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Winnipeg Free Press

‘Mix of emotions' as Winnipeg's only transgender priest bids farewell

The first openly transgender priest in the Anglican Diocese of Rupert's Land is leaving the province. This month, Theo Robinson will conclude his ministry at the Interlake Regional Shared Ministry, which serves six Lutheran parishes and one Anglican parish in Selkirk, Teulon, Arborg, Riverton-Hnausa and Lundar. Robinson, 46, will be the new priest at St. Peter in North Cowichan, B.C. on Vancouver Island. He starts in mid-August. His last service in Manitoba will be on July 27. JOHN LONGHURST / Free Press After being ordained in 2020, Theo Robinson will deliver his final service in Manitoba on July 27. 'I have a mix of emotions about leaving,' he said, speaking from his office at Church of the Good Shepherd, a Lutheran church just outside Selkirk. 'I'm excited for the new opportunity, but sorry to be leaving these parishes and the people. I have all the feelings.' The Winnipeg priest hadn't planned to leave five years after beginning his role in the shared ministry. But he and his partner, Cass, have long wanted to live and then retire on Vancouver Island — something they thought they might do in four or five years when their children, 14 and 16, were both independent. Then, the opportunity arose in B.C. and they decided to take a chance. What made the opening appealing was that St. Peter was a welcoming and affirming congregation. 'I needed a place where I would feel safe,' said Robinson, adding he didn't know if a similar church might become available in the future on the Island. 'I was very open about who I am in the application.' Of his time in the Diocese of Rupert's Land, which takes in parts of Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, Robinson said he felt supported and respected. 'I never felt any opposition,' he said, noting he only received one critical letter. Robinson began the process of transitioning from female to male in 2017 before feeling a call to ministry. In 2018, then-bishop Donald Phillips was part of the discernment process for leading to ordination as a deacon, the first step in becoming a priest. 'I knew him as a hardworking, conscientious and caring person,' Phillips said, adding he was happy to recommend Robinson for ministry in the diocese. He was ordained as a deacon in 2019 by Geoff Woodcroft, who was bishop of Rupert's Land from 2019 to 2025. 'It was an absolute honour and thrill' to preside over that ceremony, said Woodcroft, who ordained Robinson as a priest in 2020. 'Theo has brought such joy to the churches he has served,' he added. 'He has the beautiful image of Christ in his life.' Robinson is grateful for their support. 'They helped me grow as a person, grow in my faith,' he said. 'I wouldn't be where I am today without them.' While his calling was to serve churches in the diocese, Robinson has also been able to minister to trans Christians across Canada and other countries. JOHN LONGHURST / Free Press Theo Robinson ministers to transgender people across Canada and the world. 'I hear from Christians who are going through a trans journey, looking for support and advice about how to keep their faith in God when they are being kicked out of their families or told to leave their churches,' he said, adding that he tells them that God loves them, that they aren't mistakes, and to find a safe local Christian community for support. In addition to being the first openly trans priest in Rupert's Land, Robinson might be the first one in the Canadian Anglican church, too. While some have considered the Rev. Canon Maggie Helwig of St. Stephen in-the-Fields in Toronto to be the first, 'I'm afraid I can't claim that honour,' Helwig said. 'I am pretty certain Theo is the first person in the Anglican Church of Canada to be ordained a priest after openly transitioning.' Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. There are at least two other Anglican priests in Toronto who openly transitioned after being ordained, Helwig said. 'But I am pretty sure we have not yet ordained anyone who had already transitioned openly.' By telling his story, Robinson hopes to make it easier for other transgender Christians to feel welcome in the church. 'Ignorance brings on hate,' he said, adding that more exposure to the stories of trans Christians can normalize them as people who also are faithfully following Jesus. 'I want to be a voice for trans people in the church.' faith@ The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER John LonghurstFaith reporter John Longhurst has been writing for Winnipeg's faith pages since 2003. He also writes for Religion News Service in the U.S., and blogs about the media, marketing and communications at Making the News. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.