Many students may be surprised to learn that Groton’s Chaplain, Reverend Christopher Whiteman, was not yet a priest when he arrived on the Circle this fall – until recently, he was a deacon. On Sunday January 22nd, 2017, at Saint John’s Chapel, he became ordained into priesthood. A procession of 75 choristers, acolytes, and laity members joined him in entering the Chapel, and the seats were filled with students and friends alike. The service was filled with emotion – Will Norton ’17 called the service “fuzzy and heart-warming.”

Having someone ordained at Groton’s chapel is quite rare, and an honor. “The community is very proud of him and all the work he has put into becoming ordained. This is the first time during my time here that it has happened at Groton School, so it is a very special moment for Groton as well,” said Madame Stanton. In fact, the last time a Groton faculty member was ordained in St. John’s Chapel was in the 1950s.

Within the Episcopalian Church, there are three different forms of ordained ministry: deacon, priest, and bishop. Rev. Whiteman was ordained to the diaconate in June of 2016. His most recent ordination, though, brought him into the Episcopalian priesthood, an honor for which he has been preparing since 2013. “The ordination service for deacon, priest, and bishop are very similar, but different vows are taken at each service,” said Reverend Whiteman.

In the Episcopalian Church, anyone practicing–male or female–may apply to become ordained. It is not, however, an easy feat; the process to become a priest is arduous and lengthy, lasting roughly four years, with several different steps along the way. The first requirement is the approval of a local faith organization – usually a hometown church. Then, a committee of Christian leaders within the diocese, including a bishop, must also approve of the candidate. Following that, the candidate has to complete practical education, which includes working in parishes as well as serving as a hospital’s chaplain. Rev. Whiteman’s home parish is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Dorchester, and he has worked in numerous other churches such as Trinity Episcopal Church in Concord and Church of St. Augustine and St. Martin in Roxbury. He also served briefly as the chaplain at Boston Medical Center.

Religious education is also a necessity to becoming ordained; Rev. Whiteman needed to acquire a Masters of Divinity, a three-year degree, to become ordained. He received his degree from Harvard Divinity School in the spring of 2016.

In his ordination to the diaconate, Rev. Whiteman was ordained in a ceremony with ten others. His recent ordination to the priesthood, though, he underwent alone. A procession of 75 choristers, presbyters, and clergy members marked the beginning of his new title. He is now the only ordained Episcopalian minister currently at Groton School.

By becoming a priest, Rev. Whiteman will be able to perform rituals a deacon could not, most notably the ritual of the Eucharist. Another change that his ordination brings is that of clothing, as deacons and priest wear different ritual clothing. “A priest wears slightly different vestments than a deacon. One of the differences is that a priest wears a chasuble at celebrations of the Eucharist and I had to buy a red chasuble for the ceremony. For ordinations, the liturgical color is red representing the tongues of fire which the Holy Spirit appeared as at the beginning of the church,” said Rev. Whiteman.

Students and faculty enjoyed witnessing such a memorable service. Arabella Peters ’18, who served as one of the service’s acolytes, said, “It almost brought me to tears.”