By STAFF WRITER
Nassau Guardian

Reverend Paulette Maria Cartwright, assistant curate at St. Paul's Anglican Church, Long Island, and Rev. Marie Antoinette Roach, assistant curate at St. Gregory's Anglican Church, Carmichael Rd, were ordained to the sacred priesthood on Monday, Aug. 25, the Feast of St. Bartholomew, The Apostle, at Christ Church Cathedral.

Chief Celebrant at the history making ordination service, which saw two women ordained at the same time was Rev. Drexel Gomez, Archbishop of The Province of The West Indies and Bishop of The Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks & Caicos Islands.

Concelebrants were Rev. Laish Boyd, bishop coadjutor and Rev. Gilbert Thompson, assistant bishop. The sermon was preached by Rev. Patrick Adderley, vicar general and dean of Christ Church Cathedral. Music was provided by the choirs of St. Ambrose, St. Gregory's and Mr. Adrian Archer.

Among the hundreds attending the service were Governor General, Arthur Hanna, and Acting Commissioner of Police, Reginald Ferguson.

With the ordinations of Cartwight and Roach, the number of female priests in the Anglican Diocese has increased to six. The ordinations were also history making moments for the Diocese, with Roach joining her father, Canon Neil Roach, as the first father/daughter priest combination. Cartwright is the first female priest from Long Island.

Both Cartwright and Roach celebrated their first mass on Tuesday evening — Cartwright at St. George's Parish, and Roach at St. Gregory's.