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| Dean of Llandaff, Gerwyn Capon, with the Archbishop Barry Morgan Source: Welsh Icons |
In 2014 the then Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, installed his former chaplain as Dean of Llandaff in front of a packed congregation at Llandaff Cathedral.
Subject to claims and counter-claims of bullying and more, Dean Capon's tenure has not been a happy one.
Following complaints against him, a Disciplinary Tribunal cleared the Dean of any wrongdoing. It found that he had no case to answer.
By contrast, while it had 'reservations' about the Dean’s allegations of bullying, a Church in Wales preliminary inquiry decided that the Bishop, the Rt Rev June Osborne, had a case to answer.
The Dean was not alone in his allegations against the bishop resulting in the resignation of a Ministry Area Leader who said that she "can no longer minister with any sense of integrity in Llandaff".
According to a statement from the Church in Wales, "Disciplinary action against the Bishop of Llandaff has come to an end following the withdrawal of a complaint against her."
The Bishop of Llandaff was due to appear before the Church in Wales Disciplinary Tribunal following a complaint by the Dean of Llandaff, but has "voluntarily and unconditionally withdrawn his complaint and as a result the case has been dismissed by the President of the Disciplinary Tribunal" on the grounds that "there was 'insufficient evidence to satisfy the burden of proof' to the required standard."
Postscript [17.05.2022]
The Very Reverend Gerwyn Capon, Dean of Llandaff, announces his resignation.
Having withdrawn his complaints of bullying and harassment, does that mean his claim of being on sick leave for two years, due to an unsafe and threatening work environment, is fraudulent?
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting question.
DeleteIf the Capon has finally admitted/accepted there was in fact no basis for his complaints then he should now be facing disciplinary measures for swinging the lead even more than when he was supposedly in work doing so little.
The RB should seek to recover all the sick pay he's wangled out of them on false pretences.
Elias QC can add it to the dodgy dossier he's allegedly compiling.
No more fraudulent than the Aga arriving in the Deanery kitchen without the knowledge, permission or supervision of the Parsonage Board and paid for by the gullible pew sitters without their knowledge.
DeleteI wonder whether the withdrawal of the complaint does not mean that the complaint was without just reason. Perhaps it just so happens that there is not enough evidence for the Dean to be taken seriously. Or maybe the Dean could simply see that a fair tribunal was not to be had…
DeleteIt’s a shame that the RB can not (or will not) open a survey to see just how many people in Llandaff feel that they have been unfairly treated / bullied / disempowered by the bishop and her leadership team. It could well be an eye opener.
The Tribunal’s statement makes clear that the evidence supported the bishop. And what on earth is the basis for thinking that the Tribunal would not give a fair hearing?
DeleteBagshot
A survey to ascertain how many people in Llandaff have been unfairly treated / bullied / disempowered by the Capon would be far more revealing.
DeleteBut making His --Darkness bully boy Bazza the subject of such a survey would prove to be the most interesting,with Clifford Williams, the former Cathedral Lay Clerks, Janet Henderson and Ceirion Gilbert immediately springing to mind.
Any last shred of credibility the dud in the Llandaff Deanery may have had has now disappeared entirely.
DeleteBoth the investigation he claimed to have carried out into the Organ appeal and the letter he sent to the Charity Commissioners need to be reexamined and anything else he has ever said needs to be verified. He was never up to the job in any case and needs to go now.
Am I right in remembering that, when the C in W originally decided that June Osborne had a case to answer in the complaint brought by the Dean, the head of the Tribunal also opined that The Capon's complaint could be constructed as vexatious?
DeleteBrave Sir Capon ran away.
DeleteBravely ran away away.
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Capon turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Swiftly taking to his feet,
He beat a very brave retreat.
Bravest of the brave, Sir Capon!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYFefppqEtE
An Easter Carol
ReplyDeleteOn the twelfth day of Easter my bishop sent to me
twelve church tribunals,
eleven Church Time letters,
ten transitioned canons,
nine organ rebuilds,
eight bewildered proctors,
seven bullied vicars,
six same sex blessings,
five Q.Cs,
four Western Mails,
three Aga stoves,
two rainbow flags,
and a capon up a gum tree.
