NEWS GLEN CAMP MOVES INDOORS! When members of Glen Community Church, Diocese of Down and Dromore, realised that their annual camping weekend would have to be cancelled because of lockdown - they brought their camp indoors! The team at the Glen planned a full programme of activities for their Bank Holiday weekend (May 8-10), and families took part from either a den built indoors or a tent pitched in their back garden. The challenges and devotions all came under the banner ‘Keep The Rev Kathleen Young (later Brown), left, and the Rev Irene Templeton on Connected.’ The Rev Adrian Dorrian the occasion of their ordination as priests in St Anne’s Cathdedral, Belfast, on led devotions, Julie Currie, Diocesan June 24 1990. Children’s Officer, presented crafts, Ashley from the Glen taught ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ in Makaton, and the ‘I FELT IT WAS RIGHT memory verse was taught by Sharon from the Kids’ Team. “Days before we began the TO TEST THE CALL’ weekend of activities, the families who pre-registered received a By Karen Bushby no expectations of ordination. But in free goodie bag filled with all the 1985, the Church of Ireland passed resources for them to complete the June 24 is a milestone anniversary legislation allowing the ordination of crafts as well as some treats and in the history of the Church of women to the deaconate. other resources for exploring family Ireland and the ordination of “I didn’t know where I stood on faith,” said Stephen Doherty, leader women priests in the Anglican women’s ministry myself so I had to of the Glen Church. Church. sort my own head on that,” recalls “It was so good, in these uncertain On that day in 1990, the Rev Kathleen. “My ministry stands on times, to be able to help families Kathleen Young and the Rev Irene the fact that it was women who went of all ages focus on God and stay Templeton were the first women from the tomb to say that Jesus was connected with the church and each to be ordained Anglican priests alive. My commission is the same - to other.” anywhere in Europe. go and spread the news that Jesus is As she looks ahead to this 30th alive.” anniversary, Kathleen, who is now As she was considering her retired and worships in St Nicholas future, the first woman accepted for Parish Church, Carrickfergus, Diocese ordination, Dean Katharine Poulton, of Connor, reflects on her priesting. now rector of Julianstown, Diocese Kathleen was brought up in of Meath and Kildare, began training St Columba’s Parish, Diocese of in Dublin. Down and Dromore. She trained in “Coming to the end of the physiotherapy and worked abroad summer term in my penultimate year before she and her husband Brian at Queen’s, I was reading Ezekiel 3. Glen Church leader Stephen Doherty moved back to Northern Ireland. “It said go to your own people, I am camping out. Brian died in 1982. sending you to your own people, Encouraged by the Rev Desmond not people of a strange tongue or ‘BIG ISSUE’ ONLINE McCreary, her rector in Knockbreda language,” says Kathleen. The ‘Big Issue Ireland’ magazine Parish, Kathleen went to Queen’s “That was the moment I felt God has launched a digital edition and University to study for a Batchelor of was calling me to be ordained. I felt appealing for public help to ensure Divinity (BD). “For me it was a purely it was right to test the call. I spoke to its continuation. academic and therapeutic exercise,” my rector and the process began.” The online ‘Big Issue’ can be read she recalls. “You don’t have so much Following an interview with at www.irelandsbigissuemagazine. time to worry about your grief if you Bishop Robin Eames, she was com, with readers encouraged to have an essay to get in.” sent for selection in Dublin. “I make a donation. At the age of 42, Kathleen had was of a generation that did not 6 I ISSUE 15: JUNE 2020 PEOPLE do interviews. You just got jobs,” midst of the Troubles. It was a time she says. “When I came to do the of seeing God working and his love selection interview it was a daunting expressed in a community which is thing!” deprived and has suffered. It was Kathleen was successful and good to be part of a community joined Katharine in training for which has a wonderful, generous ordination as a permanent deacon, heart, but which had experienced believing it might be 10 years before atrocities,” she said. she would be priested. The first woman in the Chapter of She and Katharine shared Belfast Cathedral, Kathleen married accommodation in the Theological the late Alfie Brown in 1998. She College with their male colleagues. was awarded an MBE June 2007 for “It was the best thing to happen as services to the community. we were in the middle of everything The Rev Kathleen Brown pictured Kathleen remains a member of St that went on,” recalls Kathleen. following her retirement in 2007. Nicholas Parish, Carrickfergus, where Kathleen was 46 when she started of women priests and I did not have she also helped out for a number of at Theological College in 1986. The any feeling of celebration. For some, year after her retirement. following year, Katharine was the first their world had collapsed.” woman to be ordained deacon in Just a few weeks later, Kathleen the Church of Ireland, and in 1988, and Irene were ordained priests by TRIBUTES FROM Kathleen was also ordained into a Bishop Samuel Poyntz in a service at permanent deaconate for the curacy St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. THOSE WHO ALSO of Carrickfergus. “The cathedral was packed with Irene followed a year later. people from all over the world and LEAD THE WAY “Irene was the person who fought the service passed in a bit of a blur,” It is a privilege to be in ministry, for the ordination of women. She remembers Kathleen. “There were and thanks to the impetus of was up front and she worked for it. some very special moments. women who have gone before me, It is because of her that we were “I also remember the interviews. a great privilege to be a bishop ordained,” says Kathleen. Sadly, The media was there from all over who is female, and a wife and Irene died just a few years later. the world, and answering questions mother. was not something I was good at. Without the commitment, vision Fortunately, one of my cleric friends and vocation of women like Irene, My ministry had told me to write down what I Kathleen, Katharine and many wanted to say. It was like being a film others, we would not be celebrating stands on“ the fact star!” 30 years of women priests. I That evening, away from the glare am profoundly grateful for their that it was women of the media, Kathleen celebrated leadership and I remain indebted her first Holy Communion with to their perseverance. It is a solemn who went from the parishioners in Carrickfergus. “That, yet joyful vocation and it has been a tomb to say that to me, was wonderful. It was very, delight to respond to God’s call. very special for it was a service for The Most Rev Pat Storey, Bishop Jesus was alive friends and family. The privilege of of Meath and Kildare - first female that celebration of Communion is bishop in the Church of Ireland. something I will never forget.” It was the first time a woman in Congratulations to Kathleen There were murmurs that the the Anglican Church in Europe had on the 30th anniversary of her legislation to ordain women to the celebrated Communion. ordination to the priesthood. priesthood was ”closer than originally “People had to change their way We overlapped in college as we thought. By chance, Kathleen was at of thinking. I had to give people time prepared for ordination. the 1990 General Synod on the day - even the clergy - to get used to the This year I celebrate the 33rd the motion to ordain women priests idea.” Kathleen says. “The people anniversary of my ordination as a passed its third reading. of St Nicholas Parish were very deacon and 29th as a priest. The “The House of Bishops voted, welcoming and supportive and gave years have flown by, in ministry something they normally did not me a chance.” with and to diverse and wonderful do,” Kathleen recalls. “It was not a After two years as curate, Kathleen people. It is hard to imagine the unanimous vote. The atmosphere was instituted rector of St Paul’s and Church of Ireland without women was quiet and serious, and there St Barnabas in Belfast in October clergy who, like the men, bring a was no cheering when the result was 1990, where she remained until her variety of gifts to all they do. announced. retirement in 2007. Dean Katharine Poulton “I was conscious that there were “Again, people gave me a chance. - first woman ordained deacon friends of mine present who found it Those were 15 very happy years for in the Church of Ireland. very difficult to accept the concept me, even though we were in the CHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE I 7