Have mercy on your servant

I learned today that the retired Bishop of Arizona, The Rt. Rev. Joseph T. Heistand, died yesterday at his home in Virginia. Since our Diocesan Convention begins day after tomorrow I don't have time to write much but did want to post a few thoughts.

I attended Bishop Heistand's consecration on Aug. 28, 1976 in Phoenix at the age of 12. I got to know him over the years as I grew more involved with journalism and photography and was honored when he and his wife bought reprints of my photos.

One of my favorite photos of him was taken when Arizona executed Donald Eugene Harding, the first man to be executed in Arizona in 29 years. I was watching Bishop Heistand as he stood outside with death penalty protesters and saw his reaction when he was told that Harding was dead. He pursed his lips and shook his head and looked so sad about the death of fellow human being.

I wish I could post some of those photos now but they're all in storage after my recent move. Since I am preparing for my second Diocesan Convention as the Diocesan Communications officer I had to scramble to find another source of photos. My former employer, the East Valley Tribune, provided the one seen here.

I don't think I saw Bishop Heistand after his successor, The Rt. Rev. Robert Shahan, was consecrated in 1992 but I have thought of him frequently over the years (especially as I come up the stairs to my office and see his photo) and wished him well.

And now I must go back to work preparing for Convention. But as a retired Bishop who presided over many a Diocesan Convention himself, I know he'd understand.