Those who have been called:

To be Deacon --To be Priest

 
Historical Background:

Since 1973, women in the Episcopal Church have been able to be ordained deacon due to changes in canon law by the 1973 General Convention. After January 1, 1977, they could be ordained as priests and bishops.

The first woman (Sarah Rieth) was accepted into postulancy in 1973 in the Diocese of Western New York. The first women Sarah Rieth, Judith Burrows and Patricia Bird) were ordained to the deaconate in 1977 just before the General Convention expanded ordination in all three orders to women. The first ordinations to the priesthood (Judith Burrows, Sarah Rieth and Patricia Bird)) in this Diocese occurred in 1978.

It is difficult to determine how many women have served as a rector in WNY as the titles of "rector" and "priest-in-charge" are very fluid in the diocese. Both male and female clergy have been considered rectors even in part-time positions while some women who have been priests full-time have not had that title. The title "vicar" is clear: The Bishop appoints vicars to be in charge of parishes that are not self-supporting. The other titles are used for parishes that are self-supporting, even if the position is only part-time. Note: The names in red are deacons serving in the Diocese. The names in blue are no longer canonically resident in the Diocese. The names in green are missing.

Name
Postulant
Deacon
Priest
Current Location/Assignment

Marie Moorefield Fleicher

-

June 1973

July 29, 1974

one of the Philadelphia 11- Canon to the Ordinary of North Carolina

Beryl Choi

-

October,1973

January, 1977- by +Bp Appleyard

canonically resident but retired to Virginia

Judith Burrows

April 8, 1976

June 4, 1977

April 8, 1978- 1st ordained in the Diocese of WNY

Rector at St. Paul's, Harris Hill

Heather Benson

-

June 1976

April 1978- by Bishop Ogilby

-

Sarah Rieth

Sept. 19, 1973- 1st accepted in Diocese

June 4, 1977

May 13, 1978- 3rd in Diocese

moved to North Carolina 2001; prior to that with Ephphata; works as a counselor

Patricia Ann Byrd

Dec. 4, 1975

June 4, 1977

April 29, 1978 - 2nd in Diocese

interim rector of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Middletown DE

Patricia Cadwallader

-

-

June 3, 1978

-

Susan Cox Keppy

-

June 27, 1981

February 1, 1982

Rector, St. Paul's, Lewiston

Betsy Smylie

-

May 1981

May 1982

Vicar, Ephphata Community until move to Washington State; died 1999.

Betsy Bennett

-

April 9, 1978

1983 in California

-

Mother Rita Dugger

-

June 7, 1980

-

resident of the Episcopal Church Home; former Superior of the Community of the Way of the Cross in 1985

Cecily Yount Whitford

-

June 20, 1982

-

widow of The Rev Jack Whitford; serving at St. John's Grace

Clara Brunner Gillies

-

June 6,1983

-

Associate at Trinity Buffalo

Alice Turner

-

June 11, 1983

-

St David's West Seneca/Assistant Spiritual Advisor Cursillo

Leona Irsch

 

Sept 17, 1983

May 12, 1984

from the Diocese of Rochester; currently supply priest

Gay Walser

-

June 9, 1984

-

Calvary, Williamsville

Ellen Mongomery

-

June 22, 1985

April 1, 1986

Associate, Trinity, Buffalo

Shirley Trail

-

March 1, 1986

-

Canaan House which she opened; St. Andew's Buffalo

Dorothy Myers

-

Feb 25, 1987

-

City of Niagara Falls, Pastoral Care

Edith Patterson

-

Feb 25, 1987

-

Good Shepherd, Buffalo

Lorene Potter

-

June 13, 1987

April 5, 1988

Supply priest

Sue Boyd-Ellis

-

June 13, 1987

-

Trinity, Hamburg

Paulette Hill Dwyer

-

June 13, 1987

-

Chaplain, Kenmore Mercy

Pauline (Polly) Bowen

-

June 11, 1988

-

St. Matthias, E. Aurora , Coordinator Education for Minitry

Elizabeth Middleton

-

June 11, 1988

-

-

Beverly Moore Tasy

-

June 1985

May 1989

came from Michigan and returned after serving in campus ministry 94-96.

