Movement for the Ordination of Women

In 2017 WATCH became a charity directed towards promoting "gender equality and diversity with the Church of England as experienced by both lay and ordained people for the public benefit".

Some members were uncomfortable in the public arena and feared that "engaging in political strategy and power games" might divert the issue from its spiritual path.

[11] One of the first public actions by Sydney MOW members was in October 1983 when it blu-tacked its 12 propositions for the ordination of women on the door of St Andrew's Cathedral.

[6][7] In May 1984, English author Monica Furlong accepted an invitation to tour Australia and was influential in supporting and energising the Australian campaign.

[10] Opponents of the ordination threatened the Archbishop with legal action and the ceremony itself was delayed when the report of a bomb forced the evacuation of St Paul's Cathedral.

MOW was well represented at the ‘non-ordination’ as it became known; it was a distressing event, both for the women involved and for many members of the wider church community who were aghast that a secular court had been drawn in to adjudicate on the matter.

[16][17][18][19][20] Civil proceedings were also commenced in Perth when Archbishop Peter Carnley announced that he was ordaining female priests, but the Supreme Court of Western Australia refused to grant an interlocutory injunction.

In the week before, MOW members handed out pamphlets about the celebration and the movement to clergy and laity entering the synod of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney.

[29] A MOW lunch was held in the church hall afterwards where Colleen O'Reilly gave the Dr Patricia Brennan AM Lecture, in honour of the founding National President.