Bishop of Harare Chad Gandiya has expressed his gratitude for a recent visit to his diocese by three women priests from the Church of England.
The Rev. Canon Liz Walker, the Rev. Judy Henning and the Rev. Anne Jablonski, all from the Diocese of Rochester, traveled to the African nation with their bishop the Rt. Rev. Brian Castle.
The trip was, however, more than just a friendly visit, and the three women were deployed to various parishes within the Diocese of Harare. They spent two weekends in parishes and were in Zimbabwe from Jan 4-13.
In an interview with ACNS on Jan. 23, Gandiya said, “This was the first in the diocese! The [Church of England] priests were surprised by the reception they received in those parishes and they were able to carry out their work joyfully.”
The priests also joined fellow clergy from Zimbabwe for a week-long annual clergy retreat at Peterhouse, in the town of Marondera. “It was as if we had women priests in the diocese already,” said Gandiya.
At its provincial synod held in November last year, the Church of the Province of Central Africa, of which Zimbabwe is a part, voted against a motion to allow individual dioceses who want to ordain women to go ahead.
More here-
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2014/01/24/zimbabwe-anglicans-prepare-for-womens-ordination-with-cofe-visit/
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