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| Celtic Bishops visit the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Source: Twitter |
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, unless you are among the "Celtic Bishops" visiting the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Then you continue doing your own thing regardless.
Not just one representative but the entire bench of bishops of the Church in Wales is in Rome for another Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which began in 1908 as the Octave of Christian Unity and takes place from 18 to 25 January.
Celtic spirituality has long since given way to secularism in the hierarchies of the "Celtic" churches where bishops masquerade as bishops of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church despite going their own way in defiance of the wishes of the Roman Catholic and Holy Orthodox churches who warned of the consequences for unity when women were admitted to the priesthood.
The Celtic bishops would have done better getting on their knees in the cathedrals of their ailing churches, begging for forgiveness for what they have done.
Postscript [19.01.2018]
The bishop of Llandaff has tweeted: "Celtic bishops finish our time in Rome with Anglican Evensong at St Paul without the Walls for the Week of Prayer for. Christian Unity ‘That all may be free’ "
What are the aims of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity?
+ To pray as Christ prayed ‘That they may be one’.
+ To pray for the unity of all Christian people as we share in Christ’s ministry.
From The Irish News: "THE annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity starts today, heralding a period of prayer and reflection on the theme 'that all may be free'." - To do as they please?
Pray that the bishops do not get stuck in Rome as a consequence of Italian airport workers going on strike. Oh I don't know though! Better if they stayed there and re-learnt the faith.
They really are brazen aren't they. Creating more and more jobs advising them, which the Parish's have to fund, and now flying them all (plus upkeep) to Rome!
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is that most pew sitters don't have a clue how their hard raised funds are being spent!
The people of Llandaff have learned this is the kind of jolly on which the unaudited "discretionary" fund is spent.
DeleteAll while lots of letters are flying around about the still unaccounted for and unaudited Organ appeal.
It's just business as usual in Llys Esgob.
The last jolly funded on a "discretionary" basis was all the Diocesan clergy being taken to Oxford, many against their will. But --Bazza was never one for giving anybody much of a choice.
DeletePray tell us more about these letters!
DeleteWhat a bunch of self-satisfied spongers those bishops are. As smug as the directors of Carillion!
Delete@Silent Majority
DeleteIt seems the Secretary of the former Organ Appeal committee has raised his head above the parapet by posing some very difficult questions in writing recently to the Bishopette and the Capon.
Carbon copies are flying around like confetti.
The grumbles on The Green report June huffing and puffing once more as her house of cards begins to topple.
Llandaff hopes and prays it won't be too long before copies find their way to Ancient Briton and Martin Shipton.
Although it's long overdue well done David Jones, all power to your elbow Sir, follow the money and drain the swamp.
DeleteMy people do... I make sure of that.
DeleteThe Tale of 3 Llandaff Davids.
DeleteDavid 1.
Retired successful business man (but often referred to most endearingly by Bonaparte as "Cardiff's worst Banker"), Organ enthusiast, long-serving and faithful Cathedral steward, regular volunteer, former member of the Cathedral Executive committee and former secretary to the now wholly discredited Organ Appeal.
Sacked as a Cathedral volunteer by Gerwhine for raising his concerns and forwarding them to the Charity Commission.
David 2.
Retired Solicitor and former Welsh Office civil servant, long-serving Llandaff Diocesan Registrar and Llandaff Cathedral Deputy Chapter Clerk, congregant at Llandaff for well over 50 years.
Sacked as Cathedral Deputy Chapter Clerk by Gerwhine for raising his concerns and forwarding them to the Charity Commission.
David 3.
Retired administrator formerly employed by the Representative Body at 39 Cathedral Road, long-serving Campanologist, volunteer and congregant at Llandaff Cathedral and current editor of The Bell.
Selectively refuses to publish correspondence in The Bell thereby helping to perpetuate the Organ Appeal cover-up (relies upon the Church in Wales for his pension).
Still a Cathedral volunteer and remains editor of The Bell.
With Ancient Briton's kind permission once more.
DeletePart I
David Jones, the Secretary of the Organ Appeal Committee - 9th January 2018
This note is published to clarify my concern about the organ appeal and the reasons why David Lambert and I made submissions to the Charity Commission about the appeal.
I was the Secretary to the fund raising committee of the Cathedral’s organ appeal and David Lambert was the Deputy Chapter Clerk during the appeal, advising the Dean and Chapter.
Following our submissions to the Charity Commission about the appeal, the Dean banned me from undertaking any further voluntary duties in the Cathedral and David was dismissed by the Dean from his post of Deputy Chapter Clerk.
I resigned as Secretary to the organ appeal committee on 26th July 2011 because of what I considered to be an unsatisfactory accounting model, the absence of appeal accounts and the failure of the Cathedral administration to inform the appeal committee and the general public of the decision to cancel the part of the organ contract relating to the solo organ and five pedal stops.
I had previously expressed grave doubts as to the figures which had been given with regard to the revised project, the sums that were raised by the appeal and the necessity to dispose of some of the Cathedral’s assets to fund the cost of the organ.
Despite continually asking for an audited account of the appeal, my requests met with a negative response.
In his address to the annual meeting of the Friends of Llandaff Cathedral on 27th June 2015, the Right Reverend Barry Morgan stated that £750,000 of the Cathedral’s assets had been sold and redeemed to fund the organ project.
I wrote to the Archbishop on 22nd July 2015 to challenge this statement for the following reasons:
After the subsequent completion of the installation of the solo organ and five pedal stops, I wrote to the Archdeacon of Llandaff on the 5th August 2013, when she was temporarily overseeing the Cathedral and asked her to request the Cathedral Administration Department to produce an account for the partially completed main organ in the same format as the account that had been produced for the solo organ.
In her reply of 14th September 2013, the Archdeacon stated that the appeal for the partially completed main organ had raised either £1,022,077 or £1,041,398 but that she was unable to provide a full explanation of this discrepancy, except that the discrepancy between the two total figures of £19,321 was probably due to the adjustments needed between management and published financial accounts; that the final capital cost of the partially completed organ as it appeared in the audited accounts was £1,394,830; that a separate bank account was not used and that all donations and expenditure items were credited and debited to and from the Cathedral’s main general account and “although the cash was paid into the Cathedral’s main general account, every effort was made to identify separately both the individual donations and the related gift aid.”
In response to an enquiry from the Archdeacon to the Cathedral’s auditors, they stated that “No tests were/are possible to confirm that the income allocated to the appeal is accurate.”
Special printed envelopes and declarations were printed in order that the appeal could benefit from the gift aid scheme. There is no analysis of the amount of donations that were subject to gift aid.
In order to clarify the financial position, the following figures which have been drawn from the official minutes of the organ appeal committee and from the Archdeacon’s letter to me dated 14th of September 2013, illustrate the possible total cost of the partially completed organ.
The Archdeacon’s letter states that the appeal for the partially completed organ raised either £1,022,077 or £1,041,398.
(To be continued)
Part II
DeleteIf either of these sums is added to the £750,000 referred to by the Right Reverend Barry Morgan in his address to the Friends of Llandaff Cathedral on the 27th June 2015, as being the sum realized from the sale and redemption of the Cathedral’s s assets to pay for the organ project,, then the cost of the partially completed organ would be either £1,772, 077 (£1,022,077 + £750,000 = £1,773,077) or £1,791,398 (£1,041,398 + £750,000 = £1,791,398).
These figures differ greatly from the original quote for the whole organ from Nicholsons, the organ manufacturer and builder of £1,040,000 plus VAT@17.5%. The Cathedral Administrator confirmed these sums to the organ committee on 11th September 2006.
Later, VAT was remitted by HRMC, bringing the cost of the whole organ to £1,040,000.
In addition the later decision in July 2008 to cancel the solo organ and the five pedal costs reduced the original quote by £109,870 to £930,130 and from the total capital cost of £1,394,830 quoted as the cost of the partially completed organ in the Archdeacon’s letter dated 14th September 2013.
In addition to the capital cost of the partially completed organ, there were additional costs for the organ case, accommodation and subsistence for the workforce, transport and traveling expenses, building and electrical work specifically connected to the project, the cost of renting a temporary replacement organ and any annual inflationary rises calculated by the Institute of British Organ Builders.
Based on the reduced quotation figure of £930,130 for the capital cost of the partially completed organ, it would mean that these ancillary costs amount to either £841,947 or £861,268 (£1,772,077 - £930,130 = £841,947 or £1,791,398 - £930,130 = £861,268).
These very large amounts of ancillary costs have not been analysed and seemed to me to be excessive.
Hence my requests for an audited analysed account to include payments to the organ builders and all other contractors and service providers as well as the exact amount which was raised by the appeal.
Following the statement by the Right Reverend Barry Morgan to the Friends of Llandaff Cathedral on 27th June 2015, and another negative response to a request to produce an itemised, audited account, I felt that I had no choice but to approach the Charity Commission.
The Commission contacted the Cathedral and informed David Lambert and I that they were satisfied with the answers that they had received to their enquiries.
Neither of us has seen the Cathedral’s replies to the Charity Commission’s enquiries.
As a result of approaching the Charity Commission, David Lambert was dismissed by the Dean from his post of Deputy Chapter Clerk and I was banned from all Cathedral volunteering duties by the Dean and subjected to false accusations for which my accusers are unable to produce any supporting evidence. I am completely innocent of all these accusations that have been levelled against me.
A separate appeal was launched to complete the organ by the building and installation of the solo organ and the five pedal stops. This was an unqualified success with all donations and expenditure items posted into a separate restricted account by our Treasurer Mr. Tony Edwards and I am publishing the full accounts of the solo organ appeal since our generous donors deserve to have their generosity recognized.
David N.P. Jones.
Caiaphas will be spitting out her Spaghetti in Rome tonight.
DeleteWhen Martin Shipton gets hold of this document of joy she won't be able to claim she hears no "reputable calls for a change of leadership".
She ought to go too for sheer stupidity in attempting to defend the dud in the Deanery.
David 3 should be ashamed of himself.
DeleteIf he doesn't know the difference between editorship and censorship he needs to resign.
Another brown nosing sycophant.
I'm just absorbing the implications of the opening section of David Jones's detailed letter.
DeleteIf I read it rightly, both Mr Jones and Mr Lambert were dismissed from their respective duties merely for bringing these significant irregularities to the attention of the trustees (the Dean & Chapter) and then the Charity Commission.
