 |
| Mesdames Gould, Wigley, Wolf, Jackson and Ford in Llandaff Cathedral Photo: Church in Wales |
Possibly in the mix, the three clerics without a mitre, Gould, Wigley and Jackson, hoping for another possible 'historic' appointment.
In the photograph the three Llandaff hopefuls were helping to 'make history' in an expensive stunt which saw bishop Geralyn Wolf flown in from the US to be the first woman Anglican bishop to lead a service in Llandaff Cathedral.
Of the three eligible wimmin, the cleric in trousers must have the edge. The Jackson/Wigley duo are well past their sell by date having already caused enough damage to the Church with their scheming to outlaw faithful Anglicans. Added to which, whenever the name of Peggy 'the pilot' has been mentioned as being in line for a mitre there have been gasps of horror at the thought. And rightly so. If disunity were the criterion she should be home and dry.
Tambourine cleric Canon Wigley has done herself no favours either. Celebrating 20yrs of women in the priesthood she danced down the main aisle of Llandaff Cathedral with Peggy the pilot before telling a BBC interviewer that she "looked forward to the day when there were no more minds to be changed about the acceptance of women priests" revealing a complete lack of understanding of the theological position, not only of members in her own Church but in the Anglican Communion and beyond.
All three were part of Archbishop Barry Morgan's inner circle. The Rev Jan Gould BEM has been in evidence working in the more deprived areas of the diocese while the Jackson/Wigley duo have been politicking from more affluent areas. Married to the Rev Dr Peter Sedgwick, a former Head of St Michael's Theological College (now defunct) and Chairman of the Church in Wales Doctrinal Commission, Jan Gould appears to be better placed than many.
Apart from this trio, a former diplomat, the Revd Canon Dr Sarah Rowland Jones LVO OBE OStJ, Vicar of St John's in central Cardiff has been hotly tipped. She hosted the recent 'Light for Our Darkness' Sunday Worship service for BBC Radio 4 at which the former Archbishop preached. His address was to be shot down yet again for using his own interpretation of the Bible.
Any male candidate, including those poor souls who eagerly helped their former Archbishop to realise his political ambitions, can dream on. Reports suggest that many in Llandaff Cathedral are dreading the thought of a woman bishop. Others regard it as a well deserved penance. After the travesty of the St Davids stitch-up anything is possible bar rationalising the bloated bureaucracy that the bench has become.
So, there are five diocesan bishops covering about half the population of Wales while one bishop covered the other half in addition to his duties as Archbishop. He also found time to to act as Dean of Llandaff for a spell when his appointee quit after nine weeks in post. Perhaps realising he had made a serious error of judgement Dr Morgan asked Archdeacon Peggy to pilot things for him. Llandaff Cathedral has gone down hill ever since with financial problems and factional fighting leading to disunity.
The Church in Wales was assessed as 'cumbersome and top-heavy' five years ago in the Church in Wales Review. The parish system has gone, replaced by ministry areas with lay leaders while most of the worshippers have gone. Only the bishops carry on regardless. They and their comfortable livings appear immune.
Recommendation XXV:
The recommendations XXII, XXIII and XXIV should be reviewed
after three years and a judgement made about whether the
Church in Wales is best served by six dioceses with three
administrative centres or whether it would be more effective to
reduce to three dioceses, together with four area bishops.
The Review was presented to the Governing Body in 2012. Five years later, barring a miracle, the non-Welsh speaking, liturgical dancing feminist and supporter of Changing Attitude is to be enthroned as the 129th bishop of St Davids following a line of bishops stretching back to the Patron Saint of Wales, Dewi Sant, the first bishop in the 6th century. The bishop of Llandaff is to be elected this month and next February the bishop of Swansea and Brecon could retire creating a third vacancy.
Given the imbalance between Llandaff and the rest, one has to wonder what the bishops of the Church in Wales do all day. Taking account of the relevant populations, population density and church attendance, the Province of Wales is similar in size to the Diocese of Oxford. But the bishops in the Diocese of Oxford care for almost twice as many regular worshippers than the Welsh diocesans without their assistants.
