Canadian Church consecrates its first woman bishop : That's 'Bishop Victoria' to you
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official2048
- Date
- 1994 February 12
- Source
- Anglican News Service
- Type
- Press release
- Text of motion
- Toronto, Feb. 12, 1994 -- The consecration of the Rev. Victoria Matthews as a suffragan bishop for the Diocese of Toronto today will "bring a certain completeness to ministry" in the Canadian Anglican Church, said the Most Rev. Percy O'Driscoll, the archbishop who will preside at the consecration. "Victoria will, I am sure, be a symbol of encouragement and strength to many women across Canada who are engaged in ministry".
- Eighteen years after the first woman was ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada, Ms. Matthews -- Bishop Matthews after the service -- will become the first woman bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada, and only the fifth in the Anglican Communion worldwide.
- Bishop Matthews will be consecrated at a 10:30 a.m. service at St. Paul's Anglican Church, 227 Bloor St. East, along with the Very Rev. Michael Bedford-Jones. Both priests were elected as suffragan bishops for the Diocese of Toronto at a synod last Novembers 19 [1993]. They will become part of a college of five bishops serving the diocese. With 219 parishes, Toronto is the most populous of the 30 Anglican dioceses in Canada.
- Bishop Matthews will be assigned to the Credit Valley region of the diocese, said diocesan bishop, the Rt. Rev. Terence Finlay. Bishop Bedford-Jones will be assigned to the York-Scarborough region. In addition to specific area responsibilities, the two new bishops will share with the larger college in overall pastoral leadership of the diocese.
- "Being the first woman bishop in Canada, Victoria's ministry will probably be closely scrutinized by some," said Bishop Finlay. "She has a strong personal faith and a compassion for others that will carry her through." He added that "both bishops bring considerable gifts to their new responsibilities. With all the attention being focussed on Victoria, Michael may be forgotten. That would be unfortunate, because he brings a spirituality and a quiet sense of humour that we all need."
- - 30 -
- For further information, please contact: John Bird, 600 Jarvis Street, Toronto ON M4Y 2J6 Telephone: (416) 924-9199, ext. 256 Fax: (416) 968-7983
- Subjects
- Bedford-Jones, Michael (Michael Hugh Harold), 1942-2021
- Matthews, Victoria, 1954-
- O'Driscoll, Percy (Percival Richard), 1938-
- Ordination of women - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada. Diocese of Toronto
- Women bishops - Anglican Church of Canada
- Bishops - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada - Bishops