In my own role as a trustee of several charities, past and present, I would consider it incumbent upon me to warn the the other trustees if there was any question over the financial situation or conduct of the charity. If no action was forthcoming, the Charity Commission would be my next port of call.
Regardless of the scale of the disparity between the reported cost of the new organ and Mr Jones's calculations, the mere fact that there is room for doubt about the official figures raises considerable concern.
That it is necessary for David Jones to raise these concerns again, over two years since Barry Morgan first alluded to the "£750,000 shortfall" (as reported on this very blog) demonstrates how serious this is.
Whatever the Dean & Chapter hoped to achieve by trying to sweep this under the carpet, it has now rebounded upon them and they should be very worried indeed.
Peggy the Pilate Jackson a chartered accountant?
DeleteI doubt she could count to 20 without first removing her socks and shoes.
@Subversive Canon, talking about protecting pensions at the Church in Wales... where were the voices of protest from the Cathedral Chapter when their faithful and long-serving Deputy Chapter Clerk was summarily sacked by the Dean?
DeleteWhy didn't the Canons immediately censure the Dean, proffer their own resignations or raise the matter publicly?
It's one of the most cowardly cases of closing ranks I've ever seen. These clergy claim to serve a higher power but their actions speak so much louder than their words.
'Napoleon' should be summoned from St Helena to explain his actions in this sordid business. If the Dark Lord, the archdeacon, the former dean (Napoleon) and the then chapter are all surrounded by the whiff of financial doubt/mismanagement/irregularities, then the good people of the diocese of Llandaff are right in suspecting that their senior churchmen and woman are not to be trusted. Across the diocese the pewsitters should cancel all direct giving and refuse to put anything into the collection plate until this matter is properly investigated and resolved.
DeleteQuite so, @Berty. How can this scheming cabal be trusted with the weekly collection when large donations have seemingly disappeared without trace? It calls into question the probity of the whole organisation, not just Llandaff Cathedral.
DeleteServing "a higher power"?
DeleteThat would be bully boy --Bazza!
The scales have fallen from my eyes and I should have seen it much sooner.
DeleteThe wider context for the poison pen letter to Mrs X -whose identity in now apparent- is that the dud in the Deanery has been engaged in a personal vendetta against one particular family for at least 2 years.
Not satisfied with sacking the Deputy Chapter Clerk and preventing the former Organ appeal Secretary from further donating his time and talents, the scatter gun approach is applied to the modus operandi so Mrs L is also banned from further donating her time and talents.
A text book example of the typical insecure vertically challenged chip-on-his-shoulder petulant inadequate puerile churl.
How much more of the horrible man's nastiness has to come to light before someone, anyone, will take action?
DeleteI have no confidence Caiaphas will get off her rump and do anything as she nailed her bloomers to Gerwhine's mast the last time she made allegations against Davids 1 and 2.
Llandaff needs a complete clear-out, Bishop, Dean & Chapter.
There is not a moral compass between them.
There has been much excitement at The Bursary since I received David Jones's figures. Many thanks to him for bringing this new information to public attention and subjecting Llandaff Cathedral to much-needed scrutiny.
DeleteThe figures that caught my eye are as follows:
1) £750,000: the amount of the Cathedral’s assets that were sold or redeemed to fund the organ project, according to former Archbishop Morgan in June 2015.
2) £1,022,077 or £1,041,398: two possible amounts for the total income raised for the Main Organ Appeal (exc the Solo Organ), according to the Archdeacon of Llandaff in Sept 2013.
3) £1,394,830: the final capital cost of the partially completed organ as it appeared in the audited accounts (presumably in the year ending 2012)
4) £1,772,077 or £1,791,398: the total cost of the partially completed organ if Archbishop Morgan's statement of £750,000 were added to the income figures for the appeal.
6) £1,040,000 plus 17.5% VAT: the original quote for the whole organ from Nicholsons, as confirmed by the Cathedral Administrator in September 2006. VAT was later remitted by HRMC.
8) £930,130: the amount less the cost of the Solo Organ (£109,870) when this was cancelled in July 2008.
9) £841,947 or £861,268: The ancillary / additional costs on top of the basic cost of the main organ, if £930,130 is subtracted from the total figures of £1,772,077 or £1,791,398.
---------
Although all appeals attract additional fundraising costs, it seems unlikely that these would amount to as much as £840K or more. Yet this is the only conclusion one can arrive at if the Archbishop's and Archdeacon's statements are correct.
Let us say for the sake of argument that the Archdeacon's lower figure for donations, £1,022,077, is accurate. Given the original quote from Nicholsons of £1,040,000 without VAT, this would have been nearly sufficient on its own to discharge that. The £18K shortfall could have been easily met from other giving.
However this ignores two other important aspects: Giftaid at 20% and the cancellation of the Solo Organ. The amount raised would become £1,226,492 including Giftaid, and the basic organ cost dropped to £930,130. Therefore the appeal should have made a surplus.
Instead we find the Cathedral selling off its property (No9, The Green, which was sold for £635,000 in 2010) and presumably other assets to reach £750,000 as Barry Morgan stated. The obvious conclusion is that somehow costs associated with the Organ were much greater than the original quote.
Bear in mind that: "A quote is an offer to do a job at a certain price, if you accept a quote than the trader can't charge you more than the quoted price." (Citizen's Advice Bureau).
Therefore any additional costs charged to the Organ Appeal must have come from ancillaries charged by Llandaff Cathedral, not Nicholsons. Certainly fundraising costs such as advertising, printing and other outlays could have been added to the organ costs. But surely these could not have amounted to over £800K on top?
Compounding this problem is the decision not to put the organ funds into a restricted account. Mixing the funds from an appeal with general funds for an organisation is prohibited because it leads to precisely this issue: an inability to distinguish between specific monies raised for the appeal and other funds.
David Jones's investigations show there is a a great deal of uncertainty in the official statements about the Llandaff Cathedral Organ Appeal. The questions to ask are these:
1) How was the Appeal income recorded in the accounts?
2) If it was not spent on the organ, what were the funds used for?
3) Why did Llandaff Cathedral record a significant deficit when Archbishop Barry Morgan took over as Visiting Dean in 2012 on the departure of Dean John Lewis?
Lovely article with perfect timing in The Times yesterday.
DeleteLlandaff in a nutshell.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bad-bosses-driving-cathedrals-to-ruin-exeter-peterborough-durham-chichester-st-pauls-guildford-york-minster-9tw26lhp7
Bad bosses driving cathedrals to ruin
What David Jones has exposed is truly disturbing. But if money given for the Organ Appeal was diverted, why can’t those who were cajoling the duped donors into contributing and those who got their hands on the donations - Napoleon, the Cathedral Administrator, whoever that was, - be held to account for what did happen to the money?
DeleteOne is led to believe that David Jones' mailing list is rather more substanial than the pathetic new Bishopette Caiaphas, the glove puppet, the inumerate Archdeaconesse,the Chapter that can't run a bath and the ineffective sycophants on the PCC.
DeleteOne hopes and believes other charitable organisations that donated and various Police fraud squads might well be on the circulation list.
HMRC might well be advised to take a forensic look into the Gift Aid claims too.
If it looks and smells like a stinking dead fish then the chances are it's a stinking dead fish.
Is it any wonder Janet Henderson chose to resign rather than crumble under pressure from Darth --Insidious to sign the dodgy accounts?
DeleteThe role of Captain Peacock in the Organ and Henderson scandals should not be underestimated.
I am pleased to see the strong support for David Jones's queries about the Llandaff Organ Appeal. He circulated his letter early last week and the version that appeared on this blog was a later variation.
DeleteAs the printed letter is the original, I think it would be useful to reproduce David's wording and clearer formatting. With Ancient Briton's kind permission, I shall do so in two parts, then follow with the final Account for the Solo Organ in part 3.
Part 1: Original printed letter
The Organ Appeal - David N. Jones
The following paragraphs are intended to publicise and clarify my concern over the organ appeal and the reasons why David Lambert and I made submissions to the Charity Commission. I was the secretary to the fund raising committee for the Cathedral’s organ appeal and David Lambert was the Deputy Chapter Clerk during the appeal. Following our submissions to the Charity Commission, I was banned from undertaking any voluntary duties and David was dismissed from his post as Deputy Chapter Clerk by the Dean.
I resigned as secretary to the appeal committee on the 26th of July 2011 because of what I considered to be an unsatisfactory accounting model, the absence of accounts and the failure to inform the appeal committee and the general public of the cancellation of the solo organ and five pedal stops. I had expressed grave doubts as to the figures which had been given with regard the revised project and the sums that were raised by the appeal and the need to dispose of some of the Cathedral’s assets to fund the cost of the revised organ project. Despite asking for an audited account to establish the true figures, my request was met with a negative response. In his address to the annual meeting of the Friends of Llandaff Cathedral on the 27th of June 2015 The Right Reverend Barry Morgan stated that £750,000 of the Cathedral’s assets had been sold and redeemed to fund the organ project. I wrote to him on the 22nd of July 2015 to challenge his statement for the following reasons.
After the completion of the organ project by the installation of the solo organ and five pedal stops, I wrote to the Archdeacon of Llandaff on the 5th of August 2013, when she was temporarily overseeing the Cathedral and asked her to request the Cathedral Administration Department to produce an account for the partially completed organ in the same format as the account for the solo organ. In her reply dated 14th September 2013, she confirmed-:
1. That the appeal had raised either £1,022,077 or £1,041,398 but she was unable to provide a full explanation for the discrepancy, except that the discrepancy between the two figures of £19,321 was probably due to the adjustments needed between management and published financial accounts. In the same letter she stated that the final capital cost expended on the partially completed organ as it appeared in the audited accounts was £1,394,830. She also confirms that a separate bank account was not used and that all donations and expenditure items were credited and debited to and from the Cathedral’s main, general account. She states that “although the cash was paid into the Cathedral main bank account, every effort was made to identify separately both the individual donations and their related gift aid.” In response to an enquiry from her to the Cathedral auditors they confirmed in a short statement that “No tests were/are possible to confirm that the income allocated to the appeal is accurate.” Special printed envelopes and declarations were printed in order that the appeal could benefit from the gift aid scheme. There is no analysis of the amount of donations that were subject to gift aid.
