Hello, we’re the Prayer and Spiritual Life Subcommittee. The subcommittee is chaired by Heyden Morales-Santiago, verger at St. John’s Cathedral, member of the Anglican Interfaith Commission, and includes the Rev. Carlos Ruvalcaba of St. Stephen’s, Hollywood, chair of the Program Group on Hispanic Ministries; and the Rev. Canon Greg Larkin, also affectionately known as “Canon Baseball,” former rector of St. Columba’s in Camarillo.
What does your committee do?
Our subcommittee helps ground the bishop search process in prayer, ensuring that discernment remains centered on the movement of the Holy Spirit. We prepare liturgies and moments of prayer for the committee’s gatherings, offer spiritual support, and help create space for reflection so that all involved remain rooted in the sacred nature of this calling.
Can you give us an example of a prayer you’ve developed for the search process?
We encourage the use of the Book of Common Prayer (1979), particularly the prayer “For the Election of a Bishop” (Page 818), which beautifully captures the spirit of our discernment:
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
How have you helped the Search Committee stay focused on their work as a discernment process, a sacred opportunity, and not a hiring assignment or a political competition?
We keep a strong spiritual focus during meetings by grounding ourselves in prayer at every stage. We regularly draw from the Book of Common Prayer and other trusted spiritual resources to remind us that this is not just a logistical task, but a holy act of communal listening. We work to keep the committee centered on God’s leading — not on strategy or politics — trusting that the Spirit is present in each step.
It’s important that our next bishop be a person of prayer. How will you evaluate this aspect of their candidacy?
Each candidate will be invited to lead worship and preach a short homily during the discernment retreat next month. In addition, we will ask them about their personal prayer life, devotional practices, and spiritual maturity. We want to understand how their theology is lived out in daily rhythms and how they draw strength from the sacraments and Scripture. These insights will help us discern their depth as spiritual leaders.
How can the members of our diocese pray for the candidates and the Search Committee as the process moves ahead this summer to the announcement of the slate in September?
Please pray for guidance, serenity, and patience — that we may be attentive to God’s voice and faithful in our task. Pray that the committee may discern with clarity and compassion, and that the slate we present reflects not just our hopes, but the real needs of our diocese and the prayers of its people.