Church of Ireland make video to celebrate 30 years of female clergy

After the Church of Ireland General Synod gave its approval on May 15, 1990, the Revd Irene Templeton and the Revd Kathleen Young were ordained in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast on June 24 that same year.

There are currently around 100 female clergy serving in the Church of Ireland, among 500 serving clergy in total.

To mark the growth in women in the church over the past 30 years the video features the passing of chalices and candles between clergy, each filmed in an individual video clip.

Dean of Cloyne, the Very Revd Susan Green, said: “The chalices are signs of our ordination as priests, of celebrating Holy Communion and of all we share together. The passing from one to another symbolises our connections and our unity in Christ. In these Covid-19 times, when we are missing the sharing of the common cup, it is all the more poignant.

“The candles symbolise the light of Christian faith and as we enter Advent.”

Susan, who is originally from Dublin, was ordained in 1992. Her husband – Rev Andrew Orr – is also ordained and is originally from Belfast.

Both has ministered in Northern Ireland – Andrew as curate in Ballymacash and Susan as curate in Antrim. They now are in neighbouring parishes in Co Cork.

Asked about people’s attitude toward female clergy, Susan said: “It has changed as I have changed and grown over the years.

“It’s wonderful to see female clergy progressing over the years. Gender is less of a presenting issue than it used to be. I wouldn’t say it’s totally not an issue, there are still things that we are working on.

“I sometimes refer to the barriers to females entering the ministry as the five Cs – cash, confidence, children, candidate selection and culture, as in what people all around you think.”

The mother-of-three said: “A lot of the more family friendly ways of working that have become the norm for the most of us have enabled women and men to engage in ministry.”

The video includes memorable comments about the role of women in ordained ministry which have been heard over the years such as, “I’ve never seen a woman priest before. Can I touch you and make a wish?” and “I feel so comfortable talking to you that I forgot you’re the rector.”

The video (which can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/483074576) will be shown at this year’s meeting of General Synod, which will take place in an online format this Tuesday and Wednesday, and as part of a service to be televised on RTÉ One on Sunday, December 13, at 11am.