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 “Mitre over the parapet moments”

  1. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    Thanks for linking +David’s post. I’d read it, and the first few comments, but missed that later discussion. It represents a new level of blog dialogue in the SEC, I think.

    Reply
  2. Rev Ruth Avatar
    Rev Ruth

    Who’ll be next, do you think?

    Reply
  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thanks for the episcopal summary – I take back my previous criticisms about the bishops. They are being rather splendidly thoughtful at the moment. As was Archbish Sentamu on Radio 4’s question time 🙂

    Reply
  4. bishop david Avatar
    bishop david

    Kelvin – thanks for your linking and attention-drawing activities. It’s hard not to be aware that there is a common thread linking all of those ‘over the parapet’ contributions – which is that the tone of recent contributions from our Catholic colleagues has been unfortunate. But now that we seem to have some momentum, I hope we can move on to be a bit more successful at shaping an agenda rather than simply responding to others.

    Reply
  5. Duncan Avatar
    Duncan

    What’s the clergy equivalent of a mitre over the parapet?

    A biretta over the altar?

    Reply
  6. Stewart Avatar
    Stewart

    …only when it is snowing!!

    Reply
  7. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    I can see snow on Cruachan. Birettas may be worn.

    (See number 79 of my 100 things if you’ve no idea what Stewart is alluding to).

    Reply
  8. Phil Avatar
    Phil

    I am afraid the discussion with +David on his blog came to a sad end….have another look!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

Previous Posts

  • Fauré Requiem

    The choir sang the Fauré Requiem at tonight’s service. We have an annual requiem on All Souls’ Day at which it is our custom to remember by name those who have died who are being remembered by the congregation. It is always the most moving occasion. Last night I knew that it was drawing together…

  • On visiting Perth

    I enjoyed my visit to Perth on Sunday evening. Several things stuck me which are worth comment. People seemed in good heart in the diocese. The mission review that Bishop David has been getting them to do seems to have got people thinking and even got some of them excited. I’ve still not seen it…

  • Ordination Sermon – Perth 28 October 2007

    Christine. Just over 10 year’s ago, I sat where you are sitting, waiting to make my own response to the same questions which in a few moment’s time will be put to you. As I think back to that time, I remember an incident which happened to me in my training before I was ordained.…

  • Don't forget

    Don’t forget that British Summer Time ends tonight. Clocks go back 1 hour. We get an extra hour in bed. I’ve a preaching gig in Perth tomorrow evening at St Ninian’s Cathedral. An ordination, the installation of a dean and three people being made canons. We’ll need that extra hour, I should think. If you…