Today is the 80th anniversary of the ordination of the Rev Dr Florence Li Tim Oi, the first woman to be ordained to the priesthood in the Anglican Communion. I give thanks for this remarkable priest who persisted in her obedience to the Lord’s call on her life under threat of war, occupation and persecution some 80 years ago.
Let us pray in thanksgiving:
Gracious God, we thank you for calling Florence Li Tim-Oi, much beloved daughter, to be the first woman to exercise the office of a priest in our Communion. By the grace of your Spirit inspire us to follow her example, serving your people with patience and happiness all our days, and witnessing in every circumstance to our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Revd Dr Florence Li Tim-Oi was ordained on 25 January 1944. She was ordained Deacon on Ascension Day in 1941 after hearing the call to ministry 10 years earlier at the ordination of a deaconess in Hong Kong Cathedral. Florence was given charge of the Anglican congregation in Macau where, at the time, refugees were fleeing to from China.
Priests were unable to travel from Japanese occupied territories and therefore could not preside over the Eucharist for her. Florence was, therefore, licensed to do this as a deacon and eventually ordained priest by Bishop R.O. Hall of Hong Kong.
The Anglican Diocese of St. Ignatius Loyola 
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