Bishop of Cork appoints Advisor in Women’s Ministry

The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, has announced that he has appointed the Dean of Cloyne, the Very Reverend Susan Green, to be his advisor in women’s ministry.

The principal roles of the Bishop’s Advisor in Women’s Ministry are:

– to be an advocate and support for women’s ordained ministry in the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross;
– to support the leadership, well-being and development of women in ordained ministry, enabling them to flourish in their vocation; and
– to advise the Bishop on issues in ministry that affect female clergy.

Bishop Colton said:

It’s nearly three decades since we first ordained women to the priesthood in the Church of Ireland and it is important that the contribution of women in ordained ministry continues to flourish. I have spoken previously about the imbalance in the number of women in senior ministry positions. No episcopal electoral college has yet elected a woman bishop. In addition I think all of us here would like to see more women serving in ordained ministry in this Diocese.

Dean Susan Green said:

As we approach the thirtieth anniversary of the Ordination of Women to the Priesthood in the Church of Ireland, it is a good time to encourage the women who are ordained and those who are considering it. There is much to be thankful for, but there are unconscious or sometimes conscious biases that women may encounter. So, it is important that women are supported in their ministries as we all explore what lies ahead.