A New Book from Denis O’Pray, Former Trustee

The Rev. Canon Denis M. O’Pray, a former trustee, explores his over four decades as a priest in the Episcopal Church in his new book Witnessing Grace: Memoir of a Sometimes Subversive Priest. The book delves into the lessons O’Pray has learned in his lifelong role as what he calls a “witness to grace”: first as an observer of the grace of God in the daily lives of the variety of saints and sinners he has observed, and second—and no less importantly—as one who now offers his testimony about how the world (and the church) should be.

According to O’Pray “the memoir tracks the development of my faith from the awkward prayers of childhood, uttered in fear, through wonderful global adventures and service in four congregations, to a place now of complete confidence in the victory of love”.  

Himself an Episcopal preacher’s son, O’Pray began “wearing the black” later in life after several years as the director of the undergraduate program in American Studies at the University of Minnesota. His forty-four years as an active priest took him from parishes as vastly different as a small congregation in his childhood hometown of Jamestown, New York, to some of the most active and affluent parishes in California, and then back to Minnesota. His frequent service to national church leadership including the Episcopal Church in the United States of America executive council the Episcopal networks for stewardship and youth ministry and the consortium of endowed Episcopal parishes. He was on the Boards of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific as well as General. He also taught at Bloy House. He has been an active participant in partners in mission, the Anglican observer's office at the United Nations, and the Compass Rose Society. His travels on behalf of the church have taken him to some 40 nations throughout the world.