The Rt. Rev. Leopold Frade, 56, Bishop of Honduras, was elected third Bishop of Southeast Florida, on May 6. He will succeed the Rt. Rev. Calvin O. Schofield, Jr., who will retire in September.

The election at Trinity Cathedral, Miami, took barely two hours. Bishop Frade was elected on the second ballot, receiving 71 of 108 clergy votes and 89 votes from the 175 lay delegates.

The other nominees were: The Rev. Wilifred Allen-Faiella, rector of Trinity Church, King of Prussia, Pa.; the Rev. Canon Richard M.L. Barry, rector of St. Agnes', Miami; the Very Rev. Robert Gepert, dean of Trinity Cathedral, Easton, Md.; the Very Rev. Bernard Griffith, rector of Christ Church, Miami; and the Rev. Stephen F. Zimmerman, rector of Chapel of St. Andrew, Boca Raton, Fla.

Bishop Frade arrived at the cathedral shortly after the results of the second ballot were read, and was greeted with enthusiastic applause and cheers. He thanked those present, and also expressed gratitude to the other candidates, whom, he said, "brought marvelous gifts" to the search process.

He said that if he were asked "How can you do this?," he would respond, "Only on my knees."

He added, "Let us be surprised by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our diocese."

Bishop Frade was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States in 1960. He was ordained deacon and priest in Miami in 1977. Before his consecration, he served as curate at Holy Cross, Miami, 1977-78; priest-in-charge of the Hispanic ministry at Grace, New Orleans, La., 1978-82, and vicar of Hope, Orlando, Fla., 1982-83. He was consecrated Bishop of Honduras in 1984.

In Southeast Florida he will lead a diocese of 81 congregations and approximately 35,000 members.