Reflection on the Ordination of Women

Posted

The Rev. Vicki Mouradian, Associate Rector

The Episcopal Church in the United States recently celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the ordination of women to the priesthood.  My, how times have changed in forty years!  The church went from a time of turmoil and indecision over this issue in the sixties and seventies to a time of general acceptance by the twenty-first century.  The times of argument and angst faded into the background as the church moved forward to address other issues of intolerance, peace and social justice, environmental stewardship, and more. Bishops and clergy who refused to abide with the national church decision over women and the priesthood went their separate ways, some peaceably, others leaving the wounds of schism in their wake.   Predictions for an overwhelming exodus of Episcopalians from the fold proved not to be prophetic.  The Episcopal Church did not fold nor did it go to “hell in a hand-basket.”   In fact, the Episcopal Church moved on and now women count for more than one third of its priests.  One of the most meaningful outcomes of the church’s recognition of women was the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in 2006.

Growing up, the path to becoming a priest was closed to me.  Girls couldn’t even be acolytes.  Therefore as a child, I never dreamed of becoming a priest.  It was simply not “the done thing” to question the male role of priest.  My parents were very traditional and I was expected to marry well, have children, and fan the flames of charitable organizations.  I was to be gracious above all else.  Also, my mother hated me in black.

I cannot help but wonder what it would have been like if I had been able to have such a career choice as a child or young adult.  While earning my BA in Art History, I also pursued numerous classes in Religion.  After graduation, I contemplated graduate work in Art History.  That desire morphed into Church History.  I was constantly asked, “But, what would you do with it?”  I caved to my traditional upbringing and decided on Event Coordinating.  I mean really, how could anyone traditional decry planning weddings and fundraisers for charitable organizations? (At least no one in my family.)  Off I went into a very creative side of business but my career lacked depth.  I thought I could make up for that by worshipping on Sunday and being involved with charities.  Try as I might, something was still missing.  Marriage and family eventually overtook my career path.

When my children were young and my marriage was history, I found myself once again in a position to think about a career path.  Before me now was a choice of opportunity that I had never known.  I was heavily involved with lay ministry and the more I gave of myself the more I felt that all of my work time should be placed in the hands of God.  I felt compelled to baptize and celebrate the Eucharist.  I felt compelled to teach and preach and walk beside others.  I could actually now dream of becoming a priest.  But, only God could offer that to me through the gift of the Holy Spirit.  And so it began – my journey to the priesthood; it took a decade.

Sometimes I think, if only I could have been ordained sooner, I could have done so much more in God’s service.  And then reality sets in and I know I have always been in God’s service; just the format has changed.  I may have had fewer years to dream the dream of priesthood but then I think back on all the beautiful things I have accomplished that have led me to that threshold.  I will always thrill to my memories of lay ministry, my search for a personal relationship with Jesus, my years of exploring church history, my years of serving through charities, and the exquisite experience of being a mother to my children.  I realize that God calls us for specific reasons at specific times, his time.  I would not be the priest I am today without all I have lived through and guess what?  Event planning proved great preparation to become a priest!

I thank those women who pioneered through the years of turmoil to make women’s ordination to the priesthood possible!  It was just not in God’s time to call me then.  It was in God’s time to call those who were gifted in making such a tireless effort to bring about that change.  I am forever grateful that the perseverance of the Philadelphia Eleven paved the way for me to be called to serve all of you at All Saints by-the-Sea.