Sydney MOW celebrated 40 years of activism on behalf of women’s ordination in the Diocese of Sydney on 17 September 2023.
MOW rallying outside Sydney Synod on 12 September 2023. Elaine Lindsay, Colin Fong, Rev’d Ann Edwards (Qld) and Debra Porter
We were made most welcome by Fr Daniel Dries, Rector, Christ Church St Laurence, George Street, Sydney, who had invited The Archbishop of Perth, The Most Rev’d Kay Goldsworthy AO to preach at the very well-attended 9:00 am and 10:30 am services. Archbishop Kay’s sermon is downloadable here.
The Most Rev’d Kay Goldsworthy AO, Archbishop of Perth, Christ Church of St Laurence, Solemn High Mass, 17 September 2023
Phillip Seale, past Sydney Convenor (2019-22), and CCSL congregation loudly applaud the fact that Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy is the first woman bishop or archbishop to preach in the Sydney Diocese.
Deacon Kim Hoey and The Rev’d Daphne May (ordained 1992) came down from Wagga Wagga to celebrate with Sydney MOW, 17 September 2023.
About to process into CCSL: some of the ‘monstrous regiment’ of ordained women from outside of the Sydney Diocese: The Rev’d Danni Clark (Brisbane), The Rev’d Daphne May (Canberra-Goulburn), the Rev’d Ann Edwards (Brisbane) and the Venerable Dr Colleen O’Reilly AM (Melbourne), 17 September 2023.
The Most Rev’d Kay Goldsworthy AO, Archbishop of Perth, preaching at Solemn High Mass, Christ Church of St Laurence, 17 September 2023.
Photos from the service and subsequent lunch are also on the Christ Church St Laurence Facebook,
Professor Bernard Stewart, Dr Elaine Lindsay (national president 2022-), Professor Emerita Eileen Baldry AO (early Sydney MOW convenor), and The Rev’d Dr Sue Emeleus with a photo of the 1981 Anglican Women Concerned protest outside General Synod. CCSL hall, 17 September 2023.
Members and friends of Sydney MOW gathered in the church hall for lunch and the Dr Patricia Brennan AM Lecture, presented by The Venerable Dr Colleen O’Reilly AM. We were bolstered by supporters from Newcastle, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania. Many of the Queensland delegation of ordained women had been with us for several days, handing out flyers to Sydney Synod members running the gauntlet of our banners. The flyer, drawing on research by The Rev’d Professor Dorothy Lee, is downloadable here.
Dr Susanna Lynley (author – as S. Glover – of the 12 Theses); the Venerable Dr Colleen O’Reilly AM (co-founder of Anglican Women Concerned in 1975 and one of the founding coordinators of Sydney MOW); The Most Rev’d Kay Goldsworthy AO (ordained priest in Perth 1992; Archbishop of Perth); Ruth Champion (Sydney MOW Convenor 2022-). CCSL hall, 17 September 2023.
The Venerable Dr Colleen O’Reilly AM and Dr Susanna Lynley cut the celebratory cake. Colleen presented the Dr Patricia Brennan AM lecture, in honour of the one of the founding coordinators of Sydney MOW and the first national president of MOW. CCSL hall, 17 September 2023.
It was wonderful to catch up with Patricia Brennan’s children and grand-children; with Susanne Glover (who authored the 12 Theses which were blu-tacked to the door of St Andrew’s Cathedral by Colleen O’Reilly and Julia Perry in 1983); and with The Rev’d Val Tibbey and The Rev’d Daphne May (both ordained in 1992). Also present were past Sydney MOW convenors, including Eileen Baldry, Julia Baird, Deb Porter, Margaret Lawther and Phillip Seale.
Women with a message: Rev’d Jeannette McHugh (Canberra, past national president of MOW); Rev’d Ann Edwards (Brisbane, Vice-President MOW); The Most Rev’d Kay Goldsworthy AO (Perth); Dr Julia Baird (past co-convenor Sydney MOW); Rev’d Sandra Kjellgren (Brisbane, secretary MOW); Rev’d Danni Clark (Brisbane). CCSL hall, 17 September 2023.
Dr Julia Baird with Peter, Kate and James Brennan, The Most Rev’d Kay Goldsworthy AO, Professor Emerita Eileen Baldry AO and two of Dr Patricia Brennan’s grandchildren. CCSL hall, 17 September 2023.
Lubricating the celebrations: Jennifer McGovern (Sydney MOW committee member) and Deacon Kim Hoey. CCSL hall, 17 September 2023.
Two trail-blazers: The Rev’d Daphne May (ordained priest 1992, Canberra-Goulburn) and The Rev’d Val Tibbey (ordained priest 1992, Newcastle). And still Sydney women have to leave the Sydney Diocese to take up their call to priestly ministry. CCSL hall, 17 September 2023.
