International Women's Day

Happy International Women's Day!

The first women ordained in our diocese were the Rev. Diana Spencer and the Rev. Joy Vernon in 1989. The Rev. Karen Fast became the fourth to be ordained in 1991. Karen was gracious enough to provide us with a brief interview to mark this commemorative day in Canada. Today, more than fifty percent of our clergy are women. Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee is the first female Bishop of our diocese.

To watch Karen's interview, click on the link below. 

Fun Facts:

• In Canada, the first woman ordained into the diaconate in 1969 was the Rev. Mary Mills. 

• In Canada, the first woman consecrated as a Bishop in 1994 was the Right Rev. Victoria Matthews. 

• In Canada, the first female Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada was the Most Rev. Linda Nicholls who was installed in 2019. 

• The first women ordained in the Diocese of Islands and Inlets was the Rev. Diana Spencer and the Rev. Joy Vernon in 1989. 

• The first female Bishop of BC who was consecrated as a Bishop was Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee in 2021.
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• We currently have thirty-one licensed clergy who are women and many more who are retired or have permission to officiate in our diocese out of the current total of fifty-five licensed clergy – that’s 56%!

Below are some newspaper clippings from some of our earliest ordination services where women were ordained.