Rev'd Canon Claire Brown: Our Diocese’s First Woman Priest
This month the Reverend Claire Brown celebrates 40 years since her ordination by Bishop Peter Mann on 9th September 1984 in St Aidan’s, Alexandra.
Claire was the first woman to be ordained in the Diocese of Dunedin. That significant event was the culmination of a seven year journey to priesthood encouraged by the Reverend Les Steele, then Vicar of the Dunstan Parish. But in fact Claire had known from the age of 14 that she would one day work in the Anglican Church, and after completing her Master’s degree with Honours in English at the University of Otago, was booking her travel to England to explore training for ministry when she met Ted Brown and life then took a different path. After graduating, Claire taught English at Kaikorai Valley High School for five years and Ted taught Physics at Otago Boys High School. The family then moved to Fiji where Ted taught Physics at the University of the South Pacific while Claire cared for their three small children. Then two years after the family returned to New Zealand they settled on an orchard just outside Alexandra.
With their youngest child nearing school-age, Claire began again to consider the possibility of a future ministry in the Anglican Church. Her involvement in the Dunstan Parish and her appointment as a lay reader there led to discussions about ordination as a non-stipendiary priest, and an approach to Bishop Peter was made. Interviews in Dunedin followed but though he approved in principle, Bishop Peter had reservations about taking this step – a momentous one at the time – and another six years went by. In 1983 the Reverend Ken Booth came to Dunedin as Vicar of St John’s, Roslyn, and became one of the Diocese’s Examining Chaplains. He championed her cause and the Diocese agreed to ordain its first woman priest. The last hurdle was for Claire’s own parish to approve this decision. Again after much discussion (and some opposition), the Dunstan Parish Vestry agreed.
On 24th July 1983 at St Paul’s Cathedral Claire was made a Deacon, and 14 months later came her ordination. Claire recalls a typical comment she heard in conversation subsequently was “I wasn’t sure about this but you convinced me”.
Once ordained Claire’s ministry was centred initially in the Dunstan Parish. She then became locum Priest in Charge for a short time in Green Island Parish to fill an unexpected vacancy and found herself conducting three weddings, four funerals and a baptism in just five weeks! Priest Assistant at Northeast Valley Parish was her next position. Claire then spent five years as Curate at the Cathedral and recalls with fondness and respect the encouragement there of Dean Robert Mills. Claire next served as Vicar at Holy Trinity Parish at Port Chalmers for 12 years where she was also Chaplain to seafarers. Following the retirement of the Vicar of the Otago Peninsula Parish, the Reverend Cushla McMillan, Claire took responsibility for the Parish from April 2004 as Priest in Charge during the interregnum. Then she returned to the Cathedral, serving there as Priest Assistant for a further eight years.
And it is now back in the Otago Peninsula Parish that Claire has settled in her retirement, though retirement is not strictly accurate for someone so active. Otago Peninsula Parish is blessed that she continues to lead worship there. Claire also continues her involvement in social justice issues, in particular with the Howard League for Penal Reform. She maintains her interest in restorative justice and the work of Anglican Family Care, though no longer taking an active role.
As Claire Brown celebrates the 40th anniversary this September of her priesting, all those who have worked alongside her or whose lives she has touched will be celebrating with her such a wonderful and wide-ranging ministry. She has the last word: “It’s such a privilege”.
See also:
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/first-female-priest-called