Bravo Teilo. 😂 😂 😂
DeleteGreat Teilo!
DeleteHere's another very interesting article by Martin Shipton from last month concerning a large sum of money being paid out to settle another case against Caiaphas.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.pressreader.com/uk/western-mail/20220328/281702618219511
One wonders if Capon must be regretting his earlier decision not to take the money and go quietly.
You have misread the article, Episkopos. It does not say that the payment was to settle a case against the bishop. It says that no case was found against the bishop and that a severance payment was made after the employee had been off work on the sick for two years.
DeleteBagshot
No organisation I have ever heard of makes severance payments unnecessarily, especially large ones.
DeleteAnd the gagging clause usage again? So much for the Church in Wales being more open, transparent and honest!
One believes it is called 'reading between the lines' Bagshot.
DeleteOne cannot help but tear one's hair out over this whole sorry case (if I had any left to tear out, that is). At the time of Gerwyn Capon's appointment as Dean of Llandaff, a number of people, among their number several senior clergy, opined that it would all end in tears. That it has taken this long says something about the inertia as well as the nepotism within the Church in Wales.
ReplyDeleteBack in 2014, with around three years to run until he would need to resign as diocesan Bishop (and Primate), Barry Morgan was bandaging his wounds after having his fingers severely burned by a priest of considerable integrity, whom he had imported from the Church of England, whom he appointed as Dean, but who refused to collude with whatever it was he needed to remain covered-up. His trademark non-disclosure agreement oversaw her departure, but not without this priest revealing the shenanigans that Morgan's press officer resorted to in attempting to peddle the line that her reason for leaving for was opposition to a female Dean by traditionalist clergy in the Diocese of Llandaff. That is now a matter of record on the Western Mail's online coverage of the story.
Morgan was anxious not to be cuaght out a second time, hence the lack of willingness to advertise the vaccancy. Appointing someone he knew to be unquestionably loyal, who had less than two decades experience of ordained ministry, with no obvious skills, experience or qualities that suggested he was decanal material, was duly appointed. The reaction was one of predictable astonishment. Predictable, too, was the unfettered arrogance with which the new Dean comported himself, alienating where healing was needed, egged-on by Morgan whose own record in treating people with contempt is well documented. This blog provides a reasonably detailed chronicle of the ensuing events in the life of Llandaff Cathedral and its plummeting morale.
Morgan headed off into retirement and, after a failed attempt to elect a new bishop (itself an indicator of how dysfunctional the Dioces of Llandaff had become after his era of 'divide and rule') the Dean of Salisbury is announced as his successor. She came both with a reputation as a bruiser and as someone who had been consistently passed over for further preferment in the Church of England (which she knew). One can only think she was aghast to arrive on The Green and discover an inexperienced, over-self-confident, inexperienced and (let's be honest) not entirely candid individual occupying the Deanery. His lack of intellectual acumen, not to say self-awareness, can only have compounded the new Bishop's impression that her Dean was not exactly stella material. When complaints were made to her, she commissioned what was (in effect) a Visitation. Her response was to affirm the Dean in the hope that he might grow in wisdom and knowledge, put his past idocy behind him, grow in stature and embody the dignity of the role to which he had dubiously been appointed.
Eventually, stories began to emerge about the Dean not being entirely candid with his Bishop, followed by an announcement that he was on sick leave. One can only speculate as to whether this had been a smoke-screen to avoid confronting his less-than-becoming conduct (agas aside). That he chose to drag the Church in Wales publicly through the mud, over a sustained period of time, based on what is now reported as being extremely spurious evidence, leaving the worship and mission of the Cathedral to others, really means his position is completely untenable. If the Bishop of Llandaff has any pastoral literacy (not to say strategic sense) she will repeat her offer of terms that the Dean recently declined and move to appoint a successor. She will be as aware as anyone that (what Rabindranath Tagore called) 'delusion and dust' has overshadowed this case and that her responsibility of pastoral care for one of her priests remains. But it can only be on the condition that he resigns his current post.
I predict the Capon is no more likely to resign than DodoJo over in St. Davids.
DeleteAs the RB is his employer rather than Caiaphas, the Diocese or the Cathedral, he'll cling on as long as possible, citing the first tribunal outcome that seems to have exonerated him of the alleged theft of some £70k of pew sitters cash.
