Celebration marks 30th anniversary of women priests in the Church of England

A significant milestone was celebrated as some of the first women ordained as priests in the Church of England gathered to mark the 30th anniversary of the ordination of women to the priesthood. The event, held at Exeter Cathedral, saw the participation of the Rt. Rev'd Jackie Searle, Acting Bishop of Exeter, who was among the 11 pioneering women ordained in 1994.

The celebration included a special choral evensong followed by an event in the Bishop's Palace Garden on July 10. Women clergy from across Devon attended the occasion, reflecting on the historic ordinations that took place after years of campaigning by equal rights groups. The first women were ordained priests in Exeter Diocese on June 26, 1994, and Bishop Jackie, who was ordained at St Paul's Cathedral while eight months pregnant, expressed her deep emotions during the anniversary gathering.

"It's been an incredible privilege for me to be part of this journey, to see how women are flourishing in ministry in Devon and how far this Diocese has come," said Bishop Jackie, visibly moved.

Canon Cate Edmonds, who was ordained in 1995, led prayers during the evensong, offering thanks for the perseverance of women who followed God's call despite facing prejudice, self-doubt, and limited resources. "We remember with sorrow those whose vocations were never realised and the loss of ministry that could have been," she said, also calling for continued efforts to address gender injustice in the Church.

This year also commemorates the 80th anniversary of the first woman to be priested in 1944 and the 10th anniversary of the first woman to be consecrated as a bishop in 2014.

The Rev'd Prebendary Samantha Stayte, Dean of Women in Ministry for the Diocese of Exeter, highlighted the significance of the celebration. "It was deeply moving to see the women who were the pioneers at the event. They are the people who paved the way for my generation and those after me," she said. She emphasised the diversity and normalcy of seeing women of all ages and backgrounds serving as priests, illustrating the Church's progress.

"Seeing so many women from across Devon gathered together is normalising - the fact that women are priests, older women, younger women, married women and single women are priests. We show the diversity of womankind in the priesthood. It shows how far the church has come in a very short time," she added. "30 years in the history of the Church of England is only a short time, and yet the sense of flourishing and enthusiasm and excitement about being people who bring the word of God to others is palpable amongst this group of people."

The event underscored the Church's journey toward inclusivity and the ongoing efforts to support and empower women in ministry.