First Hispanic elected to lead SE Florida's Episcopal Diocese

 BY D. AILEEN DODD

 A Cuban exile who fled his homeland to escape religious persecution made
 history Saturday as the first Hispanic priest to be elected bishop of the Episcopal
 Diocese of Southeast Florida.

 In a region where differences in race and language have long created barriers to
 fellowship and unity, Bishop Leo Frade, 56, currently leader of the Diocese of
 Honduras, won an easy victory.

 Within two hours after delegates attending a special convention in Miami began
 voting, Frade received a majority of support from nearly 300 clergy members and
 lay leaders representing the diocese's flock of 35,000. It took his predecessor, the
 retiring Bishop Calvin O. Schofield Jr., two special convention sessions to win a
 heated race in the late 1970s.

 Religious leaders see Frade's election at Trinity Cathedral and the unprecedented
 diversity of the candidates he defeated -- the diocese's first woman contender, two
 black priests and two white pastors -- as a progressive sign, and a poignant
 statement to a community torn over the Elian Gonzalez controversy.

 `A GOOD SIGN'

 ``When something like this happens, it speaks to the need to be a world
 community,'' Schofield said. ``I think the election of Bishop Frade is a good sign.
 If a church that is predominantly Anglo percentage-wise and represents
 Southeast Florida can [put aside racial and ethnic differences], it sends a
 message to the community: `Why can't we do it?' ''

 Voting began at 10 a.m. at Trinity, following the celebration of the Eucharist.
 Schofield asked for the honor of taking the first ballot, joking that he had ``waited
 21 years to do it.''

 Early in the race, Frade emerged as the front-runner. By noon, after a group of
 election volunteers tabulated the second round of ballots by hand, Frade was
 named as the next bishop. Delegates let out a loud cheer.

 In town for the election, Frade later arrived at the church to thank his supporters,
 who represented a diocese that stretches across parts of Hendry and Martin
 counties and spans all of Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe.

 ``I want to be a bishop for everyone. I won't come here only to minister to one
 specific ethnic group,'' Frade said. ``When people ask me if I feel Cuban or if I feel
 American, I say I feel Anglican, I feel Christian. That is what defines me, being a
 follower of Christ. It just happens that I was born in Cuba. It just happens that I
 am the bishop of Honduras.''

 WARM RECEPTION

 As a smiling Frade walked through Trinity, he was warmly embraced by his new
 flock.

 The Rev. Ramon Aymerich, rector of St. James in the Hills Episcopal Church in
 Hollywood, was among the first to greet Frade -- in Spanish. Aymerich took a
 break from Air Force reserve duty and drove three hours so he could vote.

 ``I was moved to tears. People are genuinely happy,'' said Aymerich. His church
 will launch its first service in Spanish on Mother's Day, a change that has been an
 uphill battle. Only eight other congregations among 81 parishes across the
 diocese worship in Spanish. ``We Latino priests are in a minority. [Frade] was
 elected by a large number of blacks and whites who felt that this was the right
 way to move.''

 After talking to Aymerich, Frade switched from Spanish to French with ease as
 he chatted with the Rev. Fritz Bazin, chairperson of Haitian ministries for the
 diocese. Frade speaks Spanish, Portuguese, English and French.

 ``It was a landslide,'' said Bazin, pastor of St. Paul et les Martyrs d'Haiti Church of
 Miami. ``I believe it was a blessing for the diocese. He is looked at as someone
 who could bring us together in all of our diversity.''

 Frade's wife, Diana Lee Dillenberger, is white non-Hispanic. She serves on the
 national executive council of the Episcopal Church. The couple has four adult
 children.

 The new post represents a homecoming of sorts for Frade, who grew up
 Methodist and was ordained as an Episcopal priest in Miami. He worked as a
 curate at Holy Cross from 1977 to 1978. He next served at Grace Episcopal
 Church in New Orleans until 1984, when he became bishop of the Diocese of
 Honduras.

 LEADERSHIP

 He was the only candidate who has experience as a bishop. Since he was
 consecrated as the Second Bishop of Honduras in 1984, his diocese grew from
 six priests, 14 churches and barely 1,000 baptized to a diocese of 82 churches,
 45 ministers and more than 20,000 baptized, he said.

 ``The area that I came from, people with different ideas and ethnic groups were
 shooting at each other. Roman Catholics, Mainland Protestants and Anglicans
 brought people together and helped to be an instrument for peace in Central
 America,'' Frade said. ``The church [here] needs to stop hiding and deal with the
 ethnic division. By talking to each other, we can heal our community and reflect
 Christ's love and understanding.''

 Frade will take over as bishop on Sept. 16. The position comes with a $75,000
 stipend, a $25,000 housing allowance and $50,000 in insurance and travel
 benefits.

 Schofield, 67, who is most proud of his commitment to inclusion throughout his
 21 years in the top job, will embrace retirement.

 He says he and his wife will travel and spend some quality time with their
 grandchildren in Colorado, but they don't plan to give up their house in South
 Dade. ``You can't go sailing on any place as fine as Biscayne Bay.''