CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, OTTAWA
By Canon David Greenwood
The annual worship service of the Anglican Military Ordinariate was held at Christ Church Cathedral,Ottawaon Sunday 13 November 2011. This was the weekend of Remembrance Day and the Dean of Ottawa and Rector of Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Reverend Shane Parker wanted to link the national services of Remembrance with the historic relationships amongst Christ Church Cathedral and the Diocese of Ottawa and the military. Christ Church is not only the cathedral of the Diocese of Ottawa but also the cathedral church of the Military Ordinariate. Over and over again, during the service, these relationships were acknowledged and celebrated. The Diocese of Ottawa has been a good friend to the Canadian Forces and indeed Christ Church Cathedral was named in 1999 as the “Cathedral of the Canadian Armed Forces Canadiennes.”
The worship service was overseen by the Dean. The preacher for the day was Brigadier General the Venerable Karl McLean our Chaplain General. The communion of Holy Eucharist was celebrated by the Right Reverend Peter Coffin, our Bishop Ordinary.
Just before the Eucharistic Prayer, the bishop invited the Dean to come forward and our Archdeacon, Colonel the Venerable John Fletcher invited Padres Rick Durrett, Michelle Staples and David Greenwood to come forward from the first pew. These three military chaplains had been appointed by the Bishop Ordinary as Honorary Canons of the Ordinariate. Dean Parker administered their Oaths of Allegiance, introduced them to the congregation (to a great round of applause) and then formally “installed” the three new canons into their canon’s stalls in the cathedral.
Following worship, the new canons and members of their families, other canons of the Ordinariate, military chaplains and senior members of the Cathedral were hosted by Archdeacon Fletcher and Nelson Usher to a wonderful lunch at the Delta Hotel. The following morning, our Ordinariate Chapter met at the offices of the Ottawa Chaplains in Uplands.
Interested in keeping up-to-date on news, opinion, events and resources from the Anglican Church of Canada? Sign up for our email alerts .