Karen Gough

-

June 10, 1989

-

Interim Chaplain of Canterbury Woods & the Episcopal Church Home; archdeacon 1993 - 1996

Cynthia Bronson

-

-

-

from Ohio; Canon at St. Paul's 89-92; Director of BAMM- 1992; left in 1994

Patricia Powers

-

-

-

Rector of St. Nathanial's, North Port FL, Diocese of Southwest Florida

Carol Grant-White

March 16, 1983

1988

1989 (Niagara)

interim rector at St. James, Batavia; licensed from the Diocese of Niagara- Ontario

Barbara Baxter

-

June 6, 1991

January 25, 1992

supply priest

Susan Champion

-

Nov 14, 1991

May 14, 1992

transferred to Eastern Oregon in 1992, now in Hawaii

Margaret Foster

-

Nov 23, 1991

-

relocated to Texas; retired?

Katherine Lwebuga-Mukasa

-

Dec. 2. 1989

-

came from Connecticut; serves at St. Philip's

Alice Jellema

-

June 6, 1992

Dec 1, 1992

rector of Guardian Angel Church, Baltimore MD

Evelyn Manzella

-

June 6, 1992

Dec. 1, 1992

left the diocese in 1994; currently resides in Ohio

Kathryn White

-

June 6, 1992

Jan 3, 1993 in Michigan

Rector in Dearborn MI

Susan Anslow -Williams

-

June 27, 1992

January 30, 1993

St. Luke's, Jamestown

Joyce Meadowcroft

-

June 1992

January 1993

canonically resident in Rochester; served at St. Paul's Stafford; currently in Clinton SC.

Nancy Stevens

-

Nov. 1993

May 1994

came from Rochester and returned there

Alison Martin

-

June 11, 1994

Dec. 17, 1994

Rector, Trinity, Lancaster

Elizabeth Huskey

-

-

Jan 18, 1995 in NC

associate at Trinity Buffalo 95-96; currently in AZ.

Sarah Buxton-Smith

-

June 11, 1994 in Virginia

March 25 1995- Connecticut

chaplain to the House of Bishops' Spouses, ECUSA; research consultant for theEpiscopal Church Foundation, vicar St. Andrew's, Buffalo

Carmen Seufert

-

Dec. 9, 1995

Sept 19, 1996

Rector, St. Patrick's, Cheektowaga

Judy Hefner

-

June 8, 1996

Sept 6, 1997

from the Ephphata Community; Vicar, St. Matthew's, Buffalo

Barbara Price

-

June 7, 1997

Dec 20, 1997

Vicar of St. Peter's, Eggertsville & the Ephphata Community; Director of Admissions and Alumni Affairs and lecturer in pastoral ministry, Bexley Hall, Rochester. She is also the chaplain for the ECW Triennial in 2003 http://www.episcopalchurch.org/ecw/barbara_price.htm

Kimberly Haag

-

June 6, 1998

Dec. 12, 1998

-

Lorna Williams

-

June 20, 1998 in Chicago

Jan 1, 1999

left for Michigan in 2000

Patricia Guinn

-

Sept 12, 1998

-

Chaplain, Erie County Home, Alden

Carolyn Hass

-

Aug. 7, 1999

-

St. Luke's, Attica; Chaplain, New York State VA Hospital, Batavia

Ann Markle

-

June 6, 1999

Jan 8, 2000

Rector- St. Raphael's, Crossville TN as of 12/15/02

Leann McConchie

-

May 6, 2000

-

St. Paul's, Cathedral

Victoria Duncan

 -

Oct 6, 2000

April 2, 2001

Canon for the Development of Mission and Ministry,
Dean of Bishop Brent School of Ministry,

Marya Rose Buckingham

 -

-?

- ?

from Diocese of Niagara; served at St. Mark's, Buffalo

Ellen Brauza

 -

Jan. 20, 2001

August 19, 2001

Associate, St. Paul's, Harris Hill

Bonnie Bundrock

-

Sept. 14, 2001

-

Christ Church, Lockport

Linda Malia

-

June 22, 2002

January 5, 2003

assisting at St. Simon's, Buffalo

Cheryl Parris

-

Dec. 21, 2002

-

-

Lizabeth Smith

-

Jan. 11, 2003

-

St. Aidens, Alden

Judith Breny

-

June 4, 2003

-

-

Christine King

-

June 21, 2003

-

St. Peter's Westfield, developing Pastoral Care Ministry in Northern Chautauqua County

Originally Researched by The Rev. Leona Irsch, 2002

 

Please contact Nancy Piatkowski with any additions or corrections

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