Part 2 - Printed Letter contd
Delete2. In order to clarify the financial position the following figures which have been drawn from the official minutes of the appeal committee and from the Archdeacon’s letter to me dated the 14th of September 2013 illustrate the possible total cost of the partially completed organ. If the sums quoted in the Archdeacon’s letter, when she confirms that the appeal raised either £1,022,077 or £1,041,398 were added to the £750,000 which was realised from the sale and redemption of the Cathedral’s assets and which was quoted by The Right Reverend Barry Morgan as the sums needed to fund the organ project in his address to The Friends of Llandaff Cathedral on the 27th of June 2015, the cost of the partially completed organ would be either £1,772, 077 or £1,791,398 (£1,022,077 + £750,000 = £1,772,077) or (£1,041,398 + £750,000 = £1,791,398). These figures differ greatly from the original quote from Nicholsons, the organ manufacturers and builder of £1,040,000 plus VAT@17.5% which The Cathedral Administrator confirmed to the committee on the 11/09/2006. They also differ from the total capital cost of £1,394,830 quoted as the cost of the partially completed organ in The Archdeacon’s letter dated 14th of September 2013. VAT was forgiven by HRMC, bringing the net cost for the whole four manual organ to £1,040,000. It must be remembered that the solo organ and five pedal stops had been cancelled in July 2006, which reduced the original quote by £109,870 to £930,130. (£1,040,000 – 109,870 = £930,130). In addition to the cost of the instrument, costs for the organ case, accommodation and subsistence for the workforce, transport and travelling expenses, any building and electrical work specifically connected to the project and the cost of renting a temporary replacement organ would have been added as well as any annual, inflationary rises calculated by the Institute of British Organ Builders.
Based on these quoted figures, the additional ancillary costs would amount to either £841,947 or £861,268 (£1,772,077 - £930,130 = £841,947) or (£1,791,398 - £930,130 = £861,268). These very large amounts for ancillary costs have not been analysed and seemed to me to be excessive and hence my request for an audited, analysed account to include payments to the organ builders and all other contractors and service providers as well as the exact amount which was raised by the appeal.
A separate appeal was launched to complete the organ by the building and installation of the solo organ and the five pedal stops which was an unqualified success with all donations and expenditure items posted into a separate restricted account by our Treasurer Mr. Tony Edwards, and I am publishing the full account of the solo organ appeal since our generous donors deserve to have their generosity recognised.
Following the statement by the Right Reverend Barry Morgan to the Friends of Llandaff Cathedral on the 27th of June 2015 and another negative response to produce an itemised, audited account, I felt that I had no choice but to approach The Charity Commission. The Commission contacted the Cathedral and informed David Lambert and I that they were satisfied with the answers that they had received to their enquiries. Neither of us have seen the Cathedral’s replies to the Charity Commission’s enquiries.
As a result of approaching the Charity Commission, David Lambert was dismissed from his post as Deputy Chapter Clerk and I was banned from all volunteering duties by The Dean and subjected to false accusations for which my accusers are unable to produce any supporting evidence. I am completely innocent of all these accusations that have been levelled against me.
David N.P. Jones.
Part 3 - Llandaff Cathedral Solo Organ Account
DeleteINCOME £
Private Donations 51,831.77
Gift Aid on the above 11,054.24
Trust Donations 58,825.00
Llandaff Festivals incl. Gift Aid 83,622.53
Recitals net 208.89
Events net 9,699.84
Interest 739.38
Ll Cath CCLA initial deposit 9.48
TOTAL INCOME £215,991.13
PAYMENTS
Expenses 1,258.60
Cost of organ 189,183.15
Celebrity Recital 1,357.90
Celebrity Book of Donors & Sponsors 330.00
“Organs of Llandaff” booklets 1,006.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £193,135.65
BALANCE £22,855.48
Represented By:
Current Account 4106.62
CCLA Account 18748.86
TOTAL £22,855.48
31st March 2014
Interest received since 31/3/14 18.70
TOTAL at 4 Sep 2014 22,874.18
The Bursar makes an important point. "Compounding this problem is the decision not to put the organ funds into a restricted account. Mixing the funds from an appeal with general funds for an organisation is prohibited because it leads to precisely this issue: an inability to distinguish between specific monies raised for the appeal and other funds." The question is - prohibited by whom? Is it a legal prohibition or an accounting convention, or prohibition by some other means? Whatever the answer, a further investigation of this vexed issue is desperately needed.
DeleteIf there has been no wrongdoing, then nobody should have anything to fear. If, however, there has been malpractice here, then it needs to be exposed as a matter of urgency. The question is - how? I'm sure that there are legal or financial experts who could answer this question!
Nemesis
No mention of Bangor in the Times article Cymru':rGroes? We thought the days of Cyanide Sue were bad but the current regime, with Car-Crash Kathy in the driving seat, seems to have dragged Cathedral morale to an all-time low.
DeleteMenai Drudge
@Nemesis
DeleteI understand the Charity Commission and Charity law prohibit the aforementioned malpractice.
Surely there are legal experts around The Green to whom David Jones and David Lambert (himself a lawyer) can turn.
Where is Gerard Elias QC in all of this mess?
@Nemesis, I refer you to the paper on Financial Appeals at Stewardship ( https://www.stewardship.org.uk/downloads/briefingpapers/financial-appeals.pdf ), in particular this section on p10:
Delete"It is all too easy for funds collected for a special purpose through an appeal to become co-mingled with general funds and for the distinction between the funds to become lost over time so that appeal funds are inadvertently used for purposes other than that for which they were donated. Even if the misuse is inadvertent this is a serious breach of charity law on the part of the trustees. Whilst this may not be worth doing for smaller appeals, one of the easiest ways to ensure that this is unlikely to occur is to keep appeal funds in a separately designated bank account, which can only be used for the purposes set out in the appeal."
In a case like that of the Llandaff Organ Appeal, where simple questions about the appeal income and usage of funds cannot be adequately answered, then the pitfalls of not using a designated or restricted bank account are adequately illustrated.
Bursar, you have always been most helpful but I believe this is the best yet.
DeleteThe question is now one of how and why the Charity Commissioner has refused to look into the Llandaff Organ appeal and why has the information provided by David Lambert and David Jones been ignored.
Gerwhine's so far unsubstantiated and repeated claims (exhibit A, his disgusting letter to Mrs Lambert)to have been given the 'all clear' by the Charity Commission appears to be at best, highly unlikely.
All the Nicholson's itemised invoices must be made public as must any and all correspondence between the Cathedral and the Charity Commission.
Caiaphas is married to a QC
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Osborne
Personal life
"She is married to Paul Goulding QC, a barrister."
https://www.blackstonechambers.com/barristers/paul-goulding-qc/
"Paul is widely recognised as one of the top silks in employment law. He regularly appears in the High Court, Employment Tribunal, the appellate courts and arbitrations (both as arbitrator and advocate). He has been involved in many of the leading cases involving restrictive covenants and team moves, whistleblowing, discrimination, employment status and bonus claims."
One could be forgiven for thinking he might have advised her concerning the inadvisability of perpetuating a fraud and cover up?
In view of the comments from Simple Simon and the Bursar it is imperative that this matter is investigated without further delay. The Charity Commission was obviously not aware of the breaking of its own rules on the need for the separation of accounts. If this is "Charity Law" then the situation is even more serious. Even if there has been no deliberate malpractice there is clear evidence of gross incompetence. It's up to the Bishop to get a grip on this situation. She is well placed to deal with it as she was not in post when these activities took place. If she does not act, the whole thing will blow up in her face and her credibility will be irretrievably damaged. If there is no progress on that front then the Charity Commissioners should be informed of the true facts relating to this shambles. The present position is untenable for those responsible for this mess and they cannot be allowed to go on obfuscating any longer!
DeleteNemesis
Forgive me, Episkopos, but perhaps you are being a touch naiive?
DeleteHaving climbed the greasy pole to reach the exalted heights of first Bishopette in Llandaff, one doesn't need or heed advice from professionals, one merely follows the instructions and edicts flowing from the Dark --Lord ensconced at Llys Ego, Whitchurch.
She might be considering chucking Gerwhine under a bus but Peggy the Pilate would have to go too and she can't be seen to sacrifice one of the sisters-in-sin.
The anti-dote to June's duplicity and poison is the same as that which caught out bully boy --Bazza at the Friends' AGM.
A well-placed Dictaphone at every future meeting with June is not just advisable but a prerequisite.
There will be no need for the Rev Dr Sarah Rogers to take minutes that will never see the light of day.
The best way of dealing with June's duplicity is the same as that for dealing with --Barry's lies.
DeleteA well-placed Dictaphone needs to be present at all future meetings with her and Rev Dr Sarah Rogers can go back to a Parish as there will be no need for her to record minutes which will never see the light of day.
Could caiaphas have misjudged this any worse?
DeleteI read this overnight and saw an earlier poster use the word “vendetta” which exactly describes what’s going on. Caiaphas signed up for the vendetta, but not just cautiously, prudently. In fact she has tied her whole future to it - throwing caution and balance and calm aside, picking up the dagger of the vendetta - seething, angry, lashing out.
What an calamitous mistake!
More to the point Episkopos the Blackstone chambers web page promotes the fact that Paul regularly advises on whistle blowing claims.
DeletePerhaps not in Cathedrals.
Just saying
Quite so, "Just saying".
DeleteAs I understand it, to claim protection as a 'whistle-blower' one has to be employed and paid by the organisation against which one is whistle-blowing.
David Jones, David and Diana Lambert along with all the others who have been subjected to Gerwhine's vitriolic outbursts and poison pen letters (the majority of whom have yet to receive any subsequent belated apology letter!) have all been unpaid volunteers giving freely of their time, talents, abilities and experience.
Which makes Gerwhine's sin all the greater because employees have some rights and some protections enshrined in various Acts of Parliament, whereas volunteers have no such rights or protections.
Plus, as some have found out to their surprise, the Church in Wales anti-bullying policy and procedure is fit only for use as rather coarse toilet tissue, assuming one can actually winkle out of the Church in Wales in the first place that such a policy and procedure even exist.
I understand even writing to ++John Davies produces only an altogether life-like re-enactment of Pontius Pilate hand wringing and washing.
Not his wife's Cathedral anyway.
DeleteI was a patron of the Llandaff Festival. I’m a long time AB reader but first time blogger. I’m thinking of litigation and researching a few options. Does anyone know how to go about getting money back from a crooked charity?
DeleteTry calling Paul Goulding QC on 0207 583 1770
DeleteHe seems to be the kind of upstanding pillar of the community who should take an interest in righting the wrongs of a fraudulent charity appeal.
His wife is a Bishop too so he might believe in charitable good deeds and may even do it for you pro bono.
