Mary Monro MacGregor

Tireless servant of the gospel, trail-blazing Leader, devoted friend to the Diocese of Texas and the Episcopal Church. Your lifelong commitment to the vitality, strength, and impact of congregations and their leaders has earned you the gratitude and admiration of many across the church.
You were raised in Houston, Texas, the daughter of the Reverend Claxton Monro and Victoria Monro, growing up at St. Stephen’s, where your father was rector for 31 years. You earned an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University, followed by a Master of Education from Southern University.
In 1997, you were selected by Bishop Payne to serve as the Diocese of Texas’ first Mission Funding Coordinator, where you forged the first plans to help fund missionary work in the diocese. In 2003, you were chosen by Bishop Wimberly as the Diocesan Director of Leadership Development. In that role, you helped establish and oversee the Iona School for Ministry, serving as its Executive Director for 13 years. Your skilled guidance as a member of the team of seminary and diocesan leaders who created the Iona Initiative was critical to the successful creation of this program of local formation, which is now an indispensable asset for the church as a whole.
In 2014 you were appointed by Bishop Doyle as the first Lay Canon of the Diocese of Texas, where, as Canon for Congregational Vitality, you led the Mission Amplification Team focused on the significant work of developing new faith communities in the diocese. The copious listing of the work you have done in the Diocese of Texas and beyond demonstrates your passion for the mission of the Church, and that you are truly a thought-leader in our Episcopal community.
You have served as Deputy to three General Conventions, and on the Board of the Episcopal Church Women, as well as the Steering Committee of the Gathering of Leaders. You have worked insightfully and patiently with clergy, vestries, and Bishop’s Committees to address and solve leadership and
stewardship challenges.
Your long-time colleague and friend, the Rt. Rev. Dena Harrison, said, upon your retirement from the Diocese of Texas, “It has indeed been a privilege to serve for these years with Canon Mary MacGregor. Mary has labored on our behalf in so many ways and in so many venues that they can hardly be numbered. Her devotion to the health of the Church has renewed us and challenged us to be all that Our Lord would have us be. She has rolled with the punches, morphed her job as required, changed her focus as requested, and all with a true servant heart. The Diocese is richer for her accomplished and pivotal role among us.”
Thus it is with great esteem, respect and thankfulness for all you have done to serve the Episcopal Church that the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest presents
to you the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
Austin, Texas         May 23, 2017