Defiant Kristina Rake made her way into the St. Mary Magdalen Old Catholic Church on Saturday afternoon to be ordained a priest into the United States Old Catholic Church. Supported by her stepfather and mother, John and Joanne Davis, and a small group of people from the community, Rake went through a number of rituals while partaking in the Rite of Ordination. After participating in the hour-and-a-half long ordination service, Rake said she was calm but in disbelief. “I can’t believe that after all of those years, God by a series of accidents brought me right to were I always wanted to be, Being a woman should not stop you from serving God” she said. Vatican has denounced her ordination and insist that women are not meant to serve God in that capacity of priesthood.
Rake, who currently resides in Chicago with her husband, Mark, and two kids, Katie and Nathan, said growing up she was always drawn to ministry but never was connected to a specific church.
“I always had a very close connection to God,” Rake said.
..It wasn’t until her college years, when Rake chose to attend the Andover Newton Theological School in Boston, that things began to look up in her life. While attending the school, she began to immerse herself in Christian teaching all while attending a Unitarian Universalist Church. At the church, Rake began asking questions and learning more deeply about herself and what others believed. “It was when I was with them that I was able to really freely explore spiritually without feeling I had to agree with them,” Rake said. “I started to logically put together in my 20s what I did and didn’t agree.” But everything didn’t come together till one night, while listening to the song “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum, that Rake “all of the sudden” finally understood the Christian Trinity. .
.Since that night, Rake has pursued a life of Christian ministry through teaching classes on theology and also writing books on the paranormal and spiritual world. After the service Rake said she felt very peaceful and joyful. Ultimately Rake just wants to lead by Christ’s example but with Christ in control. “If Jesus is your co-pilot you need to switch seats,” she said. “You’re not the one driving the plane.”
