WOMEN PRIESTS celebrated a victory over Blackburn Cathedral this week as it retreated from its decision to provide wafers consecrated by a male priest when a woman priest was presiding.A year ago the Cathedral implemented the policy after Dr Sue Penfold was appointed as one of its three residentiary canons.
A statement from the Chapter, the Cathedral’s governing body, said: “It will now be the case that the sacrament at any celebration of the Eucharist will be consecrated solely by the person who is presiding “We now regret the course of action that we took. We apologise for any hurt or pain that this has caused.
“We realise that people experience a mixture of celebration and joy, sorrow and pain in relation to the issue of women’s ordination to the priesthood. We remain determined to recognise, and respectfully to accommodate, this range of responses within our congregation.”
Chief amongst those experiencing celebration and joy was the chair of Women and the Church (WATCH) Christina Rees.
She said: “The Chapter responded to pressure from members of the Church of England writing to say they did not think this was right. One feels for Dr Penfold, because she herself felt able to accept the practise and the situation for the sake of the ministry she had in Blackburn Cathedral. She was not the instigator of the move to get things changed.
“It was members of the Church who said ‘this is an affront to us’, and the Dean has been forced into this brilliant decision to climb down. This just shows the impossible situation that some ordained women are put into, where the question is either I get on with the job, I collude with this discriminatory behaviour, this offensive behaviour, or I kick up a fuss and become instantly known as trouble-maker and damage my ministry.”
Both the Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, and the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, are opposed to the ordination of women.
The Cathedral maintains that it was seeking to accommodate different views: “As a Chapter working very harmoniously together, we continue to seek a way forward that emphasises beyond any differences our common baptism in Christ.”
Archbishops’ Council member, the Rev Preb David Houlding, believes this is impossible. He said: “I think this is a sign of how deep the division goes and how hard it is to reconcile what are actually irreconcilable differences. “It’s about celebration of the sacraments, it’s not about how we work together or the excellent pastoral work that women clergy do. Those clergy in the Cathedral have to be in communion with one with another. Therefore the sacraments they celebrate have to be celebrated by one another.
The Dean of Blackburn does not recognize women priests, and that’s the problem. If it’s difficult now, then what is coming with women bishops?”
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