*Professor Mary Coloe PBVM preaches at St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Melbourne. PHOTO: Supplied.*

History was made this month when a Catholic religious woman preached the homily at St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Melbourne to celebrate the Feast of St Phoebe.

Sr Mary Coloe PBVM, Professor Emerita of the University of Divinity, became the first Catholic woman to preach at the cathedral on Sunday 3 September 2023, for the feast of St Phoebe, during Evensong.

The title of Mary’s homily was “Lost in Translation” as she showed how the significance of women such as Mary the Magdalene, and Phoebe, has been lost because of the poor translations from the Greek.

She said that in every Gospel Mary is named as Mary the Magdalene to distinguish her from other Marys. This is a title from the word for a “tower”.

“Mary is the ‘towering one’ or, I prefer, the outstanding one. And she did stand out. The first to see the Risen One, the first sent out to bear witness to the other disciples,” Professor Coloe said.

*Professor Coloe with clergy from St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral.*

“Rightly she is now called the Apostle to the Apostles – Mary the Magdala – the outstanding one. “

She then spoke of Phoebe who, in Romans 16, is named by Paul as “deacon – diakanon” and “leader – prostasis” of the church in Cenchrae. Professor Coloe said the Greek terms are poorly translated into English as “servant” and “benefactor”. Her leadership role is lost in translation.

Professor Coloe went on to speak of the significance of Phoebe.

“Paul sent her to Rome with his letter. He was not the founder of the Church in Rome, but she could be his ambassador, to introduce him, through this letter, to the Christians there. So, Phoebe was acting as his apostle – sent by him to Rome, to carry the letter, to read and then explain it to the Romans.

“What a job! Romans is a particularly complex letter and Phoebe was its first commentator.”

Text and photos supplied by Professor Mary Coloe PBVM.