From Mad Priest at Of Course, I Could Be Wrong, :
Diary Entry - 29th. May 2008
I have just heard that the position I have been waiting on for the last 6 months has been scuppered by the deanery concerned as they feel it does not warrant a full time priest. In theory this can be overturned by higher authorities but goodness knows how long that would take. I have been sent a list of other jobs that are in the pipeline but all the relevant ones are, at least, 6 months away from interviews as my diocese likes a long inter regnum so they can rent the vicarage out for 6 months and save on salaries (it's the only way we can break even at the moment).
Although I haven't quite lost the will to live, I am losing the will to get out of bed in the morning and that old black dog is a-licking at my heals (sic).
Most of you who read my blog, probably read OCICBW, but I posted this in the event that you don't. After coming out of the worst of a bout of madness, Jonathan has been serving the people of his Anglican parish as a curate in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, honorably and well for 7 years, but his time there seems to have run out, and thus far, he has not much hope for a new position. Since he lives in a rectory, he will not only lose his position, but also his home.
Jonathan's struggles every single day to serve his people and live a normal life are, in my humble opinion, nothing short of heroic. To be "rewarded" in this manner by the church he served faithfully for so many years, in the face of enormous difficulties, seems so lacking in justice and compassion as to boggle the mind.
I wrote to Jonathan to ask his permission to post his entry, but I haven't yet heard back. He may be out making calls on his parishioners, which he sees as a very important aspect of his job, or doing a funeral, which, by law, Church of England clergy are required to do for anyone who asks. Since his post is already public, and I am an impatient old lady, I'll JUST DO IT!
I just put up a post too.
ReplyDeleteMaybe all my godless heathens will pay him a visit!
They are a good bunch, so I hope that they will.
Fran, it's a damned shame, isn't it? Good deeds do not go unpunished - and in the church, too!
ReplyDeleteI saw this at OCICBW earlier this afternoon. It really is a crying shame. I knew that Jonathan was looking for and was in the running for his own parish but had not realized that he is at risk of being put out on the street so far as his curacy at St Francis is concerned.
ReplyDeleteKeeping parishes vacant to pocket the stipend,plus profiting from renting the vicarage, beggars description. Elizabeth I did this with wealthy benefices amd whole dioceses. It is about the only aspect of her ecclesiastical policy that is still - rightly - universally condemned.
So sorry.
Yup - adding my prayers too.
ReplyDeleteLapin, despite many disappointments, I continue to expect the church to be better. Why, I can't imagine. I must be thick - how do you say it? - thick as two short planks, I believe.
ReplyDeleteGlad you posted this. Hard to believe. So sad. Will be praying.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear. I have been on the road (still am) and not reading blogs. I'll pop over to Jonathan's now. What a crying shame. Humans really do have an endless capacity to mess up, especially when we are organized in institutions. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteLet's see what we can do to help. Besides pray, of course.
You're the best of the impatient old ladies. :-)
I would sooooo like to put on my pointiest-toed cowboy boots and go kick some bishop ass....(snarl) High level asshattery it is....
ReplyDeleteHe's a great guy, no doubt about that and so clever and insightful. His blog has been such a Godsend to me in my hokey part of the world (Sydney). I can't believe that it won't turn out right for him. I'm sure it will.
ReplyDeleteI continue to expect the church to be better too Grandmère and it is important to have that expectation. If we don't then the bastards have won indeed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. I missed it --- crummy business.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the church treats people so badly.
ReplyDeleteJonathon seems to be exactly the sort of person we need in church leadership and so on all levels this is a shame.
I shall encourage both of my readers to join me in praying for him and his wife .
TheMe, you're right. We shouldn't lower our expectations when the powers don't measure up.
ReplyDeleteI shall encourage both of my readers to join me in praying for him and his wife.
Paul Martin, you have three now. I left a comment at your site.
Just a slight correction, Grandmere ... we Cof E clergy are not "required by law" to perform the funeral of anyone who asks. The law is that everyone has the right to be buried in the churchyard of the parish in which they live,(so long as the churchyard is still open for burials and hasn't been legally "closed"), which is slightly different.
ReplyDeleteWhat we ARE required by law to do is to baptise the baby of anyone who asks. That's where some clergy start throwing up all sorts of hurdles to be jumped over by the parents, like training courses and minimum church attendance levels, before they'll agree to it, which is actually illegal. If a clergyman/woman has some problem about performing such a baptism, we have to find another cleric who WILL do it. And we can't, by law, charge for the ceremony, as you cannot ask a fee for entrance into the family of God.
SR, thanks for the correction. Jonathan had talked about doing as many as five funerals a week, which would be an extremely high number for a priest in the US. Are you required to do a service in the churchyard for the burial?
ReplyDeleteThanks Mimi
ReplyDeleteI have trouble with my browser freezing when I visit Madpriest so have not tried while I am travelling. I will certainly pray for him.
Brian, I know it's not really funny, but the thought that your browser freezes up when you try to visit OCICBW made me laugh. I know he appreciates your prayers.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been able to get onto his site either for the same reason; it freezes two-thirds of the way loading. So someone can convey my prayers for him that the old black dog stay far away, far, far away.
ReplyDeleteBrian, I posted your comment on the thread at OCICBW, and I will post yours, too, Caminante.
ReplyDeleteGrandmere - the reason why MadPriest gets as many as 5 funerals a week is because he lives in an urban area, and, almost by default, bereaved families of some and no connection to the church ask Undertakers (Funeral Directors) to get the local vicar/curate to take the service. Which we do, and feel that it's a vital part of our pastoral care. However, it's easy to "burn out" with that sort of demands being made. When I was in urban ministry myself I quite regularly took 3 each week. It's quieter in the countryside.
ReplyDeleteA "typical" service and burial would be a service in the church building and commital at the graveside. It's rare that we take a service at the grave. In over 20 years of ministry I've never done it.
Then there's the option of church service followed by cremation, and I always go on to the Crem. (here that's a round trip of over 40 miles).
Then there's cremation followed by a Thanksgiving / Memorial service.
And also the separate Interment of Ashes in the churchyard. The CofE does not allow scattering. (It's in my Will that I am to be scattered! Snigger!)
SR, I want my ashes scattered, too. I want to take up as little space as possible, not even the space of an urn.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation of how the funerals work.