The Pensive Pilgrim

When we introduced our monthly 'New Fire Mass' at All Saints Church about two years ago, reactions were inevitably mixed. Some members of our congregation instantly loved it, others hated it, whilst the majority weren't sure and adapted to it over time. Fortunately, the fact that the liturgy remained firmly Catholic seems to have held these three groups together. Two years on, I think it's fair to say that 'New Fire' has become an integral and valued part of our monthly round of worship. To many, it's simply a more contemporary 'take' on the Eucharist with lively modern music (or 'a jazzed up Mass' as one old timer calls it). A smaller group of worshippers, however, recognise that there is much more to it than that. This group (which is steadily growing) is gradually embracing a Charismatic spirituality and opening itself to the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. In Lent groups over the last couple of years where subjects such as praying i...

When I was an ordinand at Chichester Theological College, all students were required (quite rightly) to have a Spiritual Director. The Staff Chapter kindly provided a list of local - and not so local - clergy who might fulfil this role. I duly selected a name off the list - a name which meant absolutely nothing to me other than the fact that he was Vicar of a nearby parish - and in due course met with the priest concerned. I found him to be a rather cold fish. I couldn't get any sense of what made him 'tick' and, most important of all, I had a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn't be terribly gay-friendly. As I was struggling to make sense of how my sexuality and vocation fitted together, it was important to me to have a Spiritual Director with whom I could be honest  about such things. (Most of my fellow students, I must add, told me that this was absurd and that I shouldn't tell anyone about my sexuality. It was the early 1980s, and 'Don't ask; don't t...

"You've come back. How lovely". This was how I was greeted by a number of people at this year's On Fire Mission Conference at High Leigh. As last year was my first attendance there, I was impressed and moved that people remembered me. This year I was accompanied by a parishioner and a fellow priest from a neighbouring diocese - both first-timers - and I was delighted to observe how warmly they too were welcomed. On Fire Mission feels very much like a family, and it's good to  see that there's a genuine readiness to welcome new people to the family, thus avoiding becoming a clique. With a good idea of what to expect, and having spent the last year 'growing into' my newly found identity as a Charismatic Catholic, I knew that this year's conference wouldn't have the same seismic spiritual and emotional impact as its predecessor. This proved to be true, but the experience was nevertheless profoundly joyful and renewing. I was particularly str...

The following was originally presented as an address at Compline during Holy Week 2019. It was preceeded by a reading from Matthew 27:27-50. I'm aware that some will find its message contentious!  Some of you will be familiar with the old TV Series ‘Rev’ which told the story of the Revd Adam Smallbone, Vicar of what would doubtless be described in today’s Church of England as a ‘failing church’ in the East End of London – ‘St Saviour in the Marshes’.  Unlike its rather absurd precursor, ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ , ’Rev’ was shot-through with a realism that was at times comedic and at others poignant and even tragic, with which many clergy identified only too well.    In one particular episode, Fr Adam is taking a school assembly and asks a question. I can’t remember exactly what the question is, but one child puts up his or her hand and says quite mistakenly, ‘Is the answer Jesus?’ ‘No’ Adam replies with a certain degree of irritation, ‘It isn’t Jesus’. B...

I’m sure that for many of us, the abiding image of Holy Week 2019 will be that terrible fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. As the scenes of the inferno hit our TV screens, as the great Spire collapsed, I for one shuddered as I recalled similar scenes at Grenfell Tower and indeed on 9/11. At least on this occasion, despite the destruction, there was no dreadful loss of life, and no-one was rendered homeless; and I’ll return to this in a moment. The image that most haunts me, though, is the photograph that many of you will have seen that was taken inside the Cathedral when the fire had finally been put out. It shows the nave – the main body of the church - a scene of darkness and dereliction, but right at the front, at the East End, the Cross is shining brightly. It’s a powerful symbol of divine defiance and human hope; truly a light in the darkness. The various reactions to the fire have been fascinating. For the people of France, and especially the Parisienne...

As the western world seems to nudge day by day slightly further to the right, it should probably come as no surprise that the old debate regarding teaching about LGBT+ issues in school should come to the fore. Once again in the United Kingdom, some parents (often motivated ostensibly by a religious faith, be it Christian or Muslim) are objecting to their children being taught about Lesbian and Gay relationships and gender issues.  The spirit of the notorious Section 28 lives on and casts an increasingly sinister shadow in these supposedly more enlightened days. Education is about the imparting of facts and helping children and young people to process facts and think for themselves. Sex education - so often euphemistically but accurately referred to as 'The Facts of Life' - must always be about the realities of human embodiment, physical attraction and relationship. To suggest that it should not include the reality of same sex attraction is an absurd, irresponsible and alarmin...

At a time when people are generally retiring later and living longer, I guess it could be said that 'sixty is the new forty'. Nevertheless, as I approach my sixtieth birthday, there is a sense in which the turning of the decade has a particular significance. There can now be little doubt that far more of my life lies behind me than ahead of me. In terms of my working life and ministry, I've still got some years to go - God willing - and yet retirement looms on the horizon, bringing with it a welcome release from any vestige of ambition or 'career' anxiety. Plenty of people told me this would happen. I was warned many years ago that I would one day wake up and wonder where all the years had gone. At that time, of course, I simply laughed, just as my younger friends and colleagues do now as I utter the same words of wisdom to them; and more recently friends have warned me that reaching sixty would bring with it a more reflective frame of mind, of which I suspect thi...