The Rt. Rev. Richard Millard, former Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of California, died June 15. He was 103.
He served as a bishop in the Diocese of California, the Diocese of El Camino Real, and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe.
The Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus, Bishop of California, wrote “Celebrating the most senior bishop in the Episcopal Church” in 2011:
After ordination, Dick served as a curate at St. James’, Madison Avenue. At the parish of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Richard came to realize that the ministry open to him was to provide support and pastoral care to the wealthy parishoners’ servants, a role he valued greatly. Indeed, I have come to see that Bishop Millard has framed his life in terms of being a middle child — not the leader but one who works faithfully for the support of the whole, including supporting the vision of the leader.
Sheila and I have visited Bishop Millard’s apartment and when I commented on the stunning icons on the walls there, I learned that he was the artist who made them. Sunday evening we learned that he spent four month-long vacations in the Balkans as a student of writing icons.
After he retired as a bishop, having served with Bishop Pike and as the Suffragan Bishop for the American Convocation of Churches in Europe, and at the Episcopal Church Center in New York, Bishop Millard went to St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA and completed a graduate degree in psychology. He was over 80 when he finished his degree, and then went on to work as a Veterans Hospital Chaplain until he was 90. He retired from the chaplain’s job, telling the hospital administration who were urging him to stay on, “I think it is time for you to find some younger people to do this job.”
Adapted from the Diocese of California
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
