Biography
Clare (they/them) is a cradle Anglican who spent several years as a Wiccan before returning to the church in 2005. A Celtic harpist and composer since 2002, Clare received a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of Victoria in 2007 and went on to complete an MDiv from the Vancouver School of Theology in 2014. Clare periodically served as guest officiant at the Cathedral's Compline service then, and now does so officially!
Clare was ordained to the priesthood in 2016 and served in the parish of St. Philip’s, Dunbar Heights as curate before being called to serve as community director and co-chaplain of Hineni House, an intentional spiritual community of young adults affiliated with St. Margaret’s in the Cedar Cottage neighbourhood in 2017. Later that year, Clare was also licensed as chaplain to St. Jude’s Anglican Home, a Vancouver Coastal Health care facility primarily for people with dementia. Clare served at St. Jude's until October 2021, and Hineni House until June 2022, before coming to the Cathedral full-time to serve among Christ's beloved at St. Brigid's.
Clare is also affiliated with the Inayati Sufi community in Vancouver and the wider Pacific Northwest, and has been sharing music among them in sama and zhikr also since 2017. Clare counts Rumi, Ibn Arabi, and Hafez as soul friends alongside St. John of the Cross and St. Julian of Norwich, and has been privileged to learn about Islam, Sufism, and the Qur’an from Seemi Ghazi, Sheikh Sherif Baba Çatalkaya, and Omid Safi.
Clare is passionate about music, preaching, chaplaincy, LGBTQIA/2S+ theology, Indigenous reconciliation, interfaith dialogue, social justice including prison abolition, and exploring possibilities for theology and evangelism through social media.
Clare currently lives close to Sen̓áḵw, unceded Skwxwú7mesh territory (now known as Kitsilano), with their husband, cat, and many musical instruments and plants. As well as the Celtic harp, Clare also plays the mandolin, ukulele, and Appalachian dulcimer.
Some of Clare’s writings, sermons, and music may be found at clarityharp.ca
Contact Clare about:
-Pastoral conversations
-St. Brigid's