I like your train of thought Barnaby.
DeleteThere's no point in referring matters to south Wales Police, bully boy --Bazza will likely have his friends in the Taffia pulling strings there.
So I tried putting "Fraud Advice" into Google.
I found a group called ActionFraud - "National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre" - at
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/resources-fraud-advice
I got very excited when I saw "Charity Donation Fraud"
(https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/sites/default/files/Charity%20donation%20fraud.doc.pdf)
and "False accounting fraud"
(https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/sites/default/files/False%20accounting%20fraud.doc.pdf)
but neither seem to fit the bill for what is needed to deal with the Organ appeal allegations and lack of accounts but you could try calling them on 0300 123 2040 to see what they think about the Llandaff situation.
For certain, neither Calamitous Caiaphas nor the dud in the Deanery will be making any such call!
Apologies.
DeleteJust found the Fraud Advisory Panel as well.
https://www.fraudadvisorypanel.org/
"The Fraud Advisory Panel is the respected, influential and independent voice of the anti-fraud community. We are a registered charity and membership organisation."
There's a complete section on charity fraud.
https://www.fraudadvisorypanel.org/charity-fraud/get-involved/
Thanks for quick replies! Wasn’t expecting anything so fast!!!
Delete@ laughing gas:- Actually I did google Blackstone Chambers after reading about Paul Goulding yesterday as part of my research!!! They have quite a large number of QCs who work in a department called CIVIL FRAUD, ASSET RECOVERY & INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
https://www.blackstonechambers.com/expertise/civil-fraud-asset-recovery-injunctive-relief/
Actually they seem well qualified for the job! Are you serious about calling him??
@ lux et veritas:- re South Wales police - my thoughts exactly!
I don’t want to post how much money is involved because for now I don’t want “CAIAPHAS” to work out my identity. I’m not in any sort of mood for one of her house calls. Actually I am very angry about what’s happened to our money. I gave that money in the good faith and trust that it was being used to buy an organ, not to pay for administrative assistants or salaries or discretionary funds or whatever else. It’s not that difficult. You ask someone for money. They give it. You spend it on what you said you would.
But: on the website link you posted, the two options under “responding to fraud when things go wrong” are to complain to the Charities Commission or take action in the civil courts. The 2 David’s tried the first and so I’m thinking the second!
If Paul Goulding QC doesn't want the work or won't do it pro bono David Lambert might be in the right frame of mind to help you out.
DeleteIf I am any judge of the prevailing sense of growing outrage around The Green, there might be a class action in the making.
The time for Caiaphas to pull her finger out and do something positive about this mess is running short. Perhaps it will be best if it's taken out of her hands altogether anyway.
@BarnabyWales
DeleteYou might be interested in this website, it seems to be a good place to begin.
https://www.bwbllp.com/individuals/services/anti-fraud-prevention-and-cure-services/
BWB - Bates Wells Braithwaite
Fraud: Prevention and cure
BWB’s Anti-Fraud team is made up of experienced lawyers from a range of disciplines and can help you:
deal with fraud and related issues, whether as the victim claimant or defendant;
secure and analyse evidence and help recover stolen funds;
If you have suffered from a fraud or other misconduct or been accused of misconduct we can assist with:
early intervention, investigation of the facts and securing evidence in a forensically sound manner;
bringing and defending civil claims for recovery of lost funds and non-legal alternatives;
To ask a question on a confidential basis, or for more information about how we might help your business, please email us at fightingfraud@bwbllp.com or call 020 7551 7777 and ask to speak to Rob Oakley or Mindy Jhittay.
We are pleased to offer a free no obligation half hour consultation.
I see in the latest edition of The Bell that after 18 months in the job Mr Moore is getting around to trying to fund raise to keep himself in a job.
DeleteGood luck with that one but a few words of advice to Mr Moore, gratis.
ENSURE all monies raised for the Choir are kept in a separate bank account.
ENSURE Alan Williams and the dud in the Deanery are NOT signatories to the cheque book.
ENSURE you keep detailed, itemised accounts that tally to the penny.
ENSURE you keep Peggy the Pilate and Captain Peacock well away.
Any questions?
Get in touch with Oxford Monkey Music.
Lots of food for thought in today's Daily Telegraph for anyone thinking of launching any further fund-raising appeals in Llandaff Cathedral.
DeleteDavid Jones might do well to send copies of all the relevant paperwork and letters directly to William Shawcross and his successor, Baroness Stowell of Beeston.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/29/charities-obsessed-chasing-celebrity-patrons-rather-helping/
Charities are too obsessed with 'chasing celebrity patrons' rather than helping people, warns official regulator
"I worry that too many large charities are too focused on chasing the next public service contract, or a bigger fundraising return, or a celebrity patron.
Measuring their success simply in terms of growth.
That is not good enough.
Charities, small and large, should be lean and agile, focusing on the people they were set up to help – as well as respecting their donors.
They should question their very existence as often as practically possible: are we making a big enough difference, are others doing what we do more effectively?
It would be wrong – and unlawful - for the Commission as regulator to force ineffective charities to wind up or merge.
It is for trustees, not civil servants, constantly to ask difficult questions about their charities’ effectiveness, and to draw brave conclusions."
Mr Shawcross said charities had to realise that after the fund raising scandals that hit the sector, they had to work harder to win the support of older donors. He said:
"Charities should not be complacent.
Public attitudes are shifting.
People once trusted charities just because.
But the exposure of indefensible fundraising methods by some large charities in 2014 was an awful shock.
Especially, perhaps, to older people who placed absolute trust in household names.
Scrutiny of charities and their activities has increased.
The spotlight is on them like never before.
Recent research suggests that younger people place less automatic faith in charities than their forebears.
They ask more questions of institutions and what they actually achieve. They are driven by the cause and the impact.
Charities should welcome this new spirit of inquiry.
I believe it may foster deeper, more resilient public trust in charities. But only if charities learn to accept more scrutiny.
‘It’s for charity’ is not an excuse for poor fundraising practice, or bad behaviour, quite the reverse.
Charities are rightly held to the highest standards.
The recent revelation of unacceptable behaviour at a men-only fundraising gala organised by a charity have been met with opprobrium.
The Commission is now investigating the charity."
Well spotted Subversive Friend.
DeleteI would like to think the David & Diana Lamberts and the David Jones' of this world will take great comfort from such remarks, especially "Charities are RIGHTLY held to the highest standards".
The trustess of Llandaff Cathedral, i.e. the Dean & Chapter continue to demonstrate their collective inability to "constantly to ask difficult questions about their charities’ effectiveness, and to draw brave conclusions."
Which is why it is all the more worrying that the ears in the walls report moves afoot to launch a big new fund-raising initiative at Llandaff Cathedral centred on the 900th anniversary of the Norman parts of the building erected around 1120.
Unless and until the allegations surrounding the Organ appeal accounts are addressed honestly, openly and fully, even the endangered species of the completely gullible lesser spotted Llandaff pew sitter will not be bitten twice.
Without any such resolution, the glove puppet's 'Llandaff900' (no, forget that, too close to the Peterborough mess), the glove puppet's 'Llandaff2020' (no, forget that too, the 2020DiVision farce, enough said), the glove puppet's 'Cathedral cock-up Cafe' (no, tried that and it closed early), the glove puppet's 'Llandaff is bust' campaign is doomed to failure before it is even announced, never mind launched!
Looks like it's a case of 'here we go again' in Llandaff.
DeleteThe last "review" carried out by Prof Eleri Jones cost £5,000 and was largely ignored until it made an appearance on Ancient Briton's blog.
There's some absolute corkers in this press release.......
http://llandaff.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2018/02/cathedral-review/
Cathedrals are one of the most popular forms of Christian expression.
Sacred icons of our landscape they are enjoying substantial increases in their visitor numbers, attendance at services, educational visits and are seen by many as centres of civic life.
Behind the statistics lie stories of excellent worship, the exploration of faith and deep spirituality.
They serve the young and old alike and are seen by the community of Wales as a deep part of its history and landscape.
In 2020 Llandaff Cathedral will celebrate the 900 year anniversary of its foundation when the bones of St Dyfrig were translated to Cardiff from Bardsey Island.
Yet Cathedrals are challenging organisations to run because of their wide-ranging responsibilities and their relatively meagre resources.
They need to be realistic and clear in their strategic aims.
Their structures of governance and financial management need to keep pace with best practice and legislation.
In 2016, The Church in Wales commissioned a review of the six Welsh Cathedrals, to set out a possible framework to help them meet the ever more complex challenges of their management and governance, especially as registered Charities.
The implementation of this work is ongoing.
(continued.....)
Part 2.
DeleteAs part of their own response to that Provincial Review of the Welsh Cathedrals, the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff, with the strong encouragement and support of the Bishop of Llandaff, have commissioned an independent review of its structures and governance.
The Chapter is keen to ensure it has an attractive vision for its future alongside the best possible model of governance and fiscal discipline that will enable the Cathedral to deliver on its strategic aims and to guarantee its sustainability for the future.
The Dean, The Very Reverend Gerwyn Capon, said, “Much has been achieved over the last few years in terms of improved financial management and a robust determination by the congregations to see the Cathedral flourish.
We are also enjoying a recovery in the quality and output of the Cathedral’s music, but this must be placed on a sustainable footing for the long term. We are undergoing a major repair programme to the building fabric but we need to remodel much of the ancillary space to provide better facilities. All this means it is now an excellent time to consider how we govern and operate within the life of the Cathedral as we seek to respond to present and future needs.”
The Bishop of Llandaff, The Right Reverend June Osborne, who was for 13 years the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral welcomes this initiative of the Dean and Chapter.
“Llandaff Cathedral is one of Wales’ great treasures. It is a sacred place of prayer and holds the memory of ancient saints of Wales alongside our more recent history, including the damage done by war and the great rebuilding of it in the 1950s. It is valued by the whole community. I welcome this Review and want to encourage the Chapter as they seek to build a strong future vision and greater capacity for worship, outreach and service.”
The Review will be undertaken by Mr Richard Bacon, an experienced accountant who works closely with Bristol Cathedral, Mrs Jane Barker also an accountant and Chairman of Marsh Ltd and Mercer Ltd and Lay Chapter member of Salisbury Cathedral, and The Very Revd Nick Bury, Dean of Gloucester Cathedral from 1996-2010.
