Li, Florence

(twentieth century)

   Order Founder.

   Li served as an Anglican Deaconess in Macao. During the Second World War, while the Japanese occupied Hong Kong, it was nearly impossible for an ordained priest to bring the Sacrament to the people of Macao. In response to this extreme situation, the Bishop of Hong Kong ordained Li a priest – the first woman priest ever in the Anglican Communion. He was criticised for his action by the Lambeth Conference and after the war was over, Li agreed to retire from the priesthood. None the less her ordination was an important precedent and, since 1971, Anglican Churches throughout the world have started accepting women as priests. Despite considerable opposition, including the threat of schism, in an historical vote of the General Synod in 1992, the Church of England itself agreed to ordain women on equal terms with men.

   R.B. Edwards, The Case for Women’s Ministry (1989);

   M. Furlong, Feminine in the Church (1984).