Bon Anniversaire !

Very warm congratulations to my friend and colleague Fr. Michael Gollop on the occasion of his 25th. Anniversary of Ordination as Priest in the Church of God this Michaelmas. I have much to be grateful for;  that Michael was sent to our rural group of four Parishes and five Churches some seventeen years ago. Unswerving support and kindness has always been given me as his assistant Curate, sometimes in the face of hostile and difficult circumstances. It is often and increasingly challenging to stay faithful to the traditions and ecumenical vision we have inherited as Anglo-Catholics but the clarity of thought and intelligent mind behind the man have on many occasions not only saved the day but saved the soul as well. This ministry can only become more pressing during these exceptional times. May God continue to bless all his holy Priests! For those who haven't yet benefitted from his wisdom on the blogosphere (and there can't be many reading this!) it is called Let Nothing You Dismay! The link is HERE

Wales - New Dean

The Very Rev'd Jeremy Winston

Congratulations to Fr. Jeremy Winston on his installation at St. Woolos, Newport Cathedral, South Wales yesterday. I was invited to attend with my wife and therefore we sat together with many friends in the nave in a row near the front with a good view of everything despite the scaffolding currently erected to restore the roof. The Bishop's sermon even referred to the BBC TV series All Gas and Gaiters the very same name as this blog! It included much good about the mission of the church and the Cathedral to the modern world, referred to the Chartist martyrs and to Benedictine hospitality; so it was good to see the Abbot of Belmont among the honoured guests and also Bishop David Thomas our greatly missed and alas last Provincial Assistant Bishop mitred and seated in the sanctuary. The service was relayed live big screen to Fr. Jeremy's former parishioners at St. Mary's Abergavenny, as the Cathedral Church is so small. If the archaic oaths and legal formalities currently still required under the constitution of the anglican Church in Wales (in Wales it is not required by the State) could be done before the service or updated perhaps that would be good. My camera wasn't able to get much internally but here are a few souvenirs. It was lovely to hear some music and words from the hymns written by the new Dean Winston himself.

Newport Cathedral