The Terms of Reference of the Review are to:
1. Consider the strategic vision of the Cathedral and how it might be strengthened;
2. Examine the business model of the Cathedral and make recommendations about how it might be improved;
3. Explore the current systems which deliver the Cathedral’s purpose and advise on whether they are fit for purpose;
4. Identify the financial, fabric, property and management controls and the major risks to which the Cathedral is, and has been, exposed and to make an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses;
5. Make a series of recommendations which will enable the Chapter to construct a strategic plan for change with greater clarity around impact and outcomes.
It is expected that they will complete their work by the end of May 2018 and the Chapter will shortly thereafter publish their report.
Further information is available from Mrs Anna Morrell
annamorrell@churchinwales.org.uk
Tel: 029-2034-8208
This was posted on 1 February 2018.
Quite so Groundhog.
DeleteIt's Eleri Jones all over again but this time there will be 3 stooges getting a big pay day.
Even the PR announcement is a lie - the Chapter weren't involved in any 'initiative', the first they knew of it was reading about it here!
The Llandaff Chapter can't run a tap never mind a bath!
It's obvious that Calamity June is behind this 'Review' and there's only 2 possibilities, a) it's another attempt to cover things up and kick the David Jones letter/Organ appeal etc into the long grass or b) it might be genuine and result in significant changes in Llandaff.
We'll find out at the end of May when either the dud in the Deanery is still in situ or there is an announcement that he has "chosen to seek ministry elsewhere".
Other than a large pay packet one wonders why would the 3 stooges Bacon, Barker & Bury (is it me or does that sound like a firm of lawyers?) agree to waste their time?
DeleteThe ears in the walls report that invitations to partake in the latest Llandaff window-dressing exercise have started to land on doormats.
One also wonders if the 3 stooges have any autonomy in issuing their invitations or whether they have been "provided" with the required list of previously vetted sycophants who are guaranteed to express to them the required positive-only opinions about the squatting dud in the Deanery?
In the forlorn hope that this "review" is anything other than a sham, one wonders if they have invited Janet Henderson and Eleri Jones to partake?
To the list of Janet Henderson and Eleri Jones must be added the names of all the Vergers the slimy amphibian Mr Toad has made 'disappear' over the years (Ian, Haydn, Jo, et al), the Directors of Music that have come, gone or not even bothered to show up in the first place (Richard Moorhouse, Sir Christopher Gower, Jonathan Bielby, et al), the missing Catholic curate Ceirion Gilbert, the sacked assistant Organist (Sachin Gunga), all the Lay Clerks made redundant and all the back row who were told they were never employees in the first place, the members of the now defunct Men's working party whose tools kept mysteriously disappearing, previous members of the Fabric, Executive and Organ Appeals committees, not forgetting the recipients of the poison pen letters from Gerwhine (Mrs L, Mr & Mrs J, Mr & Mrs E, Mr J, Mrs E), those on the receiving end of the tongue lashings (Mrs L and the widow Mrs M) and finally, ALL those who have left the Cathedral due to the mismanagement and unpleasantness of the gay cabal calling people "subversives".
DeleteIf the whole process is not a sham they might just need an extension to their deadline!
The 3 stooges could start here.
Deletehttps://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/leaked-report-shows-church-wales-9913096
23rd August 2015
Church in Wales authorities were warned in 2012 that Llandaff Cathedral was facing bankruptcy unless a professional fundraiser was hired to put its finances right.
But such a fundraiser has still not been appointed and a range of recommendations made in a report by a Welsh academic have not been implemented.
The Dean of Llandaff says it is “totally irresponsible” to suggest the Cathedral is facing bankruptcy, and that the question of appointing a professional fundraiser is still under consideration.
The Cathedral issued a brief to consultants in February 2012 which said its annual budget was around £500,000, but that expenditure was exceeding income.
The most recent quinquennnial (five yearly) review of the Cathedral’s maintenance needs identified future work costed at £500,000, and the brief said the Cathedral’s preferred option to stabilise its finances was to appoint a professional fundraiser to be known as development director.
The contract was won by Professor Eleri Jones of Cardiff Metropolitan University and an academic colleague, and they delivered their report in December 2012.
It concluded: “At the moment the Cathedral is in dire financial straits and facing bankruptcy despite the best efforts of the Chapter, the clergy and other staff and the army of volunteers.
“It would seem self-evident that to turn the situation around is beyond the capability of one person - the new Dean [Janet Henderson] - who although critical to the Cathedral as its new face is likely to need the skill set and professional expertise of a dedicated fundraiser to enable the various projects essential to implementing a blueprint for a sustainable future for the Cathedral in the longer term.”
Dean Henderson left after only weeks in the role and was succeeded by the Archbishop of Wales’ former Chaplain, Very Rev Gerwyn Capon.
Dean Capon said Prof Jones’ report had been shared with the Chapter and the Parochial Church Council. He described the report as making “suggestions” rather than recommendations and, regarding the role of a fundraiser, said: “We are considering this possibility but I have been in post for just 18 months and feel that there is ground work to do first.”
He added: “It is totally irresponsible to suggest that the Cathedral is on the verge of bankruptcy and the suggestion is factually untrue – it has assets that are valued in the millions which could be liquidated if necessary.
“Our challenge is to ensure that the operation of the Cathedral keeps in line with its income – that is true for any Cathedral or institution. Also, late last year, The Friends of Llandaff Cathedral were left a legacy which means that the Friends now have nearly £900,000 at the disposal of the Cathedral – that is a matter of public record. The Friends cannot deploy that money in any way other than for the benefit of the Cathedral and we are urging them to do just that.
“The quinquennial survey was held in abeyance when I arrived in post, simply because I wanted to employ a new architect – we have made a first class appointment and the survey is presently being conducted. That is not unusual. Any repairs that have been carried forward from the last quinquennial survey have been done with professional advice. The Cathedral is actually in very good order, though it is obvious that any historic building will from time to time need extraordinary work when the fabric dictates.
“We have nothing whatever to hide - the Cathedral is gaining a new confidence and we are excited about the future and serious about the challenges that face us."
Ms Henderson has asked to point out that her name does not appear in Prof Jones' report.
The Deanery squatter must be regretting his asinine remarks LET.
DeleteHe's been in post 4 years now and the ground work is still not complete?
What has he been doing all this time?
Not spending much of it in Llandaff that's certain - I hear he's away again this week!
A Progress Report for the 3 stooges won't take long to write.
Appointment of Development Manager/Professional Fundraiser?
Nil
Blueprint for a sustainable future?
Nil
On the verge of bankruptcy?
Ongoing
Giving?
Down
Fund raising?
Non-existent.
Electoral Roll numbers?
Down
Communicant numbers?
Down (but hidden so that's OK)
Quinquennial Report?
Hidden (so that's OK)
Organ Appeal accounts?
Still non-existent (so that's OK despite that pesky David Jones and his letters)
Llandaff Cathedral Friends' bank account?
Already down £200k and diminishing rapidly.
A visit to page 15 of today's Western Mail is also advised.
Deletehttps://www.pressreader.com/uk/western-mail/20180203/281792809471787
Cathedral dean dismissed official after appeal row.
Western Mail - 2018-02-03 - NEWS - Martin Shipton Chief reporter martin.shipton@walesonline.co.uk.
THE Dean of Llandaff dismissed one voluntary official at the cathedral and banned another from undertaking voluntary duties again after they raised concerns with the Charity Commission about a £1m organ appeal, it has emerged.
Now one of the affected men – who acted as Secretary to the organ appeal committee – has distributed a letter to key figures in the Diocese of Llandaff explaining why he remains troubled about the matter, despite the Charity Commission’s finding that there was no evidence of financial irregularity.
In his letter, businessman David Jones reveals that both he and David Lambert – a retired former legal advisor to the Welsh Office and then Lord Elis-Thomas when he was Presiding Officer at the National Assembly – were removed from positions of influence at Llandaff Cathedral by Dean Gerwyn Capon.
Mr Lambert was sacked as deputy Chapter clerk and Mr Jones was told he could no longer undertake voluntary duties.
Mr Jones says in the letter he resigned as secretary of the organ appeal because of the absence of separate audited accounts for the appeal.
Later, he and Mr Lambert took their concerns to the Charity Commission, which later said there was no cause for concern, despite guidance from the highly respected Christian fundraising charity, Stewardship, that large appeal funds should have separate accounts.
A spokeswoman for the Church in Wales’ Diocese of Llandaff said:
“All the complaints raised by David Jones in his letter were fully investigated both by the Church in Wales and the Charity Commission, when they were first raised a number of years ago. The investigations concluded that the accusations were unfounded and that there was no case to answer. Moreover, the cathedral auditors have given all its accounts a clean audit report every year”.
Meanwhile, the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff have commissioned a new independent review of the cathedral’s structures and governance in response to the Church in Wales’ Provicial Review of the six Welsh cathedrals.
Launching it, Dean Capon said:
“Cathedrals are challenging organisations to run because of their wide-ranging responsibilities and their relatively meagre resources. They need to be realistic and clear in their strategic aims. Their structures of governance and financial management need to keep pace with best practice and legislation. In 2016, the Church in Wales commissioned a review of the six Welsh cathedrals, to set out a possible framework to help them meet the ever more complex challenges of their management and governance, especially as registered charities. The implementation of this work is ongoing. As part of their own response to that Provincial Review of the Welsh cathedrals, the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff, with the strong encouragement and support of the Bishop of Llandaff, have commissioned an independent review of its structures and governance. The Chapter is keen to ensure it has an attractive vision for its future, alongside the best possible model and governance and fiscal discipline that will enable the cathedral to deliver on its strategic aims and to guarantee its sustainability for the future.”
No sign or mention of any support for the Capon from Calamity June in this article - what a difference a month makes.
DeleteIs she putting distance between them already?
So she should.
DeleteNowhere on the list of Eleri Jones' recommendations is there identified a need for a new executive office suite for the Dean or to evict the Cathedral and Parish Choirs from their Vestry.
Of course, Prof Jones' report was written when Llandaff had a Cathedral choir worthy of the name.
One gets the suspicion ++Davies might have told both Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber to keep their traps shut since the only clergy comments given to Martin Shipton are the regurgitated rubbish from the Church in Wales' own press release concerning the Llandaff review.
DeleteAdd to that the hint that the usual CinW mouthpiece Morrell isn't the spokeswoman and one might be forgiven for concluding the Archbishop desired to maintain a discreet distance from Calamity Caiaphas and the Deanery squatter.
