Anglican Church to ordain 7 priests

THE ANGLICAN church, which over the years has been crying out for people to serve the church, will soon be comforted by the fact that seven persons will be elevated to the priesthood in two weeks  time. Two lay persons will be made deacons.

The ordinations will take place at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity at 10 am on December 20, with Bishop Calvin Bess presiding. Lyris Bailey, a former principal of Richmond Street AC School and Alvin Best, who works at  National Petroleum, are the two lay persons to be admitted to the diaconate. Wilford Carrington, a former Director of Education (Planning) in the Ministry of Education; Marsha Joseph, principal of the UWI Junior School; Titus Ackbarali, Jeff Elder, Richard Jacob, Marcus Joseph and Carlyle Lynch will become priests. Dean Knolly Clarke said yesterday “It was good to see more people are making themselves available to serve the church. Of course, we are always willing to accommodate more young men and women.” He noted that as the population grows, there will be need for more church leaders to handle special programmes like Christian education, and ministering in the hospitals and prisons.

Meanwhile, on December 21, Revd Canon Matthew Gray will observe the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Canon Gray, rector of St Michael and All Angels Church in Diego Martin, was made a priest at the All Saints Church, Newtown, on December 21, 1963. On that day, the then Bishop of Trinidad and Tobago, William Hughes, conducted the ceremony at which two other men were admitted to the diaconate. They were Leroy Lyons and Noel Titus, both of whom are Tobagonians, as Canon Gray is. Another ordination anniversary being observed on December 21 is that of Canon Francis Caesar, Rector of St Paul’s Anglican Church, San Fernando. He has been a priest for the past 35 years. On December 21 three years ago, Calvin Bess was consecrated bishop.