What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Florence Li Tim-Oi – Celebrating 70 years since her ordination

    I’m just off to celebrate a Eucharist because it is a Feast Day – the Conversion of St Paul. The standard, if rather weak, in-joke is that one is going to pray for the Conversion of St Paul rather than simply remember the Conversion of St Paul – not least because Paul had things to say that have not been terribly helpful to a modern world where women and men are equal.

    As I celebrate the feast today I’m going to be remembering with thanksgiving this woman: The Rev Florence Li Tim-Oi and celebrating 70 years since her ordination.

    Florence Li Tim-Oi

    She was the first woman to be made a priest in the Anglican Communion and today is 70 years since it happened. It happened in wartime when there were no men around and it happened secretly and without the permission of synods and decision-making bodies simply, I suspect because they couldn’t meet at the time.

    The most extraordinary thing about Mother Florence is that once the war was over, she gave up her license to act as a priest (but not her orders) until such time as her church accepted the principle that women and men could equally be regarded as priests. In her part of the world, that meant waiting until 1971.

    I can’t imagine what it was like to wait so many years to be treated as an equal.

    No, wait a minute.

    I can.

    , ,

8 responses to “Honorary Fellowship Citation”

  1. Aileen Walker Avatar
    Aileen Walker

    Brilliant, so well deserved.

    Reply
  2. Ronnie Smith Avatar
    Ronnie Smith

    Dear Fr. Kelvin,

    This distinctive honour comes to you with the gratitude and blessing of many people whose lives have been enhanced by the empowerment of your advocacy on behalf of us all in the spiritual and secular world that you inhabit. Blessings from our Church in the South Pacific (ACANZP). Fr. Ron Smith

    Reply
  3. Peter Davison Avatar
    Peter Davison

    Well done, Kelvin! And congratulations on this recognition!

    Reply
  4. Meg Rosenfeld Avatar
    Meg Rosenfeld

    Congratulations! As another reader/fan has already said, well-deserved. I hope you’re very proud!

    Reply
  5. Andrew Graystone Avatar
    Andrew Graystone

    Congratulations. Still not sure you would be my first choice to perform surgery though.

    Reply
  6. Keith Barber Avatar
    Keith Barber

    Many congratulations, from the benighted English provinces.

    Reply
  7. Martha Underwood Avatar
    Martha Underwood

    Congratulations, Kelvin!

    Reply
  8. Steven McQuitty Avatar
    Steven McQuitty

    Well done Kelvin. I have followed your blog over the years and your work – and the work of St Mary’s – has been inspirational to many, across these islands and much further afield.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • Banned

    I was told by someone who works in the education sector that access to this blog is banned in Glasgow schools, using a software censorship package. Firstly, anyone else able to report the same, either in Glasgow schools or elsewhere? Secondly, discuss.

  • Register of Ministers?

    I’ve received the most curious form that the bishop expects me to fill in. The letter accompanying it seems to suggest that I must fill it in in order to comply with the Data Protection Act. However, I’m sure that cannot be true – I think it must be seeking to make the diocese compliant…

  • Monday evening

    I arrive home at 2145 having been on the go trying to meet people, answer people and pray with people since 0930 this morning. Today has been far, far too long and so very much remains undone. However, I did hear +Idris tonight speak brilliantly on the Anglican Communion. It was a Regional Council worth…

  • McDonalds

    The question is not whether it is appropriate for McDonalds to offer A Level qualifications. The question is whether or not anyone has yet asked McDonalds to validate the training of ordinands.