Women priests return to Goulburn for 30th anniversary of ordination

People spilled out on to the grounds on Sunday, December 20, 1992 as 11 women were ordained as priests into the Canberra/Goulburn Anglican diocese. Legal hurdles, namely a NSW Supreme Court injunction the February before, were cleared, and Bishop Owen Dowling was ready to welcome 11 women into the church.

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Goulburn's St Saviour's Cathedral marks 30 years of women priests in diocese

One of them, The Reverend Elaine Gifford, recalled a sense of anticipation for the "significant step towards equality in the church."

But there was a collective holding of breath as the congregation was asked if they knew of any obstacle preventing each candidate's ordination.

A retired priest stood and said the Anglican Church did not have a mandate to ordain women. He asked that all who supported him also stand.

"Immediately there was a great rustle of movement as the scores of people who were standing in the aisles hastily tried to squat down," The Reverend Gifford said this week.

"After some nervous laughter in the congregation, the Bishop declared that the service should proceed...And so, with due ceremony and acclamation by the people, we were ordained to be priests in the Anglican Church."

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The Reverend Gifford was one of six of the 'First 11' who marked the ordination's 30^th anniversary at a St Saviour's service on Saturday. The Reverends Vicky Cullen, Anne Dudzinski, Pamela Phillips, Gill Varcoe and Daphne May also attended. Margaret Streatfield, Barbara Tabor and Ann Dittmar-McCollim could not attend. The Reverends Ruth Mills and Julie Kelly are deceased.

Christopher Littlejohns was the only male ordained a priest that day.

Bishop Mark Short took part in the service but women took the lead. The Right Reverend Sarah MacNeil, the first diocesan elected female bishop in Australia participated and Canberra/Goulburn assistant Bishop, Carol Wagner presided at the eucharist. Assistant Bishop of Melbourne, Genieve Blackwell, preached, while Cathedral Sub-Dean, The Reverend Canon Anne Wentzel, also attended.

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Reflecting on the1992 day, The Reverend Gifford said it was orderly and came with a sense of relief. For some, it had been a long and difficult journey. The extra nine months proved testing.

"It was a huge step for me. Ordination was not something I thought I'd ever do," the former teacher said.

The Reverend Gifford was already a deacon in Canberra when she was ordained.

She said Bishop Dowling was a strong advocate.

"I have a lot of admiration for him," she said.

"He was so supportive of us and stood his ground theologically and with intentionality against those who objected. In the February he could have lawfully ordained us in the ACT but he wanted it to do it the right way, in Saint Saviour's Cathedral."

The Reverend Gifford subsequently served in Batemans Bay and Canberra again before coming to Goulburn in 2003. Here, she assisted the Dean and served as mental health chaplain.

Receptions were mixed. She said a man walked out of a communion service when he realised a woman was presiding. Alternatively, a woman told her the experience had affected her; somehow she felt more "whole, the church more balanced and her sense of God complete."

"There are still people in Australia who have theological objections to the ordination of women," the Reverend Gifford said.

"But I'm thankful to say that we are no longer a novelty. We've had women bishops for some years, and many stories of appreciation could be told of people's experience of women in ministry."

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She retired in 2006 and moved to Canberra with her husband, John.

Also returning for Saturday's service were The Reverend Haydn Swinbourne and The Reverend Canon Kevin Stone, who were ordained as deacons on December 1992.

The Reverend Swinbourne remembered it as a joyful day, with about 1000 people in attendance

"Since then, we have benefitted from the diversity and gifts women have given in their role as priests. We are one," he said.

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