In the book of records of the church of England, an Easy Midland Cathedral has become the first to have a team of female clergy.
A group of five clergywomen, led by the acting dean of Leicester, Rev. Canon Karen Rooms makes history in the Church of England, being the first all-female team. The other four clergywomen are Canon precentor Rev. Canon Emma Davies, Canon pastor Rev. Canon Alison Adams, Curate Rev. Manuela Schmucki, and Curate Rev. Julia Bradshaw.
Rev. Canon Karen was appointed after the former dean, Rev. David Monteith, left to become the dean of Canterbury earlier this year.
In a statement to Premier, Rev. Canon Karen talked about the appointment of clergy and dean in the church. She said, “Every Cathedral has a dean and two clergy, so there’s always at least three clergy at a cathedral. And those appointments are made like any other senior appointment, you apply for the role. But over the last few years at Leicester, it’s women who have taken on those roles and been appointed to them.”
“And then I was asked to be the acting dean, whilst we look for a new dean, hence, we all happen to be female. So on the one hand, it’s just kind of happened. On the other hand, you do have to be intentional about investing in female clergy.”
The team is the fist of its kind in the history of the Church of England, though, Portsmouth team was meant to be the first all-female clergy team save from its dean.
In a further conversation with Premier, Rev. Rev Canon Karen continued: “I think it makes a massive difference to women to see women in leadership. And I think any minority, we’re not just talking about women here. When you see yourself at the front, you think, well, maybe that could be me.”
The first female priest in the Church of England was appointed in 1994 and female Bishops were not allowed till 2014.
Currently across Cathedrals in the Church of England, there are 12 female deans out of 42.
