The Episcopal Church has reached a historic milestone with the appointment of its first openly transgender cathedral dean. The Very Rev. Micah Cronin has officially stepped into the leadership role at All Saints' Cathedral in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, marking a pioneering moment for representation and inclusion within the denomination's ordained leadership.
Cronin, who is 30 years old, assumed his new responsibilities as dean in August. In this role, he leads a faith community located in downtown Milwaukee that maintains an average Sunday worship attendance of approximately 70 parishioners. The cathedral congregation has established itself as an explicitly LGBTQ+-affirming community within the regional diocese.
Cronin’s rise to the deanery represents a significant personal and spiritual journey. In an interview published in early September with the Episcopal News Service, the Wisconsin cleric reflected on his early life growing up in rural New York State. During his formative years, he attended a conservative church environment that did not affirm or accept his transgender identity.
A pivotal transition occurred during his late teenage years when Cronin discovered an affirming Episcopal congregation in Olean, New York. Finding a faith community that welcomed him fully, he converted to the Episcopal Church at the age of 19, an experience that paved the way for his discernment, theological education, and eventual ordination to the priesthood.
Reflecting on his historic appointment, Cronin highlighted that his elevation to dean demonstrates a vital truth to the public: LGBTQ+ individuals have an essential and respected place within religious and spiritual spaces. He noted that visible representation in church leadership can provide reassurance to marginalized individuals seeking a spiritual home.
In his discussions with the Episcopal News Service, Cronin articulated his view of the denomination’s current societal role. He described the contemporary Episcopal Church as a faith body that has made a conscious and deliberate decision to stand for inclusion, emphasizing that this welcoming stance is rooted entirely in core Christian theological principles rather than cultural trends.
Cronin also addressed the pastoral opportunities created by his unique position within the clergy. He explained that navigating his calling as an openly transgender priest allows him to enter into conversations with people that few other ministers might experience. Through these unique encounters, Cronin believes he has an opportunity to share the Gospel in settings and communities where it might otherwise never be heard.
Before taking on the deanery at All Saints' Cathedral, Cronin served as a transitional deacon within the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey. During his tenure in ministry there, he established himself as a theological writer, advocating publicly for deeper tolerance within the broader Christian community while encouraging open dialogue across profound ideological divides.
In his writings, Cronin has examined the spiritual challenge of engaging in meaningful communication with individuals who actively oppose inclusive values. In a 2022 article written for the publication *Earth & Altar*, he reflected on the Christian obligation to recognize the divine presence even in those whose political perspectives might seem dangerous or deeply objectionable.
In that essay, Cronin wrote that Christians are called to seek and serve Christ in people displaying bigotry, prudishness, homophobia, anti-transgender sentiment, uncaring promiscuity, and self-centeredness, as well as in those who refuse to see Christ in return. He emphasized that fulfilling this promise does not mean endorsing or affirming destructive behavior, but rather cooperating with God’s cleansing love to ultimately overcome evil.
Cronin’s installation in Milwaukee builds upon a long institutional history of LGBTQ+ inclusion within the national denomination. Half a century ago, the Episcopal Church enacted a landmark resolution at its 1976 General Convention, officially affirming that LGBTQ+ individuals are entitled to equal standing and full participation as children of God within the church.
The milestone was warmly celebrated by church advocacy groups, including TransEpiscopal, an organization dedicated to supporting and expanding the presence of transgender and non-binary individuals within the life of the denomination. Members of the group viewed Cronin’s appointment as an important benchmark in the church's continuing evolution.
The Rev. Cameron Partridge, a member of TransEpiscopal, offered praise for Cronin’s elevation in remarks to the Episcopal News Service. Partridge remarked on how deeply moving it is to see the Episcopal Church serve as a welcoming space where Cronin could authentically follow Jesus and fully realize his vocation as both a priest and a human being.
Partridge also situated Cronin’s new role within the local historical context of Wisconsin ministry, recalling the work of the late Rev. Gari Green. Green, who was a founding member of TransEpiscopal, served within the Diocese of Milwaukee until her death in 2024, demonstrating the region's enduring history of providing ministry opportunities to gender minorities.
Reflecting on that local legacy, Partridge expressed confidence that Green would have viewed Cronin’s appointment as dean as a profound sign of hope. He noted that the historic achievement serves as a powerful testament to transformative possibility for both the Episcopal Church and the wider world.
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