tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19505042.post6959321407392463540..comments2024-01-29T06:02:39.583-08:00Comments on Suzanne's Bookshelf: The Deaconesses of Sydney Diocese: Part 2Suzanne McCarthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07033350578895908993noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19505042.post-56624902955862961232008-10-29T18:52:00.000-07:002008-10-29T18:52:00.000-07:00I was amazed to find this quote from me & I wa...I was amazed to find this quote from me & I was also somewhat dismayed that it has really been taken out of context. I say this because my first year of ministry was 1973 (decades ago, though this was not stated) & this quote was taken from a chapter I wrote which was entitled, from memory, 'Almost The Rector'. I wrote the chapter in 1985 & in the last section of the chapter I described the position I held at that time. I had been appointed 'in place of a Rector' in a Sydney Parish. I held that position for 3.5 years. I have now held another position like this for 15 years, again in a Sydney Parish. In fact, my first year out of college, was the only time I have experienced such a lack of freedom in my 35 years of Parish ministry, all but 7 of which have been in Sydney Parishes. I was among the first 14 women to be ordained as a deacon in Sydney in 1989. Our synod decided last week to allow deacons to administer Communion without a priest being present, & given that I have led parishes in Sydney for over 18 years, there's now only 2 restrictions on me in Sydney Diocese - that is, I cannot be ordained as a priest & I cannot officially be a Rector. I wanted to put the above quote from me into its context but I mainly want to give glory to our amazing God who has opened the way for me to have incredible freedom as a woman in ministry for so long. Praise the Lord!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19505042.post-17550421204640050982008-09-02T23:32:00.000-07:002008-09-02T23:32:00.000-07:00I think so too. I can't speak for other dioceses o...I think so too. I can't speak for other dioceses or denominations, but here there is definitely a subtly abusive treatment of assistant ministers. I have heard stories of minister's early years that were not justcases of close supervision of a newbie, but definitely crossed the line into abuse of power. And of course, so often, "Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return". Hierarchical thinkingin extremis doesn't only hurt women, it hurts everyone.Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10982043538182690871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19505042.post-21587509556407633282008-09-02T13:49:00.000-07:002008-09-02T13:49:00.000-07:00Interesting, but I suspect that Jacinth Myles' exp...Interesting, but I suspect that Jacinth Myles' experience in her first parish after training would not be so different from that of many male curates in their first parishes, at least until the rector's annual leave.Peter Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13395635409427347613noreply@blogger.com