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Women rev-ved up to join clergy in Lancashire (From Preston and Leyland Citizen)
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Women rev-ved up to join clergy in Lancashire
7:10pm Monday 28th June 2010
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- By David Watkinson » Chief reporter
MORE than half of all people applying to become a priest in Lancashire are women, it has been revealed.
Church of England chiefs said the numbers of women priests was rocketing as a ‘sense of balance’ begins to show in the make up of church leaders.
Rev Dr John Darch, the Blackburn Diocese director of ordinance, said: “We have a lot of women coming through, in fact the majority of applicants now are women, it stands at around 60 per cent.
"Those who come to see me discuss their vocation, gender is irrelevant, but we would like to see more women as we want a balance.”
The figures come as nine new deacons – four of whom are women – were ordained at Blackburn Cathedral at the weekend.
The annual service was hailed a huge success by the Bishop of Blackburn, who said that the church was eagerly hunting for new leaders.
The Rt Rev Nicholas Reade completed the service on Saturday, while David Russell and Stephen Watkinson were ordained as priests in Padiham on Sunday.
They were among six new priests ordained across Lancashire.
Bishop Nicholas said: “Ordinations always mark a very happy weekend for the Diocese.
"At a time when we are eagerly looking for more stipendiary, and self-supporting priest and deacons, it’s very thrilling to see 15 people being ordained.
“Once again, we have a wide range of ages of people, bringing a rich variety of experiences to our parishes.
"I very much hope that as we look after and pray for those who are being ordained this year, others in the Diocese may discover a vocation to serve in the ordained ministry.”
NINE NEW DEACONS
* David Allsop and Judith Balkwell (St Thomas, Musbury, St James, Haslingden with St Stephen, Grane and St John, Stonefold, and St Peter, Laneside)
* Graham Ashworth (St Ambrose, Leyland)
* Sue Bell (St Lawrence and St Paul, Longridge)
* Jane Everitt (Poulton, Carleton and Singleton)
* Christine Gould (St Peter, Darwen)
* Peter Hamborg (Christ Church, Fulwood)
* Andy Shaw (St Peter and St David, Fleetwood)
* Peter Smith (Euxton).
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Your Say YourCitizen
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
3:58pm Tue 29 Jun 10
amazed, Darwen says...
5:16pm Tue 29 Jun 10
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
3:07pm Wed 30 Jun 10
what on earth told you that only a man can administer that ?
I thought Jesus was a bit more than just a man and that a Priest is after all a little bit less than a Jesus.
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
3:11pm Wed 30 Jun 10
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
3:20pm Wed 30 Jun 10
Every Orthodox Religion is full of ambiguities unless a person agrees to be blind to its falsehoods which believers constantly do do.
I do not know of anyone in the Church like that.
amazed, Darwen says...
6:26pm Wed 30 Jun 10
I explained my position. In the church where I attend the priest distributes the host (bread) and we have both ladies and gents who administer the chalice (with the bishop's authority). I don't object to that but some do. What I am saying is that my preference is for a male priest to take the full communion service ritual and as long as he distributes the bread I am satisfied.
All your other pontifications mean nothing to me as I am not interested in your interpretation of your doctrine - thank you. That is me done!!
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
2:53pm Thu 1 Jul 10
......... as long as you are satisfied thats fine with me. That is my only concern. People Eternaly Satisfied.
Bill Carson, Mill Hill says...
5:47pm Thu 1 Jul 10
amazed wrote:You are just a total bigot in that case.
Unfortunately many worshipping people cannot accept the idea of women priests. This is not a matter of "man's superiority over women" It is a matter that Jesus Christ was a man and that a man should administer the sacrament and not a woman. I firmly believe that this is true and I could never accept a woman priest for that simple reason. I repeat, it is not prejudice against women. It is for the reason I have tried to explain in the simplest terms.
That's the most ridiculous statement in opposition to women priests I've ever heard.
It's like saying you refuse to accept the delivery of newspapers by girls because they are not really paperboys.
No wonder congregations are declining!
defective typewriter, lancashire says...
3:43pm Fri 2 Jul 10
Bill Carson wrote:a woman gave birth to JESUS, and ye, isnt that role important enoegh,
amazed wrote: Unfortunately many worshipping people cannot accept the idea of women priests. This is not a matter of "man's superiority over women" It is a matter that Jesus Christ was a man and that a man should administer the sacrament and not a woman. I firmly believe that this is true and I could never accept a woman priest for that simple reason. I repeat, it is not prejudice against women. It is for the reason I have tried to explain in the simplest terms.You are just a total bigot in that case. That's the most ridiculous statement in opposition to women priests I've ever heard. It's like saying you refuse to accept the delivery of newspapers by girls because they are not really paperboys. No wonder congregations are declining!
we didnt hear jesus complaining about women bringing forth new life and cursing the day he was birthed out and breaved his first breath, we spend nine months trying to get out of a woman and the rest of our lives for the most part trying to get back in, im all for women priest, specially if they is wearing a mini skirt instead of a pair of curtains
defective typewriter, lancashire says...
5:37pm Fri 2 Jul 10
Women rev-ved up to join clergy in Lancashire
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pez63, blackburn says...
9:44pm Mon 28 Jun 10