Of course Llandaff already has an Ass bishop who was appointed to help out because the Archbishop was busy with his political ambitions. My understanding of his possible elevation is once bitten, twice shy. Unless a male candidate who is the next "best person to be a bishop" emerges, a second female bishop is set to be appointed. Swansea and Brecon will provide parity on the bench
MAE Cymru will continue to demand parity at all levels until they achieve dominance. It is no longer be jobs for the boys but jobs for the girls. That is while there are enough worshippers left in the Church in Wales to care for.
Of course Llandaff already has an Ass bishop who was appointed to help out because the Archbishop was busy with his political ambitions. My understanding of his possible elevation is once bitten, twice shy. Unless a male candidate who is the next "best person to be a bishop" emerges, a second female bishop is set to be appointed. Swansea and Brecon will provide parity on the bench
MAE Cymru will continue to demand parity at all levels until they achieve dominance. It is no longer be jobs for the boys but jobs for the girls. That is while there are enough worshippers left in the Church in Wales to care for.
 |
| MAECymru Source: Church in Wales |
The 'Result' [23.02.2017]
After three days of deliberations, the Bishop-elect of Llandaff is.................. No result. "Statement to follow". https://twitter.com/ChurchinWales
Don't discount the chances of one of --Bazza's Fantabulous Fairies.
ReplyDeleteAnd what of the potential male candidates from the diocese? An intellectual heavyweight and natural leader being increasingly talked about is the university Anglican chaplain.
ReplyDeleteIf he's an intellectual heavyweight and natural leader then he's already holed beneath the waterline. If he is also a real he (ie, not transgender), straight, white and a traditional anglican then he's already sunk without a trace.
DeleteWhat Llandaff needs so desperately is someone who won't tick the boxes for Barry Morgan, who he would not want to succeed him, who would be willing to dig up the skeletons, bring in outside auditors and let the chips fall where they may.
DeleteSomeone who has previously been willing to stand up to him, even to the extent of losing their job and career.
Could it be that the best man for the job would be Janet Henderson?
We all know the likelihood is she was pushed rather than resigned.
Wouldn't that be a little bit of natural justice?
What a great idea plus Janet's not "Fantabulous".
DeleteBest of all, even the thought of it will certainly be giving Morgan the Gorgon a few hot flushes.
The worry might even be enough to prevent soon-to-be Lord Morgan of Gwaun-cae-Gurwen nodding off in the upper house.
At £300 a day on expenses His --Darkness will have to spend a lot of time at Westminster to make up the loss of his unaudited annual£50k discretionary slush fund.
DeleteThe bully boy's new best friend Caryn of the Taffia will probably set him up with a couple of days a month on some pointless Assembly Quangos
DeleteI'd love to see Ven Chris Smith, a man of faith, integrity and pastoral skill.
ReplyDeleteSurely you jest Danny.
DeleteA former Chaplain to Darth --Insidious and one of the Fatuous Four on the Llandaff Chapter that made the Cathedral lay clerks redundant.
Don't forget Archdeacon Smith became a turncoat on the issue of Priestesses.
DeleteWhen he saw which way the wind was blowing he chose his career under byzantine Bazza rather than his original convictions.
Not to be trusted.
But he would tick a number of Bazza's prerequisites in terms of keeping all the skeletons firmly locked away especially the discretionary funds fiddle of Bazza dipping his hands into the collection plate at ordination and confirmation services.
Not to be trusted.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThere's always Canon Stephen Kirk to consider? A sound fellow and a faithful servant of the diocese of Llandaff.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteO lawdy lawdy, so many fantabulous fairies from which to choose.
Delete@Knight on the Green
DeleteKirk was another one of the untrustworthy Fatuous Four responsibile for getting rid of the Cathedral choir.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteDick Pickles, now there's a blast from the past. It was once a continental bar in the fair town of Maesteg. How is that relevant to fantabulous fairies?
Deletehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/83371899@N00/1445329852
I understand it was run by a certain head verger until it went bust in acrimonious circumstances
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it time to call a North Walian (fluent Welsh) to the episcopate ?
ReplyDelete@Carla -Andy Pandy ?
