Festus
Martyn Percy appears in this column, then does a deal with Christ Church, Oxford. The claims have been settled and he will leave his £90,000-a-year role with a reported payoff of at least £1.5m, which is quite a spoonful of sugar. Christ Church is unique in being both an Oxford college and a cathedral, with the former controlling assets of £600m. Both college and dean have been a massive reputational risk to the university as well as the diocese. Percy accused the Anglican hierarchy of ‘systemic autism’ last September and in November went on to depict his ‘persecution’ as akin to a Holocaust victim; apologies were issued for both of these.
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His wife, Emma (the Rev Canon Emma Percy), runs WATCH (Women and the Church). Readers may recall the intervention they made over the See of Sheffield to ensure its new bishop would ordain women. The latest WATCH Report (Developments in Women’s Ministry in 2021) notes ‘The two dioceses where the proportion of women clergy is consistently decreasing are Sheffield, from 30% in 2014 to 22% in 2020; and Hereford’.
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Jonathan Goodall (formerly +Ebbsfleet) will soon be reordained as RC Parish Priestof St William of York, Stanmore. We wish him and Sarah well, but are they using Pickfords or Bishop’s Move?
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Sarah Beeny’s New Life in the Country is the latest project from the tv presenter and property developer, combining each and she and her husband construct their dream, neo-Georgian-style home in the Somerset countryside. Her agent is The Soho Agency which also has on its books one ‘Pat Allerton, Priest’ – the Vicar of St Peter’s, Notting Hill, who became known as ‘the portable priest’ during lockdown for driving around London streets playing Amazing Grace and reciting prayers through speakers, somewhat like the bygone loudhailer method of politicians. The Old Etonian was renamed ‘Hot Priest’ by some media and his Hampshire wedding last summer was covered by the Tatler.
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Wymondham Abbey in Norfolk is one of the most beautiful parish churches in the country. Back along it even took the resolutions and was recognisably Catholic. But time has taken its toll and in 2017 the appointment of the Revd Catherine Relf-Pennington brought a different regime. Complaints (37) of her ‘inappropriate behaviour’ were made within months of her arrival, and things haven’t improved. Last November the Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, published ‘a list of damning recommendations’ for the vicar and PCC, according to the Eastern Daily Press. The parish has responded with a 12-page rebuttal, more apologia than apology. It speaks of having ‘been harassed…false allegations, delays and threats…unremitting criticism of a church community doing its best’. Bishop Usher is singled out for particular mention: ‘unethical, immoral and self-serving behaviour’ (so much for canonical obedience). He himself observed ‘the vicar has, unfortunately, alienated many…by her authoritarian style [and refusal to] accept any error.’ The diocesan statement made it clear that a failure to comply with the bishop’s directions could result in disciplinary action. Reports of no parish share payments and funerals being refused abound. The parish website’s slogan is ‘Spreading the love’. It advertises ‘Hygge for highschool aged people – candles, peace, and chill…hang out listen to music or chat in the refec [sic]… space to draw or read, or just stare out at the sheep…meditation offered if anyone wants to try it’ and a photo with Jesus in a Buddha position offering ‘Centering Presence; Peace & Light…going deeply into peace and becoming enlightened…for seekers of the non dual consciousness where all is love [sic]’. We get the idea.
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The ’Dutch Touch’ was first spoken of in the 1930s with the Old Catholic Bishop of Utrecht at the Bishop of Kensington’s consecration, illustrating the Catholic validity of Anglican Orders. ‘Archbishop and Bishops present shall lay their hands upon the head of the elected Bishop’ (BCP). But a new era and the consecration of the bishops of Barking, Loughborough and Willesden in January at St Paul’s Cathedral saw Archbishop Welby lay one hand on each head with the co-consecrators (London and Worcester) each laying a hand on the shoulders, as if to restrain them should they try making a run for it.
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Much publicity ensued when Michael Nazir-Ali (former evangelical Bishop of Rochester) joined the RCs in October. Much quieter was the move of his stablemate Peter Forster, formerly Bishop of Chester. Now retired to Scotland, he was received late last year at an unknown date and time. A curious development considering he was the first CofE diocesan to appoint a woman to an episcopal job (Libby Lane, Stockport; 2014) and not known for his support of PEVs.
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Congratulations to former ND editor Serenhedd James, now writing a column for the Catholic Herald and embodying even more the spirit of ecumenism. Ut unum sint!