Angela Palacious

Angela Palacious
Born	Angela C. Bosfield 1953 (age 70–71) Nassau, Bahamas
Nationality	Bahamian
Other names	Angela Bosfield Palacious
Occupation	minister / theologian
Known for	first Bahamian woman to serve as an Anglican deacon (1999) and priest (2000)

Angela Palacious (born 1953) is a Bahamian Christian minister. She was the first woman deacon and the first woman priest of the Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Biography

Angela C. Bosfield was born in 1953 born in Nassau, Bahamas. She obtained a BA in English from Durham University in England in 1975 and went on to earn an MA in English from Concordia University of Montreal, Canada in 1978. In 1981, she and her husband, James Palacious were both students at Princeton. In 1984, Palacious completed her Master of Divinity and the following year a Master of Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey.

Career

She returned to the Bahamas and became an elementary school teacher, teaching at St Matthew’s Primary School in Nassau and serving as a part-time guidance counsellor at the Governor’s Harbour High School on Eleuthera. Palacious also served as a layperson at St. Patrick’s Church on Eleuthera and at St. Matthew’s Church in Nassau. In 1992, the Anglican diocese agreed to allow women's ordination and the following year, Palacious applied to become a deacon. She went to New York to further her training and in 1994, she earned a Certificate in Anglican Studies from the General Theological Seminary in Manhattan. On 11 May 1999 Palacious was ordained as the first woman deacon in the Anglican Diocese of Nassau’s 138-year history, and she and her husband, who at the time was rector of St. Matthew's Church, became the first ordained husband and wife team in the region. From 1999 to 2000 Palacious served as the Coordinator of the Diocese, and on 31 May 2000 was ordained as the first Bahamian woman Anglican priest of the Diocese of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Since her ordination, she has served as the assistant curate of St. Matthew's Church, and as the assistant Priest of St. Mary the Virgin Church and St. Margaret’s Church. Between 2000 and 2010, she served as the diocesan ministry coordinator. Palacious has had many volunteer positions and served on the boards of numerous organizations. She has written 8 books. Her husband is now the Anglican Archdeacon and they have one son, who is a coastal and civil engineer.

Selected works

• Bosfield Palacious, Angela C (1998). A medley of meditations. Bahamas: (s.n.). ISBN 978-9-768-10829-6.
• Bosfield Palacious, Angela C (2000). Seasons of the Church: reflections from Advent to Harvest (1. ed.). Nassau, Bahamas: Media Publishing. ISBN 978-9-768-17031-6.
• Palacious, Angela (2000). Praying with and for children: from conception to adolescence. Nassau: Media Publishing. ISBN 978-9-768-17030-9.
• Palacious, Angela C. Bosfield (2002). Walking in the spirit : meditations on prayer, worship, ministry, and self-dedication. Nassau, Bahamas: Media Publishing. ISBN 978-9-768-17045-3.
• Palacious, Angela C. Bosfield (2003). Oasis in the Desert: volume 1. Nassau, Bahamas: Media Enterprises. ISBN 978-9-768-17061-3.
• Palacious, Angela C. Bosfield (2003). Allowing the scriptures to speak : reflections on the Word of God. Nassau, Bahamas: Angela Palacious Ministries. ISBN 978-9-769-51080-7.
• Palacious, Angela (2012). Christian Conch Salad. Nassau, Bahamas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Palacious, Angela (2014). Praying for Families: Reflections and Prayers. Nassau, Bahamas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

Bibliography

• Dupuch Jr., Etienne, ed. (2000). Bahamas Handbook. E. Dupuch, Jr., Publications. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Hanna-Ewers, Deanne (2013). Great Women in Bahamian History: Bahamian Women Pioneers. Bloomington, Indiana: AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4520-5398-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• McCartney, Donald M. (2004). Bahamian Culture and Factors which Impact Upon it: A Compilation of Two Essays. Pittsburg, Pennsylvania: Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc. ISBN 978-0-8059-6325-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)