September 29th, 2024Rev’d Josephine Snowdon is new curate for Daylesford
A vacancy had existed at Christ Church Daylesford since the departure of the incumbent, Fr Neil Fitzgerald, to the Parish of Woodend in March.
In July, the Bishop of Bendigo The Right Reverend Dr Matt Brain announced that Josephine Snowdon had accepted his invitation to take up the role of Curate in Charge in the Parish of Daylesford.
Josephine was not new to the Bendigo Diocese having worked throughout the region in her previous career as an occupational therapist.
She began exploring a call to ministry in 2014 undertaking theological studies and a variety of lay chaplaincy roles in both the Dioceses of Newcastle and Melbourne, alongside parish-based lay ministry roles.
This month Josephine (pictured above centre) was ordained a Deacon at St Paul’s Cathedral, Bendigo to the Diaconate. On Sunday, September 15, Deacon Josephine was welcomed to the Parish of Daylesford attending Holy Communion and assisting Fr Malcolm Thomas in the service.
Josephine felt called to pursue a career in occupational therapy, continuing to study throughout her career attaining a master’s research degree in this area at La Trobe Bendigo, while raising two children, building a home and working throughout the regional community.
Passionate about rural health, Josephine worked hard to assist in establishing a new rural school in occupational therapy with Deakin University in Geelong, in the early 2000s, this being the final accomplishment in her OT path.
An equally strong vocational calling, growing out of her work and the growth of women ordained in ministry, was realised with Josephine’s return to study in the area of her faith and spirituality – theology studies at the University of Divinity.
This study was enriched and encouraged through attendance at St Mary’s North Melbourne. Josephine then entered into a pathway of lay ministry in both parish work and chaplaincy, in Melbourne and Newcastle Dioceses.
Josephine’s ministry has a strong focus on disability and inclusion of all people within the church community as well as social justice areas of concern within the broader community.
