CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. — A Buffalo native who rose to become presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church is reaching retirement age, making this year his last.
“I can't not serve. In some ways, I don't have to lead anything. I don't have to be a leader, but I want to serve,” said Bishop Michael Curry.
He is a no-nonsense, man of faith, who preaches the way of love, after serving for nine years.
2 On Your Side visited the Chautauqua Institution and sat down with Bishop Curry, to talk about his career, faith, Buffalo, and more.
First on the discussion list was Bishop Curry’s request from the Archbishop of Canterbury, which led him to preside over a Royal wedding.
Bishop Michael Curry: In the course of their conversations about getting married and their pre-marital work, they kind of talked about what they were hoping for in the service that they hoped that it would be representative of everyone.
A marriage of two people, it's an incredible blessing, but it's not easy.
Claudine Ewing: do you still stay in touch with them?
Bishop Michael Curry: The answer is periodically. We're in touch with each other.
Claudine Ewing: Why are people not going to church?
Bishop Michael Curry: Organized religion is in decline in America. The deep hunger for a relationship with that which is greater than the self, which ultimately leads you to a quest for God, that quest has not stopped."
Claudine Ewing: Do you think being inclusive is more important to preach now so that people feel that they're wanted, that they are invited?
Bishop Michael Curry: Saying that love of God and love of neighbor on these two hang all the law and the prophets, that's saying that's God's Constitution. If that's what God said we're supposed to be about, it's not Michael Curry, that's what God says we're supposed to be about, then not only our churches must be a house of prayer for all people, but our world must be a house for all people.
Ordained in 1978, Bishop Curry is known for being dynamic.
“I didn't learn to preach in the seminary. I learned to speak in public, in church, in school, in Buffalo, NY,” he said.
The Hutch Tech grad remains close to his Buffalo friends from childhood. Curry grew up in the Buffalo neighborhood where a mass shooting happened at a grocery store.
Claudine Ewing: Did that just rock your world, too, to know that a self-proclaimed white supremacist came to the neighborhood that you grew up in, to kill people that look like you?
Bishop Michael Curry: One of the toughest parts of the time that I've been Bishop had been walking with others who have been through that kind of tragedy that was not necessary. Hatred kills, bigotry kills, negativity kills, and people get hurt. Everybody is a child of God.
Claudine Ewing: How do you help heal and give people hope?
Bishop Michael Curry: You almost have to acknowledge something's wrong, and you got to name it.
A documentary, inspired by his ministry, will be streamed this fall. It's called A Case for Love.
Of course, Curry was asked about the Buffalo Bills.
Bishop Michael Curry: I'm a Buffalo Bills fan. I will be to the day I die and I can't wait to see them win The Super Bowl. But even if they didn't, what they did at the Tops shooting, what that team did, choose love.
That was the Super Bowl of life.