“Play dirty and pray” was a favorite saying of Bishop Mote. To those who knew Bishop Mote, they would often hear this phrase come from the good bishop’s mouth. “Play dirty and pray!” The meaning is clear to those who understood Bishop Mote -- i.e., prayer is a powerful weapon and can lead to many miracles, many conversions, etc. Bishop Mote spent his entire life in prayer as a priest and then later as a bishop. Bishop James Mote (1922 - 2006), from Indianapolis, Indiana, was the first bishop of the “Continuing Church.” Bishop Mote, pastor of St. Mary's Church in Denver, Colorado, led his parish out of the Episcopal Church in 1977.

Bishop Mote was a true pioneer, a man of God, a humble priest and bishop. He loved the Blessed Sacrament with all his heart and offered and/or attended Mass every day for over fifty years as a priest. He loved the Church and was a true Anglo-Catholic through and through. Bishop Mote was friends to most of the original founding members of St. Margaret’s Anglican Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was one of a kind, indeed. He is missed by many, many souls here at St. Margaret’s!

Fr. Bragg with a chalice and paten that was given to him by Bishop Mote