The dud in the Deanery is neither stellar nor stella material, although his new Aga was reassuringly expensive.
DeleteThe Dean's position is, without question, completely untenable. He cannot simply remain in office indefinitely while leaving the Cathedral in limbo. Athelstan Riley's astute observation about 'delusion' seems very close to the mark (if media reports are in any way accurate) and that's why he may imagine he can simply return to work.
DeleteHowever, he has been absent from his duties due, allegedly, to work-related stress for two years. The Bishop has every right to insist (and she would be pastorally and professionally negligent not to) that he is seen by an occupational therapist, undergoes a thorough medical and competency assessments. Then there is the small matter of whether he still enjoys the confidence of the Chapter and other colleagues who make up the Bishop's senior staff. Does the Bishop now have enough evidence to bring, if needed, her own disciplinary process against the Dean that could result in his removal from office?
There can only be one outcome from this and it needs to happen quickly. If the Dean is anything like the Catholic he claims to be, he will put the mission of the Church ahead of his own personal agenda, take some time out with the help of someone of wisdom and integrity, and re-orientate his life. Ministry, anywhere else in the Church in Wales, is simply impossible in my estimation. If I remember rightly, he chose to train for ordination, be ordained and serve his title in the Church of England. That is probably his best hope - but not, for the sake of those he may eventually serve, before matters of motive and personality are addressed and resolved. Only then will he be in any fit state of mind to serve the needs of others.
In the meantime, I hope we will see an end to the ill-advised tendency by some bishops (and Archbishops) to appoint younger clergy, who manifestly lack the experience and gravitas, to senior positions. It almost never works out well and leaves a trail of destruction it its wake. As Athelstan rightly warns, we may not have seen the last of it yet.
Caiaphas should just sack him as Dean on the spot for repeated gross misconduct, kick him out of the Cathedral and Diocese.
DeleteHe's paid by the RB so let him become their problem, after all it was their tribunal that decided he didn't have a case to answer. If the RB wants to keep him let them find somewhere else to redeploy him.
The grapevine reports Vicki Burrows has taken up a new living in the Diocese of Hereford. If so, let her offer the Capon a curacy, something at a level with which he might have some prospect of coping.
DeleteShe could keep a close eye on his progress (and the plate!) whilst simultaneously continuing with her pastoral care of him.
Tell me Canon E, how does one go about getting work related stress when one does sweet bugger all in work?
DeleteThe dud in the Deanery spent far more time in antiques fairs and showrooms than in Llandaff Cathedral.
Agas and legal counsel costs in Cardiff aside, I wondered AB, if any of your umpteen 'Bangor Watchers' will be carrying pocket calculators to St. Deiniol's cathedral on 30th April for the totally unnecessary Enthronement-Pantomime of Alice in Wonderland, aka ++ Andrew.
ReplyDeleteEarly estimates for his stage managed extravagance are as appalling as they are obscene and 'unholy'. Cost of full-crewing live TV streaming his self-importance doesn't come cheap nor the reported cost of lavish eve of and day of catering; his specially commissioned Anthem adds to music production costs. Additional power-generators have been hired in to boost what the National Grid is able to supply and without doubt the 'dressing up box' will deplete pew-sitters coffers deeper.
Given that his sub-Dean is leading Bangor down the Vatican path, might not ++Andrew have taken leaf out of the Roman Catholic Latin Rite whereby the Consecration of a bishop (or archbishop) is deemed sufficient with there being no necessity to then repeat the extravagance some weeks later by introducing him to his stall.
But more particularly how will Andy/Alice square the absolute wastefulness of money (to celebrate himself) when presumably also following ethos of priests as humble and charitable. Oh how the refugees of Ukraine or the world's starving have thanked the Church-in-Wales had selfish, self-important, double-hatted cancelled the whole silly affair and donated savings to them instead.
I can only assume that the one item not included in the huge procurement list will be airline type sick-bags for the throngs of sycophants there with noses in the trough ... or rubbing elsewhere.
Perhaps readers would love to hear from AB contributors with fuller knowledge of the total £££ cost.
