I am the daughter and granddaughter of Episcopal priests so my decision to seek

ordination as an Episcopal priest made a lot of sense – except the Episcopal Church

was not ordaining women when I completed college and was ready to begin seminary! I was eventually ordained in 1977 among the first women ordained as priests. I also married during those years and my husband Mike began medical school. In the fullness of time, Mike and I moved from Philadelphia to New Jersey and became part of the Christ Church community with our young children. Since 1984, I have served at Christ Church as an Assisting Priest. It’s only been recently that I have become the Acting Priest in Charge.

Much of my full time ministry has been as a teaching chaplain (ACPE-Certified

Educator) in area hospitals – Community Medical Center, Riverview, Robert Wood

Johnson, and Overlook are some of the hospitals where I had the privilege of teaching seminarians the art of pastoral care. I have always felt blessed that I worked with students from many different religious backgrounds. After 40 years, I retired from that ministry in 2019.

In retirement, I expected to continue to be involved at Christ Church but also to spend more time with our children and grandchildren and to travel with my husband. I did not expect to deal with the complications of the COVID pandemic. Like so many of us, I have been picking up the pieces of my life ever since. 

In the fall of 2023, I became the Acting Priest at Christ Church. This is a short term

position while the Church searches for a new priest to lead us. In the meantime,

however, I lead worship and preach and am always open to meeting with people for

counseling, prayer and conversation.

Finally, some specific biographical data: I graduated from Vassar College in 1971, from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1974 with my M.Div. magna cum laude, and my D.Min. in Pastoral Care and Counseling with Distinction from Drew Theological School in 2006. My proper title is “The Rev. Dr. Cathy Bickerton, D.Min.”