DeletePlease not Kirk or Venerable Smith from Llandaff. My money is on the Dean of St Asaph with Bishop Gregory for Archbishop.
DeleteMeanwhile, people in Bangor are actively praying for a particular outcome.
ReplyDeleteWith the greatest respect rbnr, bugger off.
DeleteYou unloaded Darth --Insidious on us, we can't deal with two consecutive turds, at least give us time to make sure the first has been flushed away properly.
Thank you.
I mentioned Llandaff Cathedral to friend who often passes through South Wales looking for antiques.
ReplyDeleteHe gave a knowing smile and said "Lovejoy."
I was mystified until he directed me to this YouTube link, featuring Ian McShane as the silver-tongued antiques dealer in the 1980s BBC drama. It's the first episode in Series 2, which starts with Lovejoy imprisoned for dealing in stolen goods. Lovejoy reflects on his fellow antique dealers:
"Conniving backstabbing avaricious alcoholics who populate the antique trade"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SGTnK-P1ao (go to 2 mins 15 secs)
Still not seeing the Llandaff connection, I asked what my friend was getting at.
"When you mentioned Llandaff Cathedral, I recalled a certain local personality who fits this description to a tee. You'd be surprised what he does on the side."
I asked for details but more than this he would not tell me, turning his attention to a forthcoming auction of Kyffin Williams drawings and other Welsh objets d'art.
So who is the Charlie Gilbert of Llandaff? Any guesses?
DeleteNone other than the 'Dark One' himself, 'Von Morganwizer' who placed himself as a Kyffin specialist. Following the great artist' death of course. Lest Kyffin Williams had a rare fit of hysterical laughter.
DeleteThe smart money on the Green is on a fantabulous ex copper.
DeleteAnd Lady Jane Felsham?
DeleteOne suspects that might be the fantabulous Mr Toad.
DeleteLovejoy? With Llandaff's paltry budget it's more like Acorn Antiques around here!
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMfcnEVbE7s
The queers in the walls have reported that this coming Saturday, if you're wondering why --Bazza's golf caddy and his favourite Mr Toad are nowhere to be seen around Llandaff Cathedral, you won't have far to look.
Deletehttps://www.rogersjones.co.uk/en/the-welsh-sale/233/2017-02-18
The Welsh Sale, Cardiff
SAT 18 FEBRUARY 2017, 11:00 AM - CARDIFF SALEROOM, SOUTH WALES
The Welsh Sale is our flagship auction of Welsh works of art held during the buoyant selling seasons, it is a very simple formula, but highly successful.
A specialist auction of works by Welsh artists, or works of art of Welsh subject.
We market your consignments nationally and internationally but crucially we are in a far better position to market to local-wales based buyers
We will understand how to market your consignments as we are a Welsh family run business with superior knowledge of Welsh artists, Welsh subjects, heritage and culture.
We have an extensive database of ready buyers for your works.
Your consignments are marketed on the internet to buyers worldwide with the latest technology giving buyers the ability to bid live wherever they are.
All items are illustrated in our prestigious full colour hard copy catalogue.
We have extensive experience in selling the works of Sir Kyffin Williams RA
Viewing Friday 17th February 1 - 8pm & morning of auction 9 - 10.45am
Gerwhine feels he needs more tat for the Deanery.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteMore polished nails in the coffin of the Church.
ReplyDeleteNone of these people (Kirk, Smith and the other internals) will change the culture and restore trust. They are too myopic, too absorbed in the local politics, they have never served outside the Diocese or the Province. It needs someone who has a rounded view of the wider Church, who has experience of accommodating difference, is a natural reconciler and will put the Morgan years where they belong. We lost the best possibility from Bangor five years ago, when our gifted and popular archdeacon decided to leave the sinking ship. Europe's gain is Wales's loss. His move was the catalyst for all our other talented clergy to leave for the Church of England. I doubt if any of them would want to return and spend the next decade sweeping up the mess. But what about someone with brains and humanity like Michael Burrows (+Cashel and Ossory)or David Hoyle (Dean of Bristol) or Michael Tavinor (Dean of Hereford). That would sort the sheep from the goats among the current Bench Sitters and expose the blindly obedient dross Morgan has gathered around him. After all, in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, yes, the sooner Andy the Pandy gets out of Ty'r Esgob, Bangor, the better. Everything he touches seems to turn to excrement. He inherited the Diocese in reasonably good heart, listened to the wrong people, allowed Barry Morgan to micro-manage the Diocese from without (and look what a mess he made of it when he was here!), and walked open eyed into Cyanide Sue's snake pit. Then look what she did to him. But the Church in Wales is shafted as it is without this hopeless excuse for a bishop inflicting his directionless floundering on Llandaff.