Ad Clerum
Has he invited both his wives to attend?
DeleteAs a brief post-script to my earlier post, I might add that if there is to be any predictable talk about a 'Lessons Learned' exercise in the wake of the Llandaff debacle, spotlights should already be shining on the equally spurious appointment of (what is in effect) the Dean of Bangor. It did not - and does not - auger well; and the Archbishop has a rather dismal track record as a judge of character, having been repeatedly stabbed in the back by those he has elevated to senior positions in his Diocese, while standing back and watching while clergy of real integrity and intelligence walked. Arrogance, power-grabs, lack of transparency and accountability, allegations of bullying, not to say crass stupidity, are not unique to Llandaff. Let the reader understand...
DeleteYes Enoch. Always compassionate and thoughful +Alice Bangor has given thought to that prospect too. Adding to the astronomical - obscene - costs of his enthronement extravaganza, a colossal fanzone BIG SCREEN for live TV screening to the wildly excited people of Bangor has been erected on a scaffolding platform facing the city's High Street. While one wife can sit inside, the other can watch from outside (maybe taking turns). With no one else particularly interested there'll be plenty of room for even mothers-in-law. The crewing of cameramen, technicians, sound, lights, editing, gaffers, grips, drivers - and who knows, even make-up ladies - runs into thousands/£. Its perhaps not surprising that Bangor Cathedral doesn't publish its accounts.
ReplyDeleteAs for Atheistian Riley's comment, was it the catalogue of former deans, archdeacons, canons, staff, etc. who stabbed him in the back or perhaps that he is not without drawing first blood. As his former wife is on record as saying: 'Andy finds it easy to take offence'. To which one could add: '... and is unforgiving'.
Ad Clerum
Ad Clerum is not far from the truth in his second paragraph, though Athelstan Riley's observation is equally acurate. I would say it is a combination of the two. Andy Crap, lacking much brainpower or self-confidence, was always going to be threatened by anyone who called-out his simplistic incompetence; and, while Cyanide Sue was hardly ever the brains of the operation (despite holding the PhD which her 'boyfriend' the potty professor clearly had a hand in getting over the finishing line) she had enough of a track record of treachery to raise Crap's ire.
DeleteSomeone has just texted me from the prodigal extravaganza in Bangor Cathedral to say that they cannot spot the Lavatory Attendant. Makes me wonder whether the pattern of stabbing and retribution shows little sign of ending anytime soon? Apparently, the whole thing looks like a Pathe recording of a 1920s fandango in the Vatican. And what was it Crap said about Carlos the Fornicator? A priest who allows himself to become a prince is always going to have a big fall. Quite so.
Sorry to spoil the party, Medwyn, but I regret to inform you that the Lavatory Attendant was ineed present, among the Bangor Chapter sporting their rediculous lavender attire. He was wearing his usual 'smacked bottom' face, looking as indignant as ever, doubtless disillusioned and thwarted that he wasn't the one looking a complete non-entity in a cope and mitre.
DeleteOn the topic of which, we had to endure the continuing spectacle of Andy Crap in the pulpit with his floppy Bible in hand, talking absolute tosh, reminding us why the 2008 electoral college (that shoe-horned him into the vacant Diocese of Bangor) was a complete stitch up. Like the main topic of this thread, everything comes back to Barry Morgan's front door... which you can see close up in all it's glory here:
https://www.s4c.cymru/clic/programme/806786207
Ah yes Menai Medwyn: Fornicators, Princes and Andrews who take a fall ring a bell. To be fair though, there is a Public Toilet immediately opposite Bangor Cathedral north door and its possible that some of the rent-a-crowd clergy - including the Lavatory Attendant - processed in the wrong direction. But my spy in the cloisters informs the host of po-faced bewigged judges and gowned lawyers in procession like an ominous flock of Orson Wells vultures scenting dead meat to peck their legal fees from. And from what's rumoured there are more 'out of [Employment] Court' listings for them to peck at. In recent years, Bangor has provided ripe pickings.
ReplyDeleteOld Bill
AB, it is virtually impossible to make sense of some of these Bangor entries. Is there a language barrier?
DeleteRob
No language barrier - you just have to be unkind to be able to make sense of many of these Bangor entries. They refer back to incidents that belong to history. These entries shame the people who pen them.
