Diary of a Parson’s Wife
Polly Zipperlen celebrates the election of Wales’ first female archbishop – and issues a call to arms.
Between editions of this paper, I always ponder what to write in my articles. Numerous topics have flashed through my mind at lightning speed over the last few months, so quick I can only recall the tail-end of each idea like a comet’s fire.
Until… Wham! (note to a great 80s pop group) along comes Archbishop Cherry Vann, elected on 30th July. Literally, a gift from God, and what better inspiration for this month’s article could there possibly be? - not only a woman in a position of leadership for the Church in Wales, but an openly Gay woman and, not just that, but rocking a leather jacket, like an 80s rock star. This makes my heart sing…better than my voice singing. Anyone who is under the misconception that clergy wives can play the organ - and sing – are very much mistaken.
I gather, though, that not everyone is as excited as I am about the Archbishop’s appointment, and it has led me to ponder about why criticism and blame often lands at the feet of women. It reminded me of an atheist friend of mine who, on learning of the appointment of Bishop Joanna, accused her of being ‘ambitious’ like this was a crashing abomination. I responded “Duh, yeah, obviously she is ambitious; she’s the first woman Bishop in the Church in Wales. You don’t get there by twiddling your thumbs”.
Outside of church life too, I am sure you will all have a similar story to tell. When one of our family members fell out with another, his wife was blamed. After rowing 3,200 miles across the Atlantic, it amused me to hear – “What woman would go off like that and leave her husband and teenage children?”.
And even from women too. I overheard one of the woman Atlantic-rowers sideswiping a young female sailor who had taken on an epic solo global yacht race, outraged that she was so novice in her approach. Aha, I chuckled, “not like us then, all the gear…”.
Surely we all start out as adventurous novices in whatever we do. I definitely felt like a complete novice bringing home my first baby from hospital.
So, men and women of St. Davids Diocese, I implore you, let’s personally and publicly celebrate Archbishop Cherry. Sing from the rooftops, (well, not me obviously!) and clap and praise. She will be absolutely awesome if we let her be.