Falklands : Bishop of Dover to Ordain Falklands Priest
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 18.01.2006 (Article Archived on 01.02.2006)
It's another Falklands first with Kathy Biles being the first priest - and a woman to boot - being ordained in Christ Church Cathedral. Graham Bound tells us more.
BISHOP OF DOVER TO ORDAIN FALKLANDS PRIEST
A Report for BBC World Service “Calling the Falklands” by Graham Bound (GB) 01/17/06
This Sunday, Christ Church Cathedral will be the setting for a service that will make Falklands’ history. Kathy Biles, who, as Church goers will be well aware, has been a Deacon at the Cathedral for some time, is to be ordained a priest. It’s a ceremony that never before has been held in the Falklands. And, underlining its significance, the special service will be conducted by the Bishop of Dover. He’s already packed his vestments and left for the Falklands. But shortly before heading off for RAF Brize Norton, Bishop Stephen Venner (SV) told me how he felt about undertaking such a unique mission.
SV: I am very excited, of course, at going to a place that I don’t know and would never have dreamed that there would be a possibility of visiting. So it was a wonderful opportunity when it arose. And the Falkland Islands has, as far as the Church is concerned, a varied history. It’s been a diocese with its own Bishop on and off for years. But for the last 20 years or so it’s been under the direct jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury. And, my job, as Bishop of Dover, is to be the Archbishop when he’s not in Canterbury and, occasionally, to represent him elsewhere. So, Kathy Biles, who lives in the Falkland Islands but has a home in Kent, incidentally, decided that she would like to be ordained and I was responsible for the process of testing that and ensuring that she received the proper training. I am absolutely delighted to go out ordain her a priest next Sunday.
GB: And what does this mean to the clergy in the Falklands? I was there, by the way, at Christmastime and attended a service in the Cathedral and noticed that Kathy was quite heavily involved in it. What does it mean for the Church there?
SV: It gives them a little bit of continuity and security. Chaplains there and priests working in the Cathedral as well as with the Armed Forces tend, by definition, to be there for a very few years and then move on to something else. And so there’s a constant change-over. And, Kathy’s ministry will mean that, hopefully for a number of years, they will have somebody there whom they know, even though the paid priest will come and go as they do.
GB: Now, I understand that you will also be carrying out some other duties while in the Falklands. Tell us about that.
SV: Since I am going all the way out there it seems silly to do the one service so in the evening of Sunday, I shall be leading a confirmation service. And, I understand there are a few adults there who wish to be confirmed. I’ve also discovered that on Thursday of this week there is the service for HMS Ardent, which was sunk during the Falklands Conflict. So as I am around, they’ve asked me if I will go and give a blessing there. So, I shall be flying out to HMS Dumbarton Castle and joining in the service.
GB: And, I suppose you will be meeting up with the Military clergy at Mount Pleasant?
SV: I have wanted to do that because, again, it seems silly going all the way over there and not taking that opportunity. So the Bishop to the Forces has agreed that I should represent him as well. And, I am flying over with one of the senior Chaplains and one or two Senior Naval Officers as well. I’ve got a day and a half – nearly two days- visiting the armed services – the families that are over there.
GB: You are not, I would imagine, new to this ordaining work. This is something you do fairly frequently?
SV: yes. I have been a Bishop now for 12 years so I have lead a lot of ordination services. The other good thing from my point of view is the Church of England has agreed last July the final draft of a new ordination service. So I gives me a chance to practice while I am out of the country so when I do it for the first time in Canterbury Cathedral, which I will this summer, I at least have had an advantage over my colleagues or having had a run-through already.
GB: Perhaps I should warn you, this is not a huge cavernous church. It’s a lovely little intimate church. I think you will enjoy it.
SV: I shall enjoy it. We have lots of small churches in Kent so I am quite used to little jewels around the place.
(100X Transcription and Monitoring Service)
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