Absent bishop

Bishop Richard Pain                                                                           Source: Twitter @ChurchTimes

Over the weekend a Church Times tweet reappeared with curious regularity suggesting a possible early end to the saga of the long absent bishop of Monmouth, Richard Pain.

Glowing tributes from the bishop's supporters after the story broke along with current publicity suggest a concerted effort to reinstate the bishop as the victim of unfounded allegations.

No details of his absence were made known until an article appeared in the Western Mail forcing the story into the open and ending a curious silence which gave rise to much speculation and damaging rumours.

Given the almost saintly qualities poured on him by his supporters it is difficult to imagine  how any possible grievance could have been raised against such a bishop, a procedure which is not used lightly.

According to the Church Times the bishop is "spoken well of by his flock", presumably following a statement by 'six area deans and eight ministry area leaders in the diocese' who described their bishop as "a deeply kind and caring pastor to his clergy" and "much loved and respected not only among the clergy of the diocese but also amongst the lay members of the church from across the diocese in the parishes and communities amongst which he has served."

Appointed assessors 'exonerated' the bishop of unspecified wrongdoing but he remains absent at the archbishop's request while mediation is in process.

The bishop of Monmouth along with the bishop of St Asaph and bishop of Swansea and Brecon (now archbishop) were together at St Michael's College, Llandaff 1982-83.

The bishops of Swansea and Brecon, Monmouth and St Asaph                Photo: South Wales Argus

To avoid any suspicion of an old boy's network in operation, clarification of the grievances made against the bishop of Monmouth is needed to eliminate any doubt and restore confidence if he returns to episcopal ministry.

From hat trick to three card trick

Students at St Michael's College, Llandaff. Spot the three future 'bishops' of the Church in Wales?

In a provincial press release 'Bishops’ hat-trick' the Church in Wales announced: "Three clerics who were ordained on the same day in the same cathedral three decades ago are now all serving as bishops on the same Bench." 

One might be forgiven for thinking that was nothing to shout about given their record and ever shrinking attendance figures.

Reports of same sex attraction among some of the students at St Michael's College, Llandaff three decades ago make one wonder if such activities were observed by the three current occupants of the bench, thus influencing their thoughts on same sex marriage. 

A former Archbishop of Wales is on record as saying that his experience of the hurt felt by women at university led him to accept the ordination of women. 

The bishops' consultation on same sex marriage suggests a similar case of misplaced sympathy but their consultation rouse is akin to the classic three card trick, otherwise known as 'find the queen', designed to win regardless.

That is no way for bishops to behave.

The bishops of Swansea and Brecon, Monmouth and St Asaph

Lowlights (2)

More lowlights from "Highlights":

Assisted dying [killing]. "Following the group discussions, Bishop John Davies (Swansea and Brecon) asked GB to ‘take note of the debate and commend the issues to further prayer, study and consideration by members of the Church in Wales.’ “There are no easy, straightforward or slick answers, whether they be legal or theological. It is appropriate therefore to get this conversation out into a broader congregation.”" 

From Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the modern hospice movement: "You matter because you are you. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die."

"Bishop Wyn Evans (St Davids), in proposing the motion to move forward the process initiated in The Gathering, thought that the three elements of the motion were positive and full of hope." - That is, hope  only for the 'bishops' of the Church in Wales, see here.

"The Revd Canon Dr Peter Sedgwick, Chair of the Doctrinal Commission, called on the GB in considering same-sex relationships to respect each other’s space, recognising the depths of feeling that are there, and to treat each other with courtesy". [My emphasis - Ed.]

The Venerable Peggy Jackson (Llandaff) said that all the bishops should be willing as necessary and as needed to assist one another in meeting pastoral or sacramental needs in each others’ dioceses. “This means that the concept of a Provincial Assistant Bishop should be resisted, as this role would set up a two-tier episcope.”

So it is perfectly acceptable in the Church in Wales to respect each other's space and treat each other with courtesy always provided that they are not faithful Anglicans with traditionalist views. Hence Fr Hunwicke's Mutual Enrichment blog entry here.

Oh! St Michael's College, Llandaff ? - "Supporting, Sharing, Forming" - see here.

Assisted killing of the Church in Wales - Part 3

St Michael's College, Llandaff, Cardiff                                                                        Picture: WalesOnline

WalesOnline is carrying the headline, "Top Church college could face axe despite £1.7m revamp", a complete turnaround of the story in 2009, "Report praises St Michael’s College in Llandaff." Followers of the greatly missed Llandaffchester Chronicles will recall the forecast closure of  'St. Michelle’s College' after the failure of substituting sing-along-worship for scholarship to accommodate the mainly women social workers the Archbishop likes to point towards ordination to justify his belief that only women clergy and gay pride matter in the Church today.

Hat tip to Llandaff Pewster for the links under a previous entry here, the first of which harks back to March 2004 with the headline "Church college up for sale".  Another commentator, Episkopos, estimates that the Church in Wales has wasted over £3 million pounds:

"£1.7 million refurbishment since 2007.
£150,000 per annum since 2007 to keep the place financially afloat = £900,000.
Another £150,000 for 2014, 2015 and 2016 until the place can be closed = £450,000
This for a college that was a dead duck and put up for sale in 2004.
Grand total of the profligacy = £3,050,000"

adding,
"If such a sum of money had been invested by the RB into a Choral Foundation for Llandaff Cathedral Choir, it's future would have been secured into perpetuity. As things now stand, Wales (the land of song) has neither a professional Cathedral Choir nor a Theological College."

Theology is no longer the main consideration of the Archbishop of Wales. He is more comfortable operating in the political arena having long since sacrificed the pillars of Christianity in favour of promoting the heretical ideas of his idol, the  Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States.

Ten years after the rejected proposal to sell the site of St Michael’s College, Llandaff, the whole Church in Wales as handed down to the present overseers appears to be on the verge of collapse as it embraces non-conformity with the Archbishop and his Bench securing their own futures as 'bishops' in a new protestant backwater in which bishops don't necessarily have to be priests!