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(From time to time this page will feature some of the many outstanding people who have contributed to the growth of Church of Our Saviour)
The Right Reverend Anthony Frank Rasch Anthony Frank Rasch was born in Los Angeles, CA on August 18, 1939. His father, Lee Allan Rasch, was born in Florence, Alabama and came to California c1935. His mother, nee Dorothy Dolores Obiols, was one of those rare individuals—a native Californian. Anthony’s older brother Larry Lee Rasch, was born in Los Angeles on January 2, 1938.
As a bit of genealogical information, Anthony’s maternal great-great-grandfather Emigdio Miguel Ortega (himself a grandson of Josef Francisco de Ortega, discoverer of San Francisco Bay in 1734) was born in Mission San Diego in what is now Southern California. Through a land grant of Governor Pio Pico, Emigdio bought land in Ventura and built an adobe abode in c1856. In 1897 Anthony’s great-grandfather Emilio C. Ortega, a son of Emigdio and his wife Concepcion Dominguez Ortega, began the Ortega Chili Factory that is still operating in Ventura, CA. Anthony’s early scholastic career was in the Los Angeles area, culminating in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Los Angeles. He then continued with seminary training at the College of The Resurrection in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England from September, 1963 to May, 1965. He also studied at the General Theological Seminary in New York from September, 1965 to May, 1966 where he received a Bachelor Degree in Sacred Theology. Upon returning to Los Angeles he was ordained a deacon, in 1966, by Bishop Francis Eric Bloy of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. In 1967 Bishop Bloy ordained him as a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. Father Rasch first served as curate at the Episcopal Parish of St. Luke’s of the Mountains in La Crescenta, CA until March, 1969 when he was called, by the Bishop’s Committee, as vicar of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Placentia, CA. That church attained parish status in November, 1976 at which time Fr. Rasch was installed as rector. He retained that post until January, 1978 when he was one of the first group of priests to leave the Episcopal church in disagreement with its actions of apostasy. Fr, Rasch immediately joined the clerical ranks of the Anglican Catholic Church. He then served from March, 1978 as founding priest, and then rector, of the St. Mary Magdalene parish in Orange, CA. That was a newly established parish in the Diocese of the Holy Trinity of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC) and his tenure there entailed holding services in various rental spaces and then purchase and remodeling of an old mortuary building for use as a proper church. He resigned that post in July, 1986 for a hiatus in pursuit of some secular responsibilities. During this time he was living near the parish home of the Anglican Church of Our Saviour (of the Anglican Province of Christ the King) in Los Angeles and he began to attend Sunday Mass there. As time went on he became aware that The Rev. Donald M. Ashman, rector of Our Saviour, was carrying a heavy load by also serving the Church of the Holy Apostles in Glendale, CA and a mission in Santa Barbara, CA. Fr. Rasch offered to assist in that effort and Fr. Ashman was gratified to accept the offer. In Fr. Rasch’s own words: “And so began (what was to become) my nearly twenty-four year relationship assisting Father Ashman and celebrating early Mass for the wonderful people at Holy Apostles and the Church of our Saviour.”
In February, 1989 he was called by the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC) to be the third rector of the St. Mary the Virgin parish in Chatsworth, CA -- a post he still holds at this time -- but still continued to support Fr. Ashman in addition to his primary duties with the ACC. As time progressed Father Rasch was elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest of the Anglican Rite Catholic Church (aka HCC-AR), and was consecrated in Riverside, CA on September 20, 2008. His official title then became:
The Right Reverend Anthony Frank Rasch Bishop The Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest Holy Catholic Church -- Anglican Rite
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One of his first acts as Bishop was to process through the congregation present and conferring blessings upon them with holy water. On May 16, 2010, he became the Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest and will be officially enthroned before the conclusion of the current year 2010. Due to his increasing duties in his own Diocese, Bishop Rasch’s association with The Anglican Church of Our Saviour regretfully was formally concluded when he conducted his “farewell” service at Our Saviour on September 12, 2010. Bishop Rasch has been highly regarded by our parishioners but, hopefully, we will still be blessed with occasional interaction with him.
JOHN and NANCY HUDSON
John and Nancy Hudson are prominent supporters of the Church of Our Saviour who have performed many acts of service to it and the parish in general--and continue to do so. Their talents and dedication are central to the smooth and efficient operation of the parish.
Nancy (Moulton) was born in Hollywood, California on October 8, 1918--a true California girl. She had two brothers, Everts and Jack, who are now deceased and one sister, Ruth, who lives in Montecito, California. Nancy's education was mostly in local Los Angeles area schools, but for her last year of high school she transferred in 1934 to the Bennett School and Junior College in Millbrook, New York. While there she majored in art and the history of art. At the completion of those studies in 1937 she attended Columbia University in New York City to study stone carving.
Nancy later returned to California and it was there that she met John Hudson. They were married in the latter part of December, 1941. John, also a Los Angeles area Californian, was in the U.S. Army Reserve at the time and held the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was sent overseas in 1942 with the 524th Military Police unit, eventually serving in France with General George Patton's Tank Corps. With the cessation of hostilities he became a military governor in the Bavaria region of Germany. He retired in 1944 with the rank of Major.
Nancy and John then returned to California. It was in 1950 that John joined the Carnation Company, International where he remained for 28 years. In 1952 Nancy and sons John Moulton and Peter were able to join husband John for two years in the Netherlands, living mainly in Rotterdam and The Hague. After returning to California the family unit was completed with the birth of son Jeffrey. They have been further blessed with 5 grand children: Peter and wife, Sharon, have children Michael and Timothy while Jeffrey and wife, Sandy, have children Christopher, Jessica and Juliana.
Nancy has continued her artistic endeavors and over the years her works have included: the painting of a large icon for St. Nicholas Episcopal Church (Encino, CA); outdoor sculptured Stations of the Cross for St. Mary's Retreat House (Santa Barbara, CA); painting of Station of the Cross plaques and the altar Tabernacle for the Anglican Church of Our Saviour (Los Angeles, CA); and many other icons and paintings. A significant portion of all of those artistic works has been of a volunteer and donation nature. Nancy, shown here performing some of her duties, has also been a mainstay in the Altar Guild of the Church of Our Saviour as well as providing constant support of various church projects. Nancy and John enjoy travelling, music, drama and helping others.
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