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Beloved,
It is with deep sorrow and resurrection hope that we share the news of the passing of the Rev. Jacqueline “Jackie” Means, a trailblazing priest, devoted chaplain, and tireless servant of God’s justice and mercy.
Ordained on January 1, 1977, as the first regularly ordained woman priest in The Episcopal Church, Jackie’s ministry shattered barriers and opened doors for generations of women called to the priesthood. Jackie was never content with simply breaking ground—she cultivated it. She gave her life to the work of healing, accompaniment, and liberation, especially among the incarcerated, the unhoused, the grieving, and the overlooked.
Her ministry in the Diocese of Indianapolis and to the wider Episcopal Church was fiercely loving. At the Indiana Women’s Prison, in the founding of Craine House, and in her service as Rector of St. Mark’s Church in Plainfield, Jackie drew near to those whom society pushed aside. In active ministry and retirement, Jackie served congregations across our Diocese including St. Luke’s, Shelbyville and more recently, St. Timothy’s, Indianapolis. Jackie saw the image of Christ in women behind bars, in children in need of care, in families torn by crisis, and in those hungering for dignity and nourishment alike. In every place she served—whether on the ground in the aftermath of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, or as Director of Prison Ministries for the Episcopal Church—Jackie stood as a beacon of hope, conviction, and love.
We give thanks for her witness, her courage, and her unwavering faith.
We hold her family, loved ones, and all who mourn her in prayer, even as we rejoice in the promise of resurrection.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be shared as soon as they are available.
Rest eternal grant to her,
O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her.
May her soul, and the souls of all the departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Faithfully,
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