The Rt. Rev. George Clinton Harris.

Prior to becoming a Bishop, Bishop Harris served as a parish priest of St. Mary the Virgin Church and teacher at  St. Mary's High School in Sagada, Mt. Prov., Philippines from 1956 to 1962. He was fondly remembered by his students as "mi he wah hah mi", his introductory phrase during choir practices he conducted.

When he returned to the United States, his assignments included working with native Americans [hence the Indian Chief headgear above], serving as Director of the Dakota Leadership Program, Mobridge, S.D., from 1974 until his election as Bishop of Alaska in 1981.

The Rev. George Harris  so endeared himself to his students at St. Mary's High School such that many years later,  when St. Mary's High School was in the brink of closure, the St. Mary's High School Alumni Association decided that the best person to rally them towards saving the school from closure was the Rt. Rev. George Clinton Harris, now a retired Bishop of Alaska.

Thus, then SMS Alumni Association President, Frank Longid, extended an invitation to Bishop Harris to  give a homily during the St. Mary's alumni  homecoming in the summer of 2000. Unfortunately, his failing health prevented him from physically attending the homecoming so he taped his homily and sent it to Frank Longid for him to read during the SMS alumni homecoming.

Apparently his homily helped rally the St. Mary's School alumni and friends and the school is now continuing with its mission of extending quality Christian education to the hinterland communities of Northern Luzon, Philippines. The St. Mary's School Alumni  incorporated themselves as a "not-for-profit" corporation and took over the management and administration of the school.

St. Mary's High School has a long way to go in order to attain self sufficiency, but definitely, Bishop Harris breathed life to it.

The Rt. Rev. George Clinton Harris, retired Bishop of Alaska, died at his Aberdeen, S. D., Home in May 7, 2000. He was 74.

LBS