Rev Jo Bailey Wells, deputy secretary general of the Anglican Communion, was one of the first generation of women to be ordained a vicar in the Church of England in 1995. Married to an Anglican clergyman with two children, she has also served as chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Anglican bishop, who in the past has praised "gender history" for highlighting how "institutions are gendered and how institutions gender individuals," also addressed an interreligious meeting attended by Pope Francis in Kazakhstan in October 2022 when she reportedly said, "gender equality is part of God's plans."

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Her installation will take place on 15 December.

Is she high-church or low-church? Answer: "I am liturgically fairly catholic and theologically fairly liberal - a liberal catholic," she says.

Mike Crean, writing in The Press, says "Patterson has been in Christchurch long enough to understand how people are polarised by debates: a cathedral for Cathedral Square, differences between high and low church factions, ordination of people in same-sex relationships.

"If the sparkling personality of the Northern Irish farm girl cannot carry her through such controversies, then her ability to see all sides and bring reconciliation to them should do it."

Patterson studied theology at Oxford and then lectured in theology there, for a total of 12 years. She had intended doing a doctorate but enjoyed the teaching so much she took on extra classes instead.

Having previously visited New Zealand, she she came to live there 10 years ago.

Patterson's first year involved becoming "acclimatised to New Zealand culture", learning Maori and studying for church ministry. Bishop David Coles ordained her as a deacon in 2004 and a priest in 2005.

She was attached to Theological House in Merivale and acted as curate to the cathedral. She became theologian-in-residence at the cathedral and assistant to the then dean, Peter Beck. When Beck resigned in 2011, Patterson became acting dean.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Anglican Taonga
• AnglicanLife.org.nz
• Image: Anglican Taonga

Many migrant populations have not been used to women and girls serving in this way, a statement from the liturgy centre to NZ Catholic noted. "This matter has to be handled with pastoral sensitivity, and catechesis provided, so that people understand the equal role of men and women in the Sunday assembly," the statement continued.

"While noting the historical practice of altar boys, and that it is ‘laudable' that this is retained [Redemptionis Sacramentum 47], it should be noted that this ministry has been renewed and developed since the Second Vatican Council, and that the norms and practices of the local Church where one chooses to live must also be respected," it added.

Source

• NZ Catholic
• Image: 4.bp.blogspot

Tucked in with announcements about a new electronic donation system and a church dinner at Margarita's Mexican restaurant was news that Zickel, the mother of two girls, had been dreading: Corpus Christi would no longer train girls to be altar servers.

Zickel burst into tears and ran to the bathroom.

"I knew right then that our family couldn't stay at this church anymore," Zickel said, her voice breaking. "I'm a mama bear, and they're going after my girls."

The decision last fall by Corpus Christi's pastor, the Rev. Michael Taylor, and the response of Zickel and about a dozen other families who left the 1,100-family South Riding church reflect ongoing tensions among American Catholics over the role of women. About 50 families from across the country wrote letters of protest to the Arlington Catholic Diocese, and a vigil is scheduled for Sunday outside the diocese's offices.

The subject has played out unusually in the diocese, which was the next-to-last in the country to say, in 2006, that girls were eligible to help priests at the altar. (The diocese in Lincoln, Neb., still has a boys­-only policy.) Arlington Bishop Paul Loverde left the decision up to individual priests. Five years later, about 60 percent of the diocese's 68 parishes across northern and eastern Virginia still allow only altar boys, a diocese spokeswoman said.

Some share Taylor's belief that the positions should be reserved for boys, who may become priests and help ease a major Catholic clergy shortage. Girls who had already trained as altar servers at Corpus Christi were allowed to continue, but they cannot wear the new black, priestlike robes the boys began wearing. People who oppose altar girls see the task as priest-like and note that the church teaches priests must be male because they model Jesus. Read more

• Source: The Washington Post
• Image: Commonweal