A Steep Learning Curve

It has been an interesting time since I first donned the collar the day of the Ordination. It was quite the day. I didn't realise that I was bracing myself to endure it until the service started and I realised that I was really enjoying it. It was a fantastic day and I thoroughy enjoyed it from start to finish. It was lovely to have so many people travel to be with us and it was also wonderful that Mum could be there. It was really nice to have a reason to celebrate with those who have had reason to support our family during less happy times.

Since starting work, I have been very conscious that the sight of a woman in a collar isn't as common as I would have thought judging by the number of double takes I have seen. On Monday evening, while in Jury's Inn in Cork for a classmate's ordination, I was asked by the young very French barman if I would rather be called "Father" or "Mother"! I really had no answer except to say that it really didn't matter. In response he said that he really had to know so I told him that Rev covered all. How do you get your head round that?

In the parish school I had to choose between Rev Ruth or Miss Elmes. I asked the principal if I could just be called Ruth by the children and the response was that I had to be called one or the other. Isn't it funny that as all else is changing that it seems so important to hold onto something so simple as your Christian name to keep some sense of identity.