AUSTRALIA: Kay Goldsworthy consecrated as first woman bishop
Episcopal News Service. May 22, 2008 [052208-02]
Matthew Davies
The Venerable Kay Goldsworthy was consecrated as assistant bishop for the Anglican Diocese of Perth in a historic service at St. George's Cathedral in Perth on May 22. Goldsworthy, 51, becomes Australia's first woman bishop.
The Most Rev. Roger Herft, the Archbishop of Perth, presided over the service and the Most Rev. Phillip Aspinall, primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, preached.
The service at St. George's Cathedral was attended by more than 800 people, including 21 bishops from Australia and other provinces in the Anglican Communion.
The Anglican Church of Australia becomes the fourth province in the Anglican Communion to consecrate a woman to serve as bishop.
Goldsworthy, whose appointment was announced on April 11, said she was both humbled and deeply honored to be the first woman bishop in Australia.
Regarded a pioneer of women's ordination in Australia, Goldsworthy was one of the first women ordained to the priesthood at St. George's Cathedral in 1992 by Herft's predecessor, Archbishop Peter Carnley.
Since her ordination, she has served as school chaplain at Perth College, canon of the cathedral, parish priest at St. David's in Applecross, archdeacon and registrar of the Diocese of Perth. She has also served as a member of the Anglican Consultative Council, the Communion's main policy-making body.
Herft said the decision to appoint Goldsworthy to the office of bishop was a reflection of the Diocese of Perth's "unwavering commitment to the fullness of Christ's gospel," according to a news release from the diocese.
"The ordination of Kay and the inclusion of women in the episcopate is a Holy Moment in the life of the Church -- God yearns for all human beings to live in the dignity which is their treasured inheritance," Herft said. "In this event, the ordained leadership of the Church which has been the sole preserve of men is made complete as women become partners in the fullest sense in the episcopal ministry of the Church. It is a sign of hope, proclaiming to women and men that they are of equal precious worth in God's eyes -- gifted to be bearers of Holy loving and living."
The way was cleared for women to serve as bishops in the Anglican Church of Australia in October 2007 with the ruling that such appointments were in accord with the Church's constitution.
The National Bishops' Meeting held in Newcastle in April 2008 established protocols in respect of women in the episcopate, and "parishes that cannot in good conscience recognize the ministry of a woman bishop will be offered the services of a male bishop," according to reports.
Since Goldsworthy's appointment, Archbishop Philip Freier of Melbourne announced the appointment of the Rev. Canon Barbara Darling as assistant bishop in the Diocese of Melbourne. She will be consecrated on May 31.
Fourteen of the 38 Anglican provinces have approved the ordination of women bishops but 10 have yet to appoint or elect one. Three provinces -- the U.S. Episcopal Church, Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia -- currently have women serving as bishops. The Church of England's General Synod in July 2006 called for the practical and legislative arrangements of admitting women to the episcopate to be explored and the Scottish Episcopal Church voted to accept women bishops when it met in Edinburgh, Scotland, in June 2003.
The Rev. Canon Nerva Cot Aguilera became the first woman Anglican bishop in Latin America when she was consecrated bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Church of Cuba in June 2007.
Bishop Barbara Harris, now retired suffragan of Massachusetts, became the Anglican Communion's first woman bishop after her election in 1988 and consecration in 1989.
Herft said Goldsworthy is highly suited to the role of bishop "bringing gifts of grace and a firm gentleness that will complement the leadership team," a diocesan news release said.
"Kay Goldsworthy is a respected priest, devoted in prayer, humble in spirit, open to God's call, a person who has a proven track record in leadership at local, national and international levels of the Christian life," said Herft. "Kay will bring an important perspective to bear in the leadership team."
Goldsworthy has been invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury to attend the 2008 Lambeth Conference of bishops, set for July 16-August 3 in Canterbury, England.