Today has been designated as National Coming Out Day.
There’s been so much going on recently in the media and social media about gay bishops in the Church of England.
This seems to me to say it in a more elegant way than all the letters to the press, editorials, blog posts and twitter posts by the score.
Alas, I can’t remember exactly when it became possible for women to be come priests in the
Episcopal Church of the United States of America, but I remember very well the first ones in our parish church in Los Gatos, California and, later, in Santa Rosa. It was a very triumphant time!
The Canon in the American Episcopal Church passed in 1976 and went into effect on January 1st 1977.
Sr Alison Joy OSB
Thanks! I hope to remember those dates now.
In Canada women began to be ordained as deacons in 1969 and as priests in 1976.
Heartfelt testament concerning the importance/necessity of inclusion as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded!
I remember the day so
well !
I was at Salisbury and Wells Theological College, preparing to leave to be Ordained in Hereford Cathedral, preparing for the closure of the College and praying with passion and fear that the vote in Synod would be YES 🙏🙏
All three things happened as we know, joy and sadness mingled down.
Yes, all of this, especially “There were cruelties along the way. There was a great deal of abuse along the way”
And, sadly, there still is.
The first women ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church were the “Philadelphia Eleven,” ordained on July 29, 1974, by three bishops who claimed that “obedience to the Spirit” justified their action. After a second ordination of women, all their ordinations were deemed by the national church to be “irregular but valid.” As a previous correspondent noted, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church officially authorized the ordination of women to the priesthood, a decision that went into effect on the first of January in 1977.
Back to Glossary
On the opposite side to the still continuing antipathies in some (diminishing) quarters to women priests : my wife, who is a priest, was driving today when we got stuck waiting our turn to join the main flow of cars. A driver in the main queue – eastern European, almost certainly – spotted my wife’s collar, crossed himself; and when we didn’t get the message, grinned broadly, crossed himself again, and waved us energetically into the traffic flow in front of him.
Well, the proposals have been published which will allow Anglican clergy to more easily defect to Rome. I’ve not heard of any Episcopal clergy in Scotland interested in taking up the offer. It is said that the Traditional Anglican Communion is joining up. But then I’ve never heard of them nor do I know anyone…
Goodness, we don’t lack for drama at St Mary’s some weeks. This morning we had a bag stolen from the hall and a resultant hue and cry, with members of the faithful chasing the person believed to be responsible up the street. Following a hasty 999 call, the Polis turned up. I can’t say any…
Just back from Bearsden where I had been at a day on the Gospel of Luke which we start reading in church from Advent Sunday. It was a day for preachers from all around the diocese and very well spent. John Riches from St Mary’s was our facilitator for the day. Introduction to what is…
Could you all go over and see Cliff Piper over at http://morayrosscaithness.blogspot.com/ He is obviously not getting enough attention as the Dean of Moray, Ross and Caithness so he has started a blog. He is taking his first steps in the Blogosphere and needs our encouragement and compassion. He says on twitter that its scary.…
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