Serving the Region
The Reverend Marcella Mugford
When Marcella Mugford was named as a candidate for priest at St. Saviour’s first nominations, she admits that she was reluctant to accept the people’s choice at first. “At one point I did say to God, ‘I’m not sure you want me to go down this road. I’ll go down this path unless you throw up some roadblocks and I’ll be very happy if you do.’ However, That didn’t happen. Contrary to roadblocks, things kept falling into place, so I had to admit that this was where God’s calling me.”
Rev. Marcella, whose duties as a priest and responsibilities as community health nurse have overlapped in the communities of New Denver and Nakusp says that having linkages to people in those communities have helped her. For example, she says, “When I walk into a particular group who knows me as a coworker and they discover I’m a priest and they’re suddenly watching their language.” And then she adds, “It’s a sign of the baggage they carry about what they think a priest is.”
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Rev. Marcella, despite her temporary discomfort in her role as priest, expresses affirmation in the choice. “I think it’s where God wants me to be. It’s sometimes uncomfortable and sometimes it feeds me. Most of the time it’s good.”
“Women priests, pioneers of mutual ministry,” The HighWay March, 2005 |
