FR JULIAN'S WEEKLY BLOG
18/05/25
​I recently attended a regional synod of Society of the Holy Cross. This is a society for priests of the Catholic tradition, who make particular promises and adopt a ‘way of life’. The Society’s members meet regularly in ‘chapters’, for prayer, discussion and fellowship. This is an important means of support and mutual encouragement, all the more necessary considering the state that the C of E seems to be in today. In the words of the prophet, ‘I, only I, am left, and they seek to take my life also’. A bit bleak, perhaps, but I’ve spent 37 years swimming against the tide.
What is true of priests, is also true for l and all people, you. We are all ‘swimming against the tide’ in that it is not fashionable, usual, or even sometimes acceptable to be a churchgoer today. Whereas individuals, society and nations even, seem to be reverting to a ‘survival of the fittest’ philosophy, this is directly in opposition to Christian ideals and teaching, which are considered as being weak.
We need strength to be able to combat the tide of antipathy, antagonism and prejudice. This we cannot find on our own; it comes from God alone. Many of you have routines of prayer, bible reading, prayer and learning. Good! These are essential. For those who do those things, continue to do so; for those who don’t – start.​
11/05/25
​I was recently given a DVD of ‘The Conclave’; this is all the more apposite as, as I write, Cardinals gather to elect a new pope. By the time you read this, we may well ‘habemus papem’! The speed of such an appointment is in sharp contrast to the speed (or lack thereof) of an appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury. I am tempted to ask, ‘Can we borrow yours?’ – jobshares are common these days…
I’m sure that we all want the right Archbishop. When we think of adverts for ‘mere’ clergy, it would seem that only archangels are qualified to apply. And these adverts are getting ever more quirky and ridiculous – including the job spec and description – to try and entice wider interest. The sense of the old-fashioned, but necessary, vocation to any post is fast being subsumed into a managerial approach to selection.
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First and foremost, for any post, the person must be one of prayer. That is the basis of all ministry, lay or ordained. An honouring of the sacraments is also necessary. Respect for the authority of holy scripture should be high on the list of essentials, as should leadership skills with humility. Then should come all the other necessary qualities, which are often placed first. Appointing is a difficult task!​