Eleven new priests and eleven new deacons ordained in Salisbury Cathedral

New members of the clergy have been ordained over the weekend at services at Salisbury Cathedral, with one priest who has waited 14 years after her diocese voted against ordination of women to be ordained in Jersey.

11 new deacons were ordained into the clergy on Sunday June 30 during a special ceremony at the Cathedral, with 11 new priests ordained in a similar ceremony on Saturday June 29.

The new members of the clergy will serve across Dorset, Wiltshire and the Channel Islands. Typically, newly ordained deacons serve in parishes for a year before being ordained as priests, when they are able to lead services of Holy Communion and weddings.

The ordinations were carried out by the Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Stephen Lake, with the Bishop of Sherborne, Rt Revd Karen Gorham and the Bishop of Ramsbury, Rt Revd Dr Andrew Rumsey.

The new deacons had their feet washed during the service, as a sign of their ministry of service, and priests had their hands anointed, symbolising that they are now God’s hands in the world, she said.

Reverand Georginah Phillips, from Jersey, was at the Cathedral for the services but will be priested in a special service on Monday July 1 in Jersey, by the Bishop of Salisbury. The Channel Islands joined the Diocese of Salisbury in 2022.

Revd Georginah, who is at St Andrew’s Jersey and serves as a chaplain at Jersey General Hospital and Hospice, has waited 14 years to be ordained, after beginning her journey in 2010 in Zimbabwe. Just before she was due to be ordained in 2014, the diocese voted against the ordination of women.

Despite being asked to consider ordination in other churches, she waited, she said. She moved to Jersey in 2016 and restarted her journey with the Anglican Church.

Speaking on her ordination, she said: “It feels like I have finally given birth to what I’ve been carrying all along. It is humbling, the support I have from the Bishop, the diocese, the whole island… it's humbling and overwhelming.”

Rev Canon Nigel Done, director of ordinands who supports those exploring vocations and ordination, said: “When I met Georgie, where she was working as a lay chaplain in St Helier Hospital in 2022 and as I listened to her story I was moved to tears, because there were so many good reasons why she might have lost hope that the church would ever honour her call.

"Instead of despondence I met someone shining bright with faith and so calm and clear in her obedience to serve Christ in all who she met. It was the greatest pleasure to have a part in helping Georgie finally receive the affirmation that she had patiently waited for, and am delighted that she is now ordained priest in Jersey. Grace, peace and God’s blessing on Georginah Phillips!”