Here is a short biography of the currently 2nd oldest Bishop in the Catholic Church. This biography was updated on Feb. 16, 2023 A. D., which shows in what great respect, Bishop Gracida is still held at his alma mater, Saint Vincent’s Seminary, Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
Here is a PDF from the time of the Episcopal Consecration of Msgr. Gracida: the January 28, 1972 edition of The Voice:
A debate on traditionalist blogs about the Episcopal Consecration of this Bishop erupted in 2022. You can see such, here. You can find the texts from the previous pontifical here. And yes, I am a “Historian”. It is important to note, that on p. 8A of the PDF, it states clearly that at the time of his consecration, Father Gracida was rector of the Cathedral, even though the official website of the Cathedral today omits this fact, in a snub to Bishop Gracida. I wrote to the Cathedral to ask them to correct that nearly two weeks ago, but they have not yet acted.
When the “Anglican Use / Pastoral Provision” the precursor to the Ordinariate — was founded over 30 years ago in Texas, many Catholic Bishops were puzzled about its charism, and questioned the need for it in the Church. The newly ordained (formerly Episcopalian) priests of the Anglican Use often had a chilly welcome from them.
One Bishop who was historically minded, and saw the gift of the stately and reverent Anglican Use liturgy as a gift to the post-Consular Church was the Bishop Rene Gracida of Corpus Christi.
He realised and appreciated that the AU was the first step for “undoing” the English Reformation, and would prove the fist step on a new path for bringing the English speaking nations back to the true Faith which had been rejected by King Henry VIII.
Bishop Gracida reached out in personal welcome to the AU Priests and their families, in warm encouragement and with a keen historical appreciation and conviction that the future Ordinariate was “a new Song of the Holy Spirit” and that God was for it, no matter who was against it.
God bless this dear, scholarly, wise and holy Bishop.
I had a brief correspondence with him, and despite his failing eyesight, he most kindly answered my questions.
The sermon this worthy successor to the apostles gave on the 50th anniversary of his ordination is on YouTube , and well worth listening to.
Good thing you are a real historian brother.
Spies around the world use historian, paleontologist, ecologist, cellist, teacher, professor and archaeologist as professions when sabotaging a government.