant for affirmative action at Washington University in St. Louis.
Cyprian Fields was born Aug. 28, 1924, in San Antonio, Texas. He was a graduate of Southern University at Baton Rouge, and UC Santa Barbara. He held a licentiate in theology from the University of the West Indies’ United Theological College.
He is remembered for his pastoral gifts, wise counsel, advocacy for justice, and sense of humor.