Perhaps the night of the long knives is more imminent than one thinks.
It's surely no coincidence that the only Welsh cathedral to announce a "review" is Llandaff where the stink of swamp gas has become overwhelming!
DeleteThe "Diocese of Llandaff" spokeswoman has fallen into the same trap Anna Morrell has previously.
DeleteThat is, taking at face value whatever tripe she is instructed to churn out on behalf of her disreputable employers without verifying the facts for herself first!
Her credibility will now head the same way as Morrell's.
It is patently obvious to anyone who can read that the COMPLETE ABSENCE of ANY accounts for the partially completed main Organ is the main concern of David Jones and David Lambert.
The Diocesan spokeswoman's (presumably Alison Young?) published claims that
“All the complaints raised by David Jones in his letter were fully investigated both by the Church in Wales and the Charity Commission, when they were first raised a number of years ago. The investigations concluded that the accusations were unfounded and that there was no case to answer."
simplt don't hold water. How could the Church in Wales or the Charity Commission possibly investigate accounts that simply do NOT exist?
Her remaining claim that
"Moreover, the cathedral auditors have given all its accounts a clean audit report every year” doesn't bear scrutiny either if for no other reason than the Cathedral's Auditor was none other than Alan Williams' own son!
I hope David Jones and David Lambert will write to the Editors of the Western Mail publicly challenging the Dean & Chapter to produce the accounts, the results of the alleged Church in Wales investigation, all correspondence to and from the Charity Commission and all the Nicholson's invoices.
It is highly significant Calamitous Caiaphas and the Capon the squatter seem to expect the Western Mail readership to simply accept their word on these matters.
To date, the notion that the Charity Commission carried out an investigation and "concluded that the accusations were unfounded and that there was no case to answer" is neither supported nor sustained by any information provided to Martin Shipton by the Charity Commission itself.
Indeed, I understand that repeated requests to the dean & Chapter for sight of such documents have been ignored and the only possible inference to be drawn is negative.
Follow the money.
Drain the swamp.
It has dawned on me overnight that Janet Henderson David Jones and David Lambert have all been sacked for the same reason - they each wanted to bring in OUTSIDE auditors.
DeleteThe only logical conclusion?
That must be prevented at ALL costs, even that of His --Darkness losing his first woman Dean.
All of which suggests that the sum of missing money is FAR FAR larger than the piddling £19,000 that Peggy the Pilate can't account for.
@Ruth, the fear of outside inspection of the organ accounts runs through all of these sackings. External scrutiny is to them what sunlight is to a vampire.
DeleteThe sum is indeed far in excess of the £19K difference between Peggy's figures. Those two figures were just the estimated income of the Organ Appeal. The larger amount is the £750K of Cathedral resources referred to in the former Archbishop's speech to the Friends in June 2015:
"The money in the Cathedral, a great deal of it - three-quarters of a million pounds in fact - has gone from the Cathedral's coffers on the new organ, in terms of the sale of the house and in terms of the trust money that it had."
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThe above comments have been removed. Please see introduction regarding comments for publication being 'on topic' and not involve third parties.
DeleteFurther charges and counter charges should be avoided please.
Gerwhine doesn’t have a leg to stand on in sacking David Lambert as deputy Chapter Clerk merely for giving sound legal advice about the obvious flouting of Charity Law over the Organ appeal.
DeleteHad he acted in any other way, David Lambert would have risked becoming complicit and failing to carry out his statutory responsibilities.
The Charity Commission issued guidance precisely for the purpose of dealing with such serious incidents.
https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/charity-commission-updates-guidance-on-serious-incident-reporting.html
29 Jun 2010
New guidance released by the Charity Commission has relaxed rules on reporting minor fraud and theft but asserts that charities with annual income over £25,000 must inform the Charity Commission of any serious incident within their Annual Returns.
The update provides what the Commission calls “more proportionate” direction for reporting incidents with lesser significance. Within the ‘fraud, theft or significant loss of funds or other property’ guidance for example the Commission advises that for any losses less than £25,000 or 20 per cent of the charity’s income (whichever amount is lower) the trustees should decide whether to report this based on if it is significant to the charity or not.
For serious incidents, however, the Commission is taking a harder line: “As a matter of best practice the Commission recommends that trustees of all charities report any serious incidents to the Commission,” said a spokesperson for the Commission.
“However," they continued, "for charities with an income over £25,000 the trustees must, as part of the Annual Return, sign a declaration that there are no serious incidents that they should have brought to our attention but have not.
“If they are unable to make this declaration then the Annual Return is not complete and they will have not met their legal responsibilities.”
The Commission has seen a significant rise in the number of serious incidents reported with the latest figures showing a 75 per cent rise in 2009/10 which it attributes to greater awareness of the reporting requirements.
But it said there were still a great many incidents not being reported and the guidance includes further clarification on how to report an incident, confidentiality in reporting incidents and the Commission’s role in relation to other bodies upon reporting serious incidents.
What counts as a serious incident?
Fraud, theft or significant loss of funds or other property.
Does anyone in Llandaff - apart from Calamity June and the dud in the Deanery - believe a missing £735k doesn't fall into the category SERIOUS?
There has been a further Charity Commission update since.
Deletehttp://www.charitylegalupdate.co.uk/2017/10/reporting-serious-incidents-new-guidance-from-the-charity-commission.html
Mills & Reeve: Charity Legal Update
Charity Legal Update offers you up to date news on the latest legal and policy decisions affecting the charity sector. The blog posts are written by our team of specialist charity lawyers at top 50 UK law firm, Mills & Reeve LLP.
Reporting serious incidents: new guidance from the Charity Commission
Following a consultation in Autumn last year, the Charity Commission has now published its new guidance for charities on reporting serious incidents, in a drive to reduce what the Commission has termed a “significant under-reporting of problems by charities”.
A serious incident is an adverse event (whether actual or alleged) which results in harm to: a charity’s work, beneficiaries or reputation; the loss of a charity’s money or assets, or damage to a charity’s property.
Last year, charities reported over 2,100 serious incidents to the Commission, the majority of which related to safeguarding, but a significant proportion of which (14 per cent) related to fraud or money laundering.
Other types of serious incidents can involve thefts, significant financial losses, criminality, terrorism or extremism allegations.
What does the new guidance say?
The published guidance has been amended from the draft guidance to take into account the responses received from the sector during the consultation.
It gives useful examples and checklists to help charities decide when a problem should be reported, and also: makes clear that losing significant funding or contracts that the charity can’t replace should be reported to the regulator; and confirms that charities need not report a failure to have a safeguarding policy in place as a serious incident, as this information is now considered a risk issue and reported in the Annual Return.
It also clarifies the reporting obligation for trustees.
While there is a statutory obligation for trustees to report a serious incident in the charity’s Annual Return to the Charity Commission, it is best practice to report a serious incident promptly.
This should hopefully enable the Commission to provide effective support, with early advice and guidance.
The Commission has stated that if trustees don’t report promptly and subsequently fail to manage risks properly, and, in failing to do so, breach their legal duties, this failure to report promptly may be regarded as mismanagement of the charity.
So, what should charity trustees now do when faced with a serious incident?
If a serious incident takes place, the first step to take is to make sure any further harm, loss or damage is either prevented or minimised.
Once this step is taken, the Commission then expects charity trustees to report the serious incident as soon as reasonably possible after it happens, or immediately after the trustees become aware of it.
The actual reporting to the Commission may be delegated to someone else, such as an employee or a professional advisor, but the ultimate responsibility for making sure that it happens (and promptly) lies with the charity trustees.
The trustees will also, of course, need to report it to the police, if they suspect a crime has been committed, as well as to any other regulators to which the charity is accountable.
In addition to reporting the incident, the trustees will need to review what happened and take action to prevent it from happening again.
This may involve strengthening internal controls and procedures, or seeking appropriate help from professional advisers.
Finally, charity trustees will also need to work out what to tell the charity’s staff, volunteers and members about the serious incident, as well as the public and the media.
It may be prudent to presume there may be some media interest in a serious incident, and to have a response planned, rather than to risk being caught on the back foot.
Posted by Tori Spratt on 03/10/2017 at 13:30
Of course!!
DeleteAll along we’ve been wondering just how much money has gone missing and I’ve only now realised it.
BARRY himself has revealed to us the missing sum of money !!
It’s £¾ million.........
Is it any wonder Calamitous Caiaphas, the squatter Capon, Bonaparte, Captain Peacock, Peggy the Pilate, the Chapter, the RB and His –Darkness are all SO desperate to keep the lid on the can of worms?
Poor Janet Henderson never stood a chance.
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DeleteThank you Barry! And thank you to the recent contributors for explaining it to me.
DeleteAs I mentioned, I don’t want to mention exact amounts because of “CAIAPHAS” witch hunts. But let’s say I donated £100. Tot up the £100 donations until you reach 3/4 of a million.
That’s why I am suing for my money back. The money wasn’t used to pay for the organ. How do we know? Because Barry told us!
In the meantime morale among the clergy is at an all-time low. The misery areas or whatever they're called now are a complete shambles, with PCCs and all sense of order having gone to the wall. No one wants to be a ministry area leader except for newly ordained clerics who haven't a clue how to run a parish much less a ministry area. Some long-time clerics I suspect would rather drink poison than take up that role.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that you haven't spent more time discussing this awful mess on the Ancient Briton blog. Who would have thought that the Church in Wales review would have resulted in such a dreadful mess.
O.wot.a.blunda
Anonymous you are so right. I am practically at the end of my tether with the "leaders" of our Church. We are in dire straits and they bu😇😇er off to Rome to celebrate unity?! Women bishops gender neutral toilets same sex blessings and marriages round the corner. Removal of the sacrament of confirmation and the "keeping down" of Anglo-catholicism and conservative evangelicals. Will these things draw Rome closer to us? The Church looks so amateur. Looks like Dad's Army chatting to the Paras. Please everyone pray for us priests in the CiW.
Deletehttp://stasaph.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2018/01/a-year-of-open-table-with-the-lgbtqia-chaplaincy-in-st-asaph/
DeleteThe UK’s first LGBTQIA+ chaplaincy in the Diocese of St Asaph is celebrating a year of holding regular monthly meetings.
The LGBTQIA+ chaplain, the Revd Sarah Hildreth Osborn said:
“The chaplaincy was set up to create a safe, sacred space as the Christian faith has something to offer everyone, including the LGBTQIA+ community.
