2 women becoming bishops in Australia

MELBOURNE, April 27 (UPI) -- Barbara Darling, ordained one of Australia's first female priests in 1992, is about to become the second female bishop in the Church of England in Australia.

Darling is scheduled to be consecrated in Melbourne May 31, nine days after Kay Goldsworthy is to be consecrated in Perth, The Age reports.

The Melbourne Diocesan Council announced Darling's appointment Thursday night. She is to be the diocese's fourth assistant bishop with an area of responsibility for diocesan services, including hospital chaplaincy and children's and youth ministries.

After the meeting, there was a celebration in a nearby hotel bar.

"I wept tears of joy," said Muriel Porter, who filed a legal challenge last year, forcing the church to consider naming women as bishops.

Darling said she is glad she and Goldsworthy are moving up in tandem.

"At the moment there are a lot of unknowns," she said. "But all the way along God has sustained and strengthened me, and provided support."