I hear that our resident Diocesan Tea Boy, Bob (the builder) Townsend is now looking for a part-time job after he gave up being Diocesan Director of Education. He's still being paid a full stipend, though. May be he could do a job-share with the Ass Bishop?
Not one of the lapdogs on the Llandaff Chapter that couldn't run a bath is worth any consideration, they're all tainted with l'eau de Bazza and his patronage.
DeleteNot one of the supine sycophants had the courage to stand up for Janet Henderson when she crossed swords with Sauron over bringing in auditors to sort out the Cathedral and Organ appeal finances.
Peggy the Pilate (more faces than a clock tower) dined with Janet a couple of times patting her on the wrist saying "There, there my dear" just to make sure she went quietly.
Nest of vipers.
Dean Janet is unquestionably the best choice.
DeleteCanon Stewart Lisk? Hardworking, intelligent, middle of the road, all things to all people. Alternatively, the Pope of Roath?
DeleteNot sure Lisk would be good working with women - he's not the easiest to work with his former curates say. We need someone like Bishop Cledwyn who was quite literally called out of the mire of obscurity - he was visiting a parishioner when he found out he had been elected Bishop. Someone like that please - not someone who has been working the system for years and swaning around in red piping. Let's have some humility at the helm
DeleteNot the brightest star in the firmament, a third from Regent's Park College Oxford if memory still serves.
DeleteHumility?
Somewhat pompous and affected, has a tendency to attract disdain from those who won their blue at Oxford colleges of greater repute.
Tainted as one of the current mismanagement team on the Llandaff chapter.
500/1 outsider.
Well Cheering for Janet and Drain the Swamp, as long as she sticks to her conviction and calls the auditors in, she can then show them the best route to Bangor.
DeleteAncient Briton ought to have a seat on the Electoral College. This post has provided all the juice on the candidates.
DeleteBut one who hasn’t figured yet is Jeffrey John. He’s been spotted lunching at the County Club with the Darth One. He ticks all the right boxes for a thoroughly modern CW bishop. Local chap. Into that all LGBTFTFUGUYFRIGHUHIUYUFTUGYBUMGYUG stuff. A good dose of same sex marriage. One time Anglo-Catholic, so he knows the tricks with the smoking pot. Now he’s all liberal and Aff-Cath he can talk the talk to the only five remaining traditionalists in the diocese and make them feel wanted, and can still ignore them. Comes over as being intelligent, but with that nauseating Billy Bunter smile. Finally has a physique where it looks like the spine can be easily removed in one quick movement, which is obviously the essential qualification for any bishop of the CW Bench.
@Carla
DeleteYou are right about the need for Janet to stick to her conviction. In order to have any credibility at all, the new bishop will need to have a first 100 day plan:
1. Sack the Glove Puppet and his favourite Mr Toad and install someone who cares more about being a priest than collecting antiques
2. Publish the quinquennial report
3. Call in a reputable and independent firm of auditors, like Deloitte or Ernst and Young with the specific mandate for a full audit of the "discretionary" fund, and the llandaff organ appeal, committing at the outset to publish the findings in the media without alteration
Most of what used to be Bangor diocesan office furniture can now be found in Relics porn shop opposite the Cathedral, where, it is rumoured that Mrs Rev J is to be ordained priest at Peter tide by her estranged husband. Meanwhile the auditors could start work in Relics, High St Bangor instead.
Delete@North of the Dyfi
DeleteI seriously doubt anyone from outside the Province would consider touching Llandaff with a barge pole and those inside the Province with a useful and utilised brain certainly know better.