A year after our first meeting, we’re joining together for a special service at 7pm on 16 January at St Grwst Church,in Llanwrst, followed by a curry and we’d be delighted to welcome others to join us.”
Is the local halal curry house safe?
Is it one of the "Seven Sacred Spaces"?
How peculiar, no report with photos to confirm another feeding of 5000.
Oh don't get me started on halal problem TOGITV I'll be investigated for racism again.
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DeleteThink's comments have been removed as spam.
DeleteThis is all most odd. Not sure if it is embarrassingly arrogant, or naively stupid. That group of so called ‘Celtic’ bishops represent just about everything that has put a barrier in the way of unity with Rome, i.e. women’s ordination, same-sex marriage, pro-abortion. They have championed that liberal agenda, and the ‘Celtic’ church has declined under their leadership. Now your average Anglican bishop is not particularly bright, certainly is not a scholar, lacks backbone and is a zeitgeist junky, but surely even they can see that their freebie trip to Rome at the expense of the pewsitters is a useless PR stunt?
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is that the 'Celtic' bishops take a freebie jolly to Rome, at the expense of the pewsitters, to play the unity game, BUT the Pope is NOT there, he is in South America! So much for what he thinks about their ideas of unity! It begs the question, why are they actually in Rome? Talking rot in Rome costs more than talking rot in Wales. It would have been cheaper, but just as effective to stay home in their dioceses and set up a video link to talk rot. Let's face it, no matter where they are, and no matter what rot they talk, it makes NO difference. No one in the Catholic Church is going to pay any serious attention to the so called 'Celtic' bishops.
DeleteBut just look at the line up. Satan is either: a. Quaking with fear; b. Rolling about on the floor holding his sides in.
DeleteNever mind. Look on the bright side. At least the new toilets in St Asaph cathedral are gender neutral.
ReplyDeleteBeing true to its heritage – the CinW has always had a morbid fascination for toilets. Think of all those great cottagers of the past!
DeleteAn afterthought. Given the average age of most church congregations these days, and the fact that women outnumber men two to one I would have thought one Ladies Only loo might have been a thoughtful gesture among all this good disagreement.
DeleteI'm sure they would've appreciated not having to worry about urine on the seats.
DeleteThe sh*t in the pulpit is the real concern.
DeleteI am sure they were received with courtesy and a large dollop of amusement. But how much has this trip cost? Who is paying for it? And what is its purposes, especially when recent events mean that they will be taken no more seriously than a visit from the President of the Methodist Conference.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, do you notice Andy Crap lurking on the back row, not fully transparent? May be he was trying to avoid being asked questions about how it now transpires that he has not lost two, but THREE ARCHDEACONS from his diocese since 2011. Cover ups on The Green are matched by cover ups in Garth Road. Now we know why Crap is claiming that paying two more archdeacons a fat stipend won't increase the ministry budget: because there is actually one less archdeacon to pay after Mike West silent slipped out of the dying diocese without so much as brushing the dust off his feet. Funny Crap didn't mention that in his spin, isn't it? May be this is just another example of what he is calling in the advert 'deeper accountability'?
And yes, Mr Crapper, we in Bangor are all too aware of the importance of toilets among our senior hierarchy.
There is something deeply worrying about the costume adopted for this occasion by the Bishopess of Llandaff, as well as by her gender-neutral haircut. Is she in fact a woman, or is she trying to out-man the men? The other two bishopesses appear perfectly at ease with the sexual identity handed out to them at birth.
ReplyDeleteWhat a business – flying and accommodating the whole Bench (and, I’ll bet, some supporting staff) to Rome for a few day’s jolly. There is a rumour that the CinW foot the bill for the whole lot, Scottish and Irish bishops and all! Clearly our lot are awash with money.
ReplyDeleteThey’d never have got away with it in days gone by. Then, the money – carefully stewarded by the Representative Body – was looked after by the great and good of a different generation of churchmen. The great Welsh families – the Corys, the de Wintons, the Trahernes, the Gladstones no longer play a significant part in the life of the Church . . . I wonder why. And then there were all those other distinguished lay-folk like Judge David Pennant, Lord Kenyon, Sir Hugo Boothby, Sir Reuben Pugsley, Judge Rowe Harding, Miss Dylis Glynn, Dr Glen Jones . . . again, I wonder why!
These were significant figures, well-proven in national and business affairs, many of them serving on the R B of the CinW and building up its reserves following disestablishment. Alas, they have been replaced by minnows enabling the present mediocre bench, engineered by Dr Morgan, to plough on with little opposition or restraint and dispose of carefully stewarded endowments on such pointless jaunts.
Look at that photograph: does anyone seriously consider that little lot are going influence the mission of the ‘One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church’ when they have done their very best to destroy any progress towards unity that had been so painstakingly begun by the Abbé Portal and Viscount Halifax and their followers a century ago?
I recognise all of the Welsh bishops but apart from the Primus of the SEC I haven't a clue who the Scottish "Celtic" bishops are? I can identify Llandaff and St. Davids but who is the third female bishop?
ReplyDeleteI recognise all of the Welsh bishops but apart from the Primus of the SEC I haven't a clue who the Scottish "Celtic" bishops are? I can identify Llandaff and St. Davids but who is the third female bishop?
ReplyDeleteAn Irish bishopess.
DeleteVery strange that the 'Celtic' bishops were in Rome at the start of the Christian Unity week. The major event is the Vespers with the Pope at the end of the week when there is usually a prominent Anglican presence. Perhaps the 'Celtic' bishops are so insignificant, even in the diminishing pool of Anglicanism, that they were missed off the invitation list so they had arrange their own little trip. Or, is it perhaps that because many of those 'Celtic' bishops has overtly supported same-sex 'marriage', Canterbury has let it be known that it would be potentially embarrassing for Anglican prelates on opposite of that debate to have a spat in public in Rome during Unity Week? Shame, the prospect of 'Gregorius-LGBTQAI-Maximus' receiving a public rebuke from an African Anglican bishop would be something to behold.
DeleteSo typical that a post on unity week is dominated by the organ of Llandaff cathedral. The congregation of Llandaff cathedral should really understand that their little cathedral, with its insignificant but pompous congregation, and its infamous organ, are not of much concern during unity week.
ReplyDeleteOh Mr Faux-Bourdon, with a name like yours you should care more about organs!
DeleteUnity Week is overrated anyway. Just an excuse for bishops to party at their churches' expense.
The congregation of Llandaff certainly understand there is no unity to be found as long as its insignificant but pompous antique-dealing dud remains squatting in the Deanery.
DeleteAlleged fraud and diversion of monies given for a specific charitable purpose should routinely ALWAYS be a matter of much concern, as should the on-going existence of the Bishopettes unaudited "discretionary" slush fund maintained by dipping hands into collection plates.
The fact that Caiaphas has revealed herself to be another Barry Morgan stooge does not bode well, not just for any future fund raising campaigns but for the Parish and Cathedral of Llandaff entirely.
If the honesty and holiness of our superiors isn't important I don't know what is.
DeleteWHEW ! I once thought that the days following the Winter Solstice would slowly shake off the days of darkness (Yr Hirlwm) and gradually greet the awakening sun. More power to you all. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven."
ReplyDeleteI wrote to John Davies asking how much the Rome trip would cost the Pew Sitters. He replied saying he had forwarded my email to the Secretary of the RB. Said Secretary replied explaining that the holiday was included in the 2018 budget. So, I replied asking how much? Sorry, can't answer that because of 'procedure'. This is a disgrace!
ReplyDeleteThat would be the "Obfuscation & Prevarification" procedure and more and more people are realising that the entire Church in Wales is corrupt, not just Llandaff.
DeleteI respectfully suggest your next response is obvious.
Stop your giving then ask for a refund of previous giving.
Dear Ancient Organist & Harold Darke
DeleteI have been going to Church in Wales services for over 70 years since I was a little girl and I have been a communicant member of the Church in Wales for over 60 years.
I have served on my PCC and been a Church Warden.
Never in my worst nightmares did I ever see the Church I love falling apart from the rotten centre.
I shudder to think what ++Glyn Simon, ++Edwin Morris, ++John Morgan, ++David Prosser and ++Charles Green would make of such appalling conduct.
The attitude, the secrecy and the all pervading sense of 'entitlement' sickens me to the very pit of my stomach.
It is worse than a disgrace, it is an outrage and how such despicable people dare to call themselves Christians, never mind clerks in Holy Orders and Bishops is beyond my comprehension.
The minions in the new £400,000 a year penthouse office in Callaghan Square merely do as they're told or face the sack.
They are as spineless as their former colleague David 3 because their salaries and pensions depend on them being utterly supine.
On the cross Christ asked "Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani?"
Tonight I pray and ask "Our God, our God, why hast thou forsaken us?"
Well said Ruth.
DeleteThe quickest means of bringing down this edifice of Mammon and corruption is for all the Parishes, Rectorial Benefices and Misery Areas to withhold their annual Parish share.
Those who pay the piper should be calling the tune and not one of them is getting what they pay for anyway.
I stopped my giving to Llandaff Cathedral several years ago as have many others.
Anyone who thinks this is a futile exercise needs only look at the parlous state of the Cathedral accounts since Darth--Insidious imposed upon us the Antiques dealing dud squatting in the Deanery.
Would you buy a second-hand car from any of these creeps?
If you want to drain the swamp, strangle the cash flow.
Has anybody seen a copy of the 2018 budget? Or is that unavailable because of "procedure" too? Presumably a budget has to be approved, but by whom? Was it the Diocesan Conference or the Church Wales itself or some shadowy and obscure sub-committee which is answerable to nobody. The more one thinks about this, the more sinister it all becomes. There are more questions here for those responsible for the administration of church finances, not to mention the running sore of the so-called discretionary fund of the former archbishop.
DeleteNemesis
As far as the 2818 budget is concerned, does anyone know whether this was approved by the GB? If so, members have a duty to make it available to their respective constituencies. Or is this banned by "procedure" too? What about the Freedom of Information Act? We'll probably find that this deceptive crowd has got that sewn up as well As for the Chapter of Llandaff cathedral, don't they realise (or care) that, as long as suspicion lingers over the place and its questionable financial dealings, they themselves will also become increasingly tarnished and culpable. If their duty includes caring for the well-being and the reputation of the cathedral, they are seriously at fault in allowing the dreadful mess surrounding the organ fund to continue. They cannot deserve any respect from ordinary parishioners when they simply sit on their hands and ignore the unfolding disaster.They will simply be regarded with increasing contempt.
