Archbishop Anne Germond reflects on a day of celebration, convocation, and honouring Bishop Victoria Matthews during Trinity College’s 50th anniversary observance of women’s ordination in the Anglican Church of Canada.
On May 12, Archbishop Anne Germond attended a special day of celebration and reflection at Trinity College, University of Toronto, marking the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women to the priesthood in the Anglican Church of Canada.
The day began with a panel discussion titled Called to Be Priests and Prophets: Ordained Women Then, Now, and Next, featuring prominent leaders in the Church, including Bishop Victoria Matthews and Bishop Sally French. The conversation explored themes of vocation, leadership, and what it means to speak prophetically in today’s world.
Following the morning gathering, Archbishop Anne met with Deacon Thomas Ferris, who received his Master of Divinity degree during Trinity College’s Faculty of Divinity Convocation later that afternoon.
A highlight of the convocation ceremony was the conferring of an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree upon Victoria Matthews, the first woman consecrated as a bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada. Archbishop Anne had the honour of presenting Bishop Victoria during the ceremony.
In her remarks, Archbishop Anne reflected on Bishop Victoria’s faithful and groundbreaking ministry across the Anglican Communion, describing her as “a generous hearted, Spirit-led woman whose life speaks volumes, and whose ministry within the Anglican Communion has been marked by wisdom, courage and an unwavering devotion to the Gospel.”
Archbishop Anne also highlighted Bishop Victoria’s decades of episcopal leadership in Toronto, Edmonton, Algoma, Moosonee, and Christchurch, New Zealand, noting her steady and compassionate witness through seasons of challenge and change.
For the Diocese of Algoma and the Diocese of Moosonee, the occasion carried particular significance. Bishop Victoria’s ministry continues to leave a lasting mark in the North, not only through her years of episcopal leadership, but also through her ongoing willingness to serve the Church wherever needed. In her convocation address, Archbishop Anne noted that on several occasions in recent years she has called upon Bishop Victoria to assist in difficult pastoral situations in Algoma and Moosonee — invitations to which she has consistently responded with generosity and faithfulness.
As the Church marks fifty years since the ordination of women to the priesthood in Canada, the day at Trinity College offered both a celebration of those who helped open new paths in ordained ministry and an opportunity to give thanks for leaders whose witness continues to shape the Church today.
DOWNLOADS