Diocesan Director of Ministry, archdeacon John Holdsworth was invested with an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity at a Graduation ceremony of Queens College Newfoundland on April 30th. Around four hundred people had braved the 1 degree temperatures to be present at the ceremony at the cathedral-like church of St Mary in the Island capital, St John’s. Queen’s, an affiliate College of Memorial University Newfoundland, is an Anglican foundation and a partner in the Diocesan Ministry project, accrediting and hosting the Exploring Faith course on which thirty-three of our students are enrolled currently.
The citation for the degree was read by Rt Rev’d John Organ, Bishop of Western Newfoundland, and former chaplain to Archbishop Suheil in Jerusalem. The annual College Report was part of the proceedings and was delivered by the Provost, Dr Rick Singleton, who spoke warmly about the link with the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf. An Address was given by the Archbishop of Canada, Most Rev’d Fred Hiltz who also made positive reference to the link.
Earlier in the day archdeacon John had spoken to a gathering of around seventy people associated with the College, clerical and lay. He said that whilst he was delighted and honoured by the award personally, he considered it primarily to be a recognition, affirmation and celebration of the relationship between the College and the Diocese.