On May 9, more than 530 people filled the pews of Christ Church Cathedral for a grand liturgy and a momentous occasion. The Venerable Kathryn Otley, the first female Anglican Bishop of Ottawa, was ordained and installed before a sea of clergy and parishioners from across the vast swath of the Diocese, and witnessed by representatives of other faith communities. Opened in 1873, Christ Church Cathedral’s English Gothic architecture was on glorious display under the sun of a bright, brisk May morning, with the details and colours of the stained glass windows coming to life.
The Very Reverend Beth Bretzlaff, Rector of Christ Church Cathedral and Dean of Ottawa, welcomed the faithful and recalled the Feast Day of Julian of Norwich, the medieval English ascetic widely regarded by contemplative Christian communities. The congregation rose for the hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,” led by the Cathedral’s exemplary choir. The clergy of the Diocese, all duly vested in white albs and red stoles, processed in as the hymn rang through the church. They filled row upon row of the nave.
The words of the Collect reflected the lyricism that is so often a hallmark of the Anglican tradition. The Metropolitan of Ontario, the Most Reverend Anne Germond in her capacity as presiding celebrant, shared these words: “God of unchangeable power and eternal light, look favourably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery. By the effectual working of your Providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation. Let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new…”
The first reading, taken from the Book of Wisdom, chapter 7, was read in French. The choir, conducted by Andrew McAnerney, then sang Psalm 103. This further elevated the already melodic and atmospheric words “our days are like the grass; we flourish like a flower of the field; when the wind goes over it, it is gone, and its place shall know it no more. But your merciful goodness endures forever on those who fear you, and your righteousness on children’s children…”
John 14 served as the Gospel reading, with Jesus’ memorable words: “the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” The Reverend Mike Gibbons, a Lieutenant Colonel and military chaplain, offered the sermon. Speaking from the pulpit, his words on this joyous occasion in the life of the Diocese were warm, and occasionally sprinkled with humour. He noted that the celebration of Bishop Otley’s ordination and consecration was a day of both new beginnings and also of continuity. She is seated as the eleventh bishop of Ottawa and the first woman to hold this position. “Ministry vocations are a gift from God. Those who have been called and affirmed in their ministry give us a glimpse into God’s presence in our midst. At times this gift is grand, joyous and awe-inspiring. The colourful vestments and a new headdress doesn’t hurt. Yet most of the time these glimpses are much more ordinary, more mundane. At the heart of each of those glimpses, the Divine is revealed to us,” Rev. Gibbons shared.
He spoke of Julian of Norwich, who sought an experience of God through ardent prayer. Yet the revelations she experienced coincided with a near-fatal illness, in the era of the Black Death. “Julian’s theology pushed against the mores of the day that promoted a wrathful view of God’s relationship with humanity — a vengeful punisher of human mistakes. In her revelations, Julian was shown something utterly simple. God placed before her a small, round object, no bigger than a hazelnut. He asked her to behold it. In that tiny, fragile object, she saw the whole of Creation: held, loved and sustained by God,” Rev. Gibbons noted. God was revealed to her in the ordinary. The homilist tied this into the Gospel reading, where the disciple Philip asks Jesus to show him the Father and expects a grand revelation. He’s rebuked: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father,” Jesus says. The Divine is already in our midst.
“This is the risk of the Christian life: to reach out into the void, hoping that our hands will be clasped by God,” Rev. Gibbons said. People often turn to their Shepherd for reassurance in their faith and to have God revealed to them. The Bishop of Ottawa has the mission of reaching the individual believer and also overseeing a vast diocese spanning 46,000 square kilometres. A good leader is a good storyteller: the leader bears the narrative of their community and inspires each member to find themselves within this shared narrative.
The sermon was followed by the song “All Shall Be Well,” composed by Sarah Quartel and inspired by Julian of Norwich; it was sung beautifully by the Cathedral’s choir.
The diocesan and provincial chancellors proceeded to read the testimonials, confirming the certificate of election and the existence of no canonical impediment to the Venerable Kathryn Otley becoming the next Bishop of Ottawa. The Metropolitan of Ontario then invited Bishop-elect Otley to promise and declare before the Church that she believes the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God and that she will conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Anglican Church of Canada. The clergy formed a tight circle around Bishop Otley in the sanctuary, as the choir sang the Litany of the Saints.
Now vested, Bishop Otley faced the congregation and received a rolling sea of applause. She shared how humbled and honoured she felt to have been surrounded by prayer. “We live in a time of abundance, and we are established and rooted in faith. We should not shift away from the hope that is given in the Good News that we have heard, and that we know and that we believe,” she shared.
During Communion, the choir sang a hymn well known by many Christians, namely Be Thou My Vision. Following the recessional hymn, the clergy of the Diocese gathered and coordinated themselves adeptly for a large group photo — a moment that this writer had the chance to capture, too.
A festive reception followed the liturgy. We made our way over to the Cathedral’s Great Hall — a crisp, spacious and modern atrium built adjacent to the sacred space. Prosecco flowed, while a tempting spread of hors d’oeuvres and veritable heaps of freshly-baked cookies awaited the hundreds who gathered to celebrate what the future of the Diocese may hold.
Christopher Adam
Born in Montreal, Christopher Adam has called Ottawa home for the past twenty years. He received his MA from Carleton University, with a thesis focusing on twentieth century European church history, and a PhD in History from the University of Ottawa. Over the years, he has published widely and works in the faith-based charitable sector in Ottawa.