Elizabeth Alfred (10 January 1914 – 2 February 2015) was an
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
priest in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia. She was the first woman to be ordained as a priest in the
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne is the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Victoria in the Anglican Church of Australia. The diocese was founded from the Diocese of Australia by letters patent of 25 June 1847
Early life and education
Elizabeth Alfred was born on 10 January 1914. Her family often moved from place to place in the state of
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
, and her father was a bank manager. From 1928 to 1929 she attended Girton Grammar School in
Bendigo
Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital.
As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...
.
Alfred trained at Deaconess House in Melbourne, and in 1944 was placed at St Marks'
Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to:
People As a given name
*Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name:
**FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855)
** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...
.
Career
After three years at Deaconess House, she transferred to the Mission of St John and St James in
Dandenong
Dandenong is a southeastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, about from the Melbourne CBD. It is the council seat of the City of Greater Dandenong local government area, with a recorded population of 30,127 at the . Situated mainly ...
. She was promoted to head deaconess in the Diocese of Melbourne; however, she was dissatisfied that as a woman she could not be ordained. She met ordained women overseas, in the United States and Canada, and raised the issue of women's ordinations with Frank Woods,
Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne
The Archbishop of Melbourne is the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia, and ''ex officio'' metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan ( ...
, without success. Nevertheless, she continued to campaign for change, often joined by close friend and ally
Barbara Darling
Barbara Brinsley Darling (17 October 1947 – 15 February 2015) was an Australian Anglican bishop. She was among the first women to be an ordained deacon in the Anglican Church of Australia.
Darling was born in Burwood, Sydney, one of three ch ...
, who later became an assistant bishop in Melbourne.
In 1979, Alfred was appointed chaplain at the
Royal Women's Hospital
The Royal Women's Hospital, located in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville, is Australia's oldest specialist women's hospital. It offers a full range of services in maternity, gynaecology, neonatal care, women's cancers and women's health. It also ...
in Melbourne, becoming the first woman to hold the position. In 1981 the Melbourne
synod
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...
voted in favour of the ordination of women and Alfred was one of a group of women who were ordained as deacons in 1986. She was ordained as a priest in 1992 by Archbishop Keith Rayner, although at 78 she was past the age of retirement. Rayner made a promise to Alfred that when her ordination as a priest became a possibility, he would do so regardless of time constraints. The day after her ordination, Alfred celebrated the
Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
at St. James.
Later life and death
Alfred presided at Holy Communion on her 100th birthday in 2014 at St James' Church in Dandenong. She died three weeks after her 101st birthday, on 2 February 2015, in Melbourne.
Awards and honours
In 2001, Alfred was added to the
Victorian Honour Roll of Women
The Victorian Honour Roll of Women was established in 2001 to recognise the achievements of women from the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. The Honour Roll was established as part of the cele ...
for her achievements as head deaconess and for being the first woman ordained as a priest in Melbourne.