Every summer the Church of England celebrates the ordination of new deacons and priests, as traditionally the majority of  ordinations take place at the end of June, during Petertide, the feast day marking the martyrdom of Saint Peter, on 29th June. Their first ordination is to the diaconate, and then, usually, a year later they will be ordained priest.

This year Fr Louis is celebrating 20 years a priest and Mthr Doreen 10 years, We asked our other clergy how many years since they were priested. Philip has clocked up 7 years, Sheila 27, Mark 30, but the longest serving, clocking up 32% of the total score, is Hilary with 44 years! They have 138 years of priestly experience between them! 

At the Eucharist on Sunday 7th July, Fr Louis will give thanks to God for his 20 years as a priest and for the ministry shared with his brother and sister priests, and pray for the years to come. Cake and cava will be shared after the service. 

This year also marks 30 years since the first women were ordained in the Church of England. The ordination took place on 12th March 1994 at Bristol Cathedral. The very first of the first was Angela Berners-Wilson, thanks to her surname beginning with the letter B. She will be here in Spain visiting Fr Hilary in September. This group of 32 pioneering women became the first female priests in the Church of England’s centuries-long history.

Read more about the joys and challenges faced by women in those early years, on the Diocese's website here.