DeleteForgive-n-forget
The reality is that the entries to which you refer shame only those principle characters involved. Those who report such scandal and offence should be considered to be whistle blowers..., never popular with the establishment or the powers that be or their a®se kissing familiars.
DeleteWell said Gabriel.
DeleteThere seems to me to be a lot of newcomers to AB's blog who haven't the first idea.
Sanctimonious backsides all.
What a glorious and uplifting enthronement service. You had to be there.
ReplyDeleteThinkPositive.
You are deluding only yourself TP.
DeleteIt was sublime
DeleteTP
As I said, yourself only.
DeleteDon't think so Gabriel - I doubt you were there?
DeleteTP
I was. It was the most tedious, unimaginative and nihilistic act of worship I've ever attended. Are you sure we were at the same service - or had Freddy Krueger organised a parallel event for the sycophants in one of the many redundant churches in Bangor?
DeleteI'm not a sycophant but I did find the worship both imaginative and warm. Music was wonderful. Sorry it didn't speak to you Dylan - what would you have liked?
DeleteTP
History doesn't become history until all the lessons are learned and in the case of Bangor (and the C-in-W choice of archbishops) there is still much learning to be done. (Forgive 'n Forget). Until lessons are learned, then issues remain live.
ReplyDeleteCurious too that Bangorians be chastised for harking on when it seems to me that any and every contribution published in AB from Llandaff, St. David's, Monmouth almost always delve back to ++Barry Morgan since whom there have been three more recent archbishops. How far back in 'history' can you get?
Perhaps its because an AB subject again dedicated to Llandaff has been 'hi-jacked' by Gogledd Cymru that has irked to which I might only add: 'watch this space'. The seat of C-in-W archbishopric has now moved to Bangor where some of the past mistakes of 'history' continue to be repeated; ie having a sub-Dean who is also Diocesan Secretary and in matters of closed cathedral accounts, is also Canon Treasurer! We have failed to replace the exodus of the brighter and more enlightening priests who departed the diocese post +Andy, Susan Jones and Kathy Jones (nor have we refilled the pews of those valuable congregants who also left in droves).
Perhaps those who chastise contributors from North Wales should keep their ears closer to the ground or source more informed contacts for themselves. I predict that Anna Morrell will be seen more often in this seat of despair
Ad Clerum
Are you new to the Church in Wales Ad Clerum? Many, if not most, can be laid at the door of ++Barry Morgan! And there have been 2 Archbishops since him, not 3. CB.
DeleteAhem, Ad Clerum when you criticise others for their sources, maybe you can get basic facts right yourself. There have been two more recent Archbishops since ++Barry (12th) not three. ++John (13th) and now ++Andrew (14th).
ReplyDeleteWhamab
Baptised and Confirmed into the C-in-W more decades ago than I'd like to admit CB which might explain why my old athritic fingers let me down when counting one, two, three etc for which I apologise. I was thinking Rowan Williams but of course he preceded ++Barry not succeeded him. Time flies. And yes, I wholly agree: from the Clifford Williams saga onwards, +Barry was inept. But my point was in defining what is and what is not 'history'. Barry Morgan ought, I think, be put into that box because lessons from his era ought by now to have been learned (I stress 'ought'). Let's look to the current 'management' to put matters right not to the failures of yore who triggered the mess in the first place. Even the good people of Ulster have stopped harking back to Willie Whitelaw, Gerry Adams/McGuinness .... Time to move on and await AB's next topic and for me to re-read my old school matriculation 'sums' book. Tarra.
ReplyDeleteAd Clerum
Quick thinking Batman. The Dean of Llandaf will probably need to repay the Church in Wales for falsely claiming 12 months sick pay.
ReplyDeleteLikewise the Church, whilst recently stating, in writing, 'we have no evidence ' in relation to the other person described 'whistle blower' by you, will I am sure reimburse the same for nearly 30 years for loss of earnings ,damages and fraud.
I am intrigued concerning its absence in the rewritten publication by Professor
Norman Doe " The New History of the Church in Wales". (Cambridge press 2020)
Whistle Blower
Th Dean has resigned.
ReplyDelete