Spartans will welcome three bishops to campus during our 75th anniversary year.

The Rt. Rev. Kai Ryan, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and Chair of the St. Stephen's Board of Trustees, recently kicked off the first of three Bishop visits by experiencing a day in the life of students, staff and faculty to learn how the historical year is going. 

“We made a big start on this 75th year and I love being with the people who are here at St. Stephen's,” said Bishop Ryan. 

Bishop Ryan had a busy morning attending a coffee chat with the chaplains and Theology instructors, visiting Troy Lanier’s Projects in Science and Tech class in the Project and Idea Realization Lab (PIRL) and delivering an insightful chapel talk.

In her chapel remarks, Bishop Ryan reflected on the lessons of Zacchaeus, urging Spartans to accept what they cannot change and to find the courage to change what they can. Drawing on parallels between her physical stature and that of Zacchaeus, and being in the minority as one of the only female bishops in Texas, Bishop Ryan spoke about embracing both realities as gifts. She connected the Gospel story to Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer, encouraging students to recognize their inherent worth as beloved children of God while seeking growth through honesty, generosity and self-reflection.

Following chapel, Bishop Ryan dined for lunch with Upper School with student leaders, observed one of Frank Mikan’s physics classes and met with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership team.

Ryan’s visit precedes an upcoming visit by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle, the Bishop Diocesan of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas on December 8, 2025. On Monday, January 19, 2026, the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry will be our keynote speaker on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Bishop Curry served as the 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 2015 until his retirement in 2024, following 40 years of ordained ministry.

“We are deeply blessed to share in the life of this community, founded by Bishop Hines as an institution of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas,” said Head Chaplain Rev. Aimee Eyer-Delevett. “For 75 years, St. Stephen’s students, faculty, and staff have been shaped and sustained by Bishop Hines’s vision, grounded in the Episcopal values of honoring the dignity of every person and striving for justice and peace in the world. As we continue to live into this prophetic calling, the visits of Bishops Ryan, Doyle and Curry remind us that we are not alone in this honorable and courageous work. We draw strength and inspiration from the enduring support of the wider Episcopal Church.”

We look forward to these impactful moments on The Hill.