DeleteNemesis
Strange how the archbishop feels emboldened to attack big business and corrupt capitalism, and yet he presides over a cabal of self-serving interest. He, and his bench, are guilty of THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS CONCEIT AND UTTER HYPOCRISY. You are all charlatans!
ReplyDeleteRespectfully, perhaps you don't know just how right you are "Ridiculous".
DeleteOutrageous conceit, utter hypocrisy?
In case you haven't seen this, here's a little light reading to accompany your morning coffee.
I refer you to the advice published by Rev Carol Wardman, John Davies’ Adviser for Church and Society.
http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2013/10/finance-whats-faith-got-to-do-with-it-ethical-investment-conference/
"Make sure your financial profile says what you want it to say about you. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Follow the money."
Has anyone seen the job description of the "Advisor for Church and Society"?
Another grand title for a non-job but outrageous conceit and utter hypocrisy are obviously the minimum qualifications.
Pondering Pastor: all the post today make stark death knell reading, but for whom? The leaders of the Church? My experience of knowing ++Derek Child's, his take would be one of seething and action. But we are here one and all. Withdrawal of funding, service and more seems a path many seek, suggest and think about. But to act brings that moral evaluation, are we letting Christ down? The answer is simple, we ask ourselves what would He do? Scriptures give us several options, but one in particular, I refer to casting out the money lenders in the Temple. But, who are lending money and to whom? That's the problem.
ReplyDeleteIf we consider Paul, in particular his letter to Timothy then we have something to work with: how are our leaders shaping up? Then if we go to John's book of Revelations in particular the Churches in Asia Minor: are we cold not hot, need our lampstand removed or, is there another way?
Then of course we can move from the spiritual to the temporal, what would society do? Well the current social media view would be: petition, whistle blowing or, strike.
The bottom line is simple and easy we do what Christ tells us. But how, when and where?
It's nothing to do with who might be lending money (unless you refer to the userers that used to skulk in 39 Cathedral Road) and everything to do with who has been stealing money or re-directing money and subsequently sought to cover it up.
ReplyDeleteEither way, my Father's house has been turned into a den of robbers and their tables need overturning and the scum need to be excited.
Any further questions?
Can I suggest a cathedral "pray-in"? An overnight vigil of prayer, the reading of psalms by candlelight, hymn singing a capella and the breaking of bread (and cheese with wine) would be the nearest the CiW has come to following the example of the early Church. Simply stay in your seats after compline and refuse to go home. If nothing else I bet you feel spiritually enriched.
ReplyDeleteSpiritually enriched while surrounded by the Capon's bitchy gay cabal?
DeleteNo thank you.
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Delete
DeleteSorry if it was a stupid suggestion (I'm full of 'em). It's sad to read the state of morale at our cathedral. Whenever I visit an English cathedral there is generally a happy, busy, prayerful and holy feeling. Clergy are always on hand to answer questions and even to bless or pray with visitors who often visit for more than a look around. Pricket stands glow with candles and often an hourly prayer by a clerk over the pa system. I know you shouldn't have to but how about a spiritual "top up" in one of your satellite churches on a weekday? Priest-less parishes are the intention at mass in my church this morning, I will add the cathedral to that. God bless you. David+.
My understanding is that dioceses maintain cash reserves to cover 2 or 3 months costs in the event of catastrophic cash flow failure. Withdrawal of giving will impact in a relatively short time but we pew-sitters must be certain of what is to be gained by such action beyond bashing the egos of a self-serving hierarchy and inflated parish share demands next year.
ReplyDeleteMenai Drudge
At the risk of being blunt Menai Drudge, can you suggest how anything could get any bloody worse?
DeleteThe accounts speak for themselves.
The fact that Llandaff Cathedral has failed to publish its Communicant numbers since December 2015 says it all!
The fact that the little tw*t in the Deanery is rarely seen around the Parish and does bugger all says it all!
I ask again, how could it be any bloody worse?
In many calendars today is the feast of St Cadoc. Reading the latest comments under this and the 'misery areas' post it occurs to me that there is one 'resource' which urgently needs to be drawn upon to get the christian church in Wales out of its present hole: the prayers of the saints, and especially our local Welsh saints. Is the CinW's current malaise connected in some way with its failure to cultivate a loving relationship with the saints? Can we afford to go on ignoring them and failing to ask for their prayers? Fr David Lloyd's suggestion is good, but how about every CinW parish congregation making a concerted effort to get to know and love its patron saint?
ReplyDeleteRegardless of the the subject, comments invariably turn to dissatisfaction in Llandaff Cathedral. In April 2014 the Church in Wales launched its own Mediation Service
ReplyDeletehttp://www.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2014/04/church-launches-mediation-service/
Has anyone used it?
http://s3.amazonaws.com/cinw/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Mediation-Leaflet-English.pdf
I think I recall it being suggested somewhere on your blog AB that the first people to try it should be Barry Morgan and Janet Henderson.
DeleteIt would indeed AB be fun to see some from the Cathedral challenge the chapter to mediation. I fear however that, like everything else in the CiW, mediation is heavily controlled by the Bench and at their bidding. But would be wise to try.......
ReplyDeleteThere's no point in even trying.
DeleteThey will claim to have appointed someone "independent" to mediate and oversee the process and the Monmouth Diocesan Registrar will show up.
Just another ploy to keep matters "in-house" and under the carpet.
Did anyone bother attending the meeting with Calamitous Caiaphas tonight at St. Margaret's Roath?
ReplyDeleteDid anyone have the foresight to take a Dictaphone and the gumption to ask a few difficult questions?
Gracious me Teilo, that could not possibly have been permitted to occur.
DeleteThe Revd Canon Stewart Lisk has his future prospects and preferment to consider!
As one of the Cathedral Chapter and Trustees, he is also one of those who may find themselves held jointly and severally liable should Messrs Bates, Wells & Braithwaite be engaged to take an interest.
One is beginning to think a sudden rash of retirement announcements is about to break out.
The Llandaff Society were informed at their meeting last night that Calamitous Caiaphas and the Chapter are carrying out a review of Llandaff Cathedral.
DeleteSo is Martin Shipton.
Do you think the Chapter knew about the "review" before reading about it here?
DeleteUsually they are the last to find out about any decisions made in their names!
It was all rather a damp squib in reality.
DeleteShe told us she'd written the report on homosexuality for the English bishops, as if that was anything to boast of.
The rest was drivel, there was nothing worth recording with my Dictaphone and certainly no difficult questions to field.
If only someone had asked "In what capacity are you here tonight?".
The ears in the walls say the Llandaff Chapter did indeed know nothing of any review and did indeed learn of it from Ancient Briton's blog.
DeleteWhat a disgusting way to treat the Chapter in her own Cathedra.
@Ruth
DeleteCalamity June also slipped into her presentation that she'd been down to the Western Mail offices last week to chat with a few journalists.
What are the odds on her having attempted to deliver a few gagging orders?
Lord, you were and are so right about spiritual leaders... "So do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice." Matthew 23:3.
ReplyDeleteWasn't ++Rowan better for Wales? Then +Dominic retired so fast. Then +Carl (what a ++ he would have made)+Stephen was good for Mon and Llandaff. Sad so many worthy Diocesans' but now have what we have. Is the writing on the wall? or, is hope just around the corner, pondering questions. Pondering Pastor.
ReplyDelete+Carl?
DeleteA worthy Diocesan?
Are you joking?
Shagging his Chaplain randy Mandy in work's time meant he was far too busy to be worthy!
It was unquestioningly assumed (and accepted) that Carols the Fornicator would succeed the Golfer. Witness all the money spent on getting Llys Esgob, Abergwyli, up to standard. Indeed his capacity for hypocrisy would have ensured a seamless succession from one form of autocracy, bullying and contempt to another. It was just bad luck for Carlos that the Golfer was persuaded to momentarily re-adjust his moral compass under media pressure, and a hatchet job ensued. Never mind. At least Llandaff didn't end up with Joanna Penberthy as its Bishop. Instead, 'someone greater than Penberty' is among you!
DeleteOsborne better? Please tell me how?
DeleteRob
+Carl had vision to be fair. Mandy was always a temptress but that said, I hope she's found a measure of solace and stability in her new life; essentially her flaw was more visible than that which most of us carry - don't we all wish both of them well? I like +Joanna - there is a humilty about her and I can't help think she's a worthy successor to +David who showed faith in the small things. As for +June, her enthronement address showed intelligence and a measure of faith and I wish her well; Llandaff is an odd Diocese - "up itself" and only nominally christian (if this blog is anything to go by).
DeleteFor someone calling themselves "thinker" I see little evidence of it.
DeleteHave you forgotten +Carl repeatedly lying about his relationship with randy Mandy when he was challenged?
Adultery and gross misconduct are bad enough but trying to bluff his way out when caught with his trousers round his ankles was risible.
Please tell me: how?
ReplyDeleteRob
Rob, you obviously don't do irony.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if The Bursar would care to comment on why the Charity Commission website might be concealing the 2015 Llandaff Diocesan Board of Finance (charity No 242452) accounts from the public?
ReplyDeletehttp://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/DocumentList.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=242452&SubsidiaryNumber=0&DocType=AccountList
The 2016 accounts make for interesting reading though.
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends52/0000242452_AC_20161231_E_C.pdf
Page 21
f) Bishop's Mission Fund
Donations are made to this fund primarily from collections taken at induction and confirmation services, and Gift Aid is claimed where appropriate. All monies received are paid over to the Bishop to be used at his discretion.
Sounds like business as usual!
Page 22
Bishop's Mission Fund
Balance 1 January 2016 £ -
Transfer of funds £ -
Incoming resources £ 10,345
Outgoings £ (10,345)
Investment gains/(losses) £ -
Balance 31 December 2016 £ -
Page 24
Clergy expenses
Bishop's discretionary fund Total 2016 £ 19,095
Bishop's discretionary fund Total 2015 £ 19,095
Miscellaneous 2016 £ 7,805
Miscellaneous 2015 £ 5,444
Do I understand the notes on page 22 to mean the end of the dipping of Episcopal hands into the collection plates at ordination and confirmation services?
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ReplyDeleteHave the Borg arrived?
DeleteIs it really 7 of 9, tertiary adjunct of Unimatrix 0 under cover in Llys Esgob?
Is resistance futile?
It might explain a lot with the mindless automaton in the Deanery.
Comments on this thread are closed.
ReplyDelete