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First Woman Ordained to Anglican Priesthood Dies at 84

Episcopal News Service. March 5, 1992 [92060]

The Rev. Florence Tim Oi Li, the first woman ordained to the Anglican priesthood, died in Toronto on February 26 at the age of 84. Born in Hong Kong, Li studied theology in Canton, intending to serve the church as a lay worker but was called to the ministry and ordained a deacon in the Portuguese colony of Macau during the Japanese occupation of China during World War II.

During her ministry to refugees fleeing Hong Kong, Li was permitted by her bishop to celebrate the Eucharist. Hearing of Li's work with refugees, in 1944 Bishop R.O. Hall of Hong Kong called Li to a meeting in Xing Xing, behind the Japanese lines. After several days of meetings marked by intense prayers, Hall decided to ordain Li to the priesthood.

The ordination did not sit well with the Anglican Communion. Bishop Hall was censured, and Li was told not to function as a priest. She did not resign her orders, however, since she felt orders are a gift from God and cannot be revoked. During the Cultural Revolution she worked on a chicken farm and participated in the renewal of the church in China when the revolution collapsed. She later ministered to a congregation of about 1,000 in Guangzhou.

Archbishops of Canterbury Temple and Fisher did not recognize her orders, nor did the Lambeth Conference of 1948. But 40 years later, in a special service at Westminster Abbey, she was hailed by Archbishop Robert Runcie for her "selfless ministry as an example to us all.'

Li participated in the ordination of Barbara Harris as the first woman bishop in the Anglican Communion and has become something of a folk hero to women throughout the church who are seeking ordination.

After her ministry in China, Li retired to join members of her family in Canada.

Among those sending greetings to be read at a Eucharist of the Resurrection celebration on March 2 at St. John's Chinese Congregation in Toronto were Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, Canon Sam van Culin of the Anglican Consultative Council, former Anglican bishop K.H. Ting of the Chinese Christian Council, and Runcie.

Runcie said that Li held a "fine place" in the story of the Anglican Communion. "History will judge that her ministry, her humility and courage, played a major part in the acceptance of the ordination of women to the priesthood as part of the Anglican tradition."