It took bully boy --Bazza almost a year to find someone to replace Dean Janet because outsiders repeatedly turned him down.
Which is how Llandaff ended up with the Fantabulous dud in the deanery.
Well, The Trump shall Sound, I'd be interested whom you consider among your paltry estimation of the "five remaining traditionalists in the diocese".
DeleteJust hope that the Bishop of Llandaff will be a man who would command respect from the chapter and congregation rather than a rather lovely dahlia!!! Dean Nigel from St Asaph with Bishop Gregory as Archbishop seem like a good idea.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDesperate times need desperate measures. The Church in Wales has been acting like a commercial enterprise without its rigours. The bench should urgently bring a plan to GB to implement Recommendation 25 of the Review before electing any more bishops. High on their list in reorganising should be for the bishop of St Davids to make way for a fluent Welsh speaker. Bishop Penberthy’s translation to Llandaff could kick start the process showing a fresh determination to put their house in order.
ReplyDeleteThe recent St. David's electoral college plucked her out of the MAE coven and they've made their bed, so why don't you let them lie in it.
DeleteThe last thing Llandaff needs is yet another reject from another Diocese.
We've had to put up with 17 years of eating from that sh*t sandwich and it's definitely someone else's turn to have a bite from that menu.
Caritas, caritas LQAS. Canon Joanna Penberthy was elected because she was the best person to be a bishop. The problem for St Davids is that she is not a fluent Welsh speaker. That would not be a problem in Llandaff. We must all pull together.
ReplyDeleteWhat's this in tonight's paper? Celebrity Archbishop found guilty of harassment! Read on:
ReplyDelete"A celebrity bishop who presided at Jade Goody’s wedding and led the prayers at her wake has been found guilty of breaching a restraining order by sending malicious online messages.
Jonathan Blake, 60, “Archbishop of The Open Episcopal Church”, bombarded two victims with malicious messages over more than two years, a court heard.
He posted “abusive and humiliating” messages online, ignored repeated requests to stop contacting them and broke a restraining order imposed in December 2015.
Blake was found guilty of four counts of breaching his restraining order at Woolwich crown court and was sentenced to 100 hours community service.
He was also ordered to pay £1,000 in costs and issued with a new restraining order.
He made headlines when he carried out Britain’s first gay wedding blessing live on Richard and Judy’s This Morning TV programme in 2001, and was invited to Downing Street in 2012 in recognition of his campaigning for equal marriage."
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/celebrity-bishop-who-led-jade-goody-s-wedding-and-funeral-found-guilty-of-sending-malicious-online-a3467326.html
Another Cathedral on the verge of bankruptcy it seems.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/future-guildford-cathedral-doubt-after-12611520
Future of Guildford Cathedral in doubt after 134-home development REJECTED by councillors
Councillors made the decision just an hour after the Bishop of Guildford told them that without money from development, "possibly no cathedral".
Not mentioned so far, but an excellent candidate for the Llandaff See would be the former University Chaplain who is current DDO and p-in-charge of Christ Church. Fresh, pastoral, intelligent, a published writer with a clear spiritual and prayerful aspect to his character, great with young people, media articulate with experience of work in the secular environment, a track record of getting things done and a first language Welsh speaker too. Also meets, I suspect, the requirements of 1 Timothy 3. Electors, take note!
ReplyDeleteIf he meets all the criteria specified in verses 1-7 then he too is sunk.
DeleteHave you forgotten the composition of the electoral college?
It will, very largely, be the same crowd who plucked Penberthy from among the MAE coven and dumped her on St. David's diocese.
Yes +Trystan would be a first rate Bishop for the Church in Wales. He'd bring a fresh and dynamic approach to the bench
ReplyDeleteA tale of two retirements ...
