On January 25, Clara Plamondon became the second bishop of the Territory of the People.
Clara hails from northern Alberta. After several years working in municipal government, she obtained an MDiv in theology from the Vancouver School of Theology in 2013. Clara also received mentoring for two years at St John the Baptist, Duncan from the former primate Andrew Hutchison. In 2013, she was ordained as a deacon in the Diocese of Islands and Inlets, and as a priest the following year. Clara served as the incumbent at St John the Baptist, Duncan from 2013 to 2018, when she took up the post of incumbent at St Paul, Nanaimo. She was also appointed archdeacon for the Cowichan/Mid-Vancouver Island region in 2018.
In September 2023, Clara was elected bishop of the Territory of the People. Clara was the only candidate standing in the election and she was elected on the first ballot, with the provincial House of Bishops unanimously accepting the result. Speaking to the Anglican Journal last year, Clara said that there were two reasons she wanted to be a bishop. “One was a sense of call recognizing gifts and abilities that I have to offer, which aligned with the opportunity that presented itself in the Territory of the People. And I saw the possibility of ministry and service with the people there.”
Clara’s ordination took place at St Paul’s Cathedral, Kamloops, and was presided by Lynne McNaughton, metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of British Columbia and Yukon. The preacher was Dawna Wall, formerly the incumbent at St Michael and All Angels, Victoria, and now the director of Bethany House of Prayer in Arlington, Massachusetts. Also in attendance were Archbishop Linda Nicholls and National Indigenous Archbishop Chris Harper.
Before the procession, Pastoral Elder Pauline spoke about the four pauses in life: as a baby, a youth, an adult, and an elder. She explained that the procession would include four pauses, which would provide an opportunity to “give thanks for how far we’ve come… appreciate what we have… pay tribute and acknowledge where we’ve come from… and acknowledge where we are going.” Pastoral Elder Pauline and Pastoral Elder Ernie then led the procession with singing and drumming.
January 25 also marks the feast day of Saint Paul’s conversion and the eightieth anniversary of the ordination of Florence Li Tim-Oi, the first woman to be ordained in the Anglican Communion.
During her homily, Dawna Wall spoke to this confluence of events and their central figures: Saint Paul, Florence and Clara. She spoke of how all three had dwelled in “a territory of uncertainty.” Clara, she said, had been called to serve at a time of great uncertainty for the church, and that she had, in her life, “navigated uncertainty, wrestled with God’s call, and immersed herself in body, mind and spirit to following where God leads.” Dawna also spoke of how Clara would bring her “well-honed pragmatism, her endless curiosity, her deep faith and her good humour” to the role of bishop.
This humour was on show when, in accordance with custom, Clara knocked on the door of the cathedral three times with her crozier. The dean of the cathedral, Kyle Norman, then deviated slightly from the script by asking, “Who are you and what do you want?” To which Clara and the congregation responded with laughter. Clara broke into laughter again as she sat down on the bishop’s chair and tried to adjust her robes.
However, there was nothing but heart-felt sincerity on display as Clara promised to fulfil the obligations and responsibilities of her office to the best of her ability.
While St Paul’s Cathedral was packed, around fifty people joined in online, including some from this diocese, who attended a viewing party at the Synod office. The full event can be watched on YouTube.
Below are some photos from the ordination service. More photos from the service can be viewed on the Territory of the People website.
Correction
An earlier version of this article stated that Dawna Wall is the current incumbent at St Michael and All Angels, Victoria. However, Dawna Wall is now the director of Bethany House of Prayer. John Perris is the current incumbent at St Michael and All Angels.
Clarification
An earlier version of this article omitted to mention that Clara Plamondon was mentored at St John the Baptist, Duncan by former primate Andrew Hutchison, and that she later served as the incumbent at St John the Baptist.