ReplyDeleteRichard Chartres who prefers the King James Bible and the 1662 BCP, who didn't personally ordain women but had the generosity of spirit to remember that the Anglican Church is or was a broad Church, a true pastor who doubled the size of his flock, when all around were shrinking and
++ Barry a pseudo-liberal ruthless with anyone who didn't slavishly kow-tow to him whose only vocation if not actually to destroy Anglicanism in Wales was to pursue his politically correct causes and who decimated his flock so that in the whole of Wales it is less than half of that in London
So in London they can pray for a worthy successor but in Llandaff only for a pastor who mighty somehow be up to the task of healing his Church
Some hope when Dr Morgan in his new Dark Tower a mile away has appointed as "facilitator" someone whose daughter he appointed as Registrar and with the composition of the Electoral College.
Please pray for Llandaff and for the Church in Walesj
Why does the LLandaff electoral college need a "facilitator", especially a retired judge?
DeleteIs there any precedent?
Was one required in St. David's?
Is it possible that His --Darkness felt it necessary to impose an "enforcer" because he's got wind there is going to be significant resistance to his preferred choice of successor?
In my day the only "facilitator" required was the Holy Ghost.
DeletePerhaps bully boy --Bazza, his gay cabal and his coven have no confidence in their invention, the "Fantabulous Fairy".
Sadly, Subversive Canon, is there anything to suggest the operation, or even the presence, of the Holy Ghost at an Electoral College in recent decades?
ReplyDeleteBut we can still hope ....
The Holy Ghost didn't get to speak or to vote.
DeleteTwo days gone and still no sign of white smoke. I pray the Holy Ghost is in there with them putting a bit of stick about.
DeleteEither they can't come up with a suitable candidate or no-one wants the job!
Deletehttp://www.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2017/02/no-result-from-the-bishop-of-llandaff-election/
Delete"After a three-day meeting of the Church in Wales’ Electoral College to elect a Bishop of Llandaff, none of the candidates considered received the number of votes required for election – a two-thirds majority.
The business of the College was rooted in prayer, worship and quiet reflection, as well as open and friendly debate and discussion.
Under the terms of the Constitution of the Church in Wales the responsibility of filling the vacancy falls to the Bench of Bishops.
The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Davies, who is President of the Electoral College, said the process leading up to an eventual appointment would include a wide-ranging consultation of both the laity and the clergy from across the Church in Wales."
The last time the people of Llandaff Cathedral were consulted on anything (the now infamous Prof. Eleri Jones report) they were promptly ignored.
What should happen in Llandaff tomorrow, is some prayerful, strategic thinking. Bring Gregory Cameron down from St. Asaph - he has the gravity and know-how to be the next Archbishop and he will need to be in Cardiff to do the work properly; look to either of the current St. Asaph senior clerics, Dean Nigel Williams or Archdeacon John Lomas, or Llandaff's Dr. Trystan Hughes to become bishop of St. Asaph; give everybody time to settle into the role, by the end of which, Gregory can have sorted out the pressing need to create an Archiepiscopal See which is not dependant on a Diocese and either of the afore mentioned candidates, will be very eligible to take on the role, having gained the necessary diocesan experience in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteIf the tree-eater is going to ride to the rescue, it won't be on a white charger - more like an old carthorse?
DeleteI couldn't agree more. Bishop Cameron for Archbishop and Dean Nigel Williams as the Bishop of Llandaff. I am sure I have written this before ...........
DeleteOlder, spiritual and wiser before younger, political and ambitious please. Another political appointment with years to run will do nobody any favours.
DeleteDarth +Luxuria certainly has gravity.
DeleteOld carthorse?
Fork lift truck.
So is it deadlocked in a head to head between ++ Barry's lunch mate and his former chaplain?
ReplyDeleteIs there a dark horse waiting in the wings to come riding through the middle? Oh no, it's the Asst. Bishop, plucked by ++Barry from well-deserved obscurity in the Yorkshire Dales, saddled up on his bike. Another best (Welsh speaking) person for the job?
And if it's still stalemate after three days? Then the bench sitters get to choose who joins them!
Not so much a whiff of white smoke as of stale fish.
Hopes of a clean up seem to be diminishing, but mustn't give up on the Holy Ghost just yet.
So the Holy Spirit seems to have been at work in Llandaf or is it The Furies who are conspiring to inflict the worst of a bad lot upon the long suffering people of Cardiff as revenge following the Dark one's murder of the province of Wales. Watch and pray. The Watchman
ReplyDelete