Today WordPress wished me a happy 7th anniversary which got me thinking about all the topics I have raised on my blog and boy there have been quite a few over the past few years since I started writing this blog. I started blog not long after I joined the church as a priest in the church and then have continued in throughout my career.
I have changed from one church to another sometimes not because of my of my own fault but my own beliefs haven’t changed I am still a deeply devout independent Catholic who has no support or time for the Vatican and although I like the current Pope I disagree with him on many issues such as The Roman Catholic Church’s position on homosexuality and abortion. Oh and children who are born outside of marriage.
The last one people might think is a very old fashioned concept but it’s still relevant in society today because a lot more children are born to parents outside of the union of matrimony therefore would be open to the label of being “a bastard child” this is an issue I have not written about before but view is very clear, whether the child is born inside the union of matrimony or outside of matrimony you are still a still raising a child of God.
Over the years I have showcased poetry by autistic young people on my blog, I have written about religious topics and many other topics such as local issues such as The Welsh Government and The Steelworks something I passionate about protecting as a large number of my parishioners are directly and indirectly affected by what happens when Tata make decisions in Mumbai.
Over the past seven years I have also showcased music videos from YouTube some new stuff and some old stuff but all my favourite stuff for you to listen to and enjoy. It really has been a pleasure to share my blog with you all.
How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?
Since the beginning of the whole Covid-19 pandemic I have become a lot more cautious about where I go and what I do. Even when travelling on trains I still wear a mask and carry hand sanitiser with me, yes I know some people may see it as being overtly cautious but one can never say never what with new strains of Covid around.
I also have in some ways have become selfish and will take up two seats on the train, one for me and one for my bag. That’s not just a Covid thing but it’s also an autistic related thing I don’t like people sat next to me I’m happy with my own personal space thank you.
I don’t really do small talk about the weather or politics or the latest love island gossip no thanks…. How boring 🥱. Well to say I don’t do small talk about politics isn’t totally true, I do but not with random strangers on public transport. I like to keep myself to myself and chill out with my thoughts.
I don’t do crowded places and or busy spaces I find them socially awkward it’s an autistic thing they make me uncomfortable so my comfort zone is music 🎧 in go my apple earphones and I lose myself in a world of musical bliss.
How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?
I’m not and never have been scared to say the word NO to anything or anyone that is likely to interfere with me achieving my goals in life and boy have I fought some battles to get to where I am today. Things haven’t all been plain sailing and the bed certainly wasn’t made of roses.
I’ve had to work hard, shed some tears and gain some battle scars along the way whilst trying not to drown in this cruel and heartless world of the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM). There has been some blood shed along the way too.
I’ve joined churches that seem attractive from the outside looking in but once inside you’re left thinking “what the F*** have I joined and so the so the entire experience starts all over again. I’ve told myself NO so many times and I’ve said NO to many people that would stop me from achieving my goal.
Looking back from where I am today can I honestly say I’ve achieved my goals that I wanted to accomplish?
Answer- Yes because I’m in a church I love dearly, surrounded by people I care about and God’s love is with me too. It’s deeply magical and beautiful
Hmm, that’s a very good question for a student that took an avid interest in creative writing and religious studies it’s a very difficult question to answer because I enjoyed both of these subjects but then again I also enjoyed what was timetabled as ‘Library time’ and we had an amazing Librarian she was the best teacher too. You’d ask her for her for a book or some research material and the following day magically it would appear.
I started to discover the world of Catholicism because of her but then I also used to enjoy meetings with my careers teacher because her attitude was pretty much “you can achieve anything you want to be, so do it lad”… I think it’s because of her, the librarian and my religious education teacher added with own deeply rooted Catholic beliefs I ended up all these years later in the vocation I’m in now.
I owe a lot to my creative writing teacher because I’ve got very good skills when it comes to sermon writing and blog writing etc so thank you Ms I’m forever grateful for your support.
To the Library lady I say thank you so much too and to my Religious Education teacher Bravo Sir well done you did a great job
I’d like to think I am a loyal servant to both God and then to those who are seeking help in their hour of need within their lives, I like to make myself available to them even if it’s just for a short period of time or longer. It doesn’t matter to me. As a member of God’s Church it’s my duty to be there for the people no matter what they maybe going through.
Loyalty is something that cannot be broken and bought there is no price tag on it and anyone selling it is not to be trusted just like in the biblical story of genesis, Eve takes a bite of the forbidden fruit from an apple tree despite the warnings of God. Eating from the tree of knowledge was to be the greatest transgression against God and humanity is cast out of Eden. For Catholics this is the original sin.
I am reminded of the Nolan principles of public office and these are very important to me as a frontline religious leader, they are as follows : Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership.
They are all key principles in addition to ‘Loyalty’ that I adhere to immensely and if I swore to uphold them when I entered the priesthood and the episcopacy. I believe others should too.
What good to society is a disloyal member of clergy?……
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
Ok so why would I wish to permanently BAN the word ‘Brexit’ well simply because it actually is a word that was dreamed up by a group of ideologist minded politicians who had absolutely no clue what the word actually meant apart from that ‘Brexit means Brexit’.
Exactly it’s really not helpful as it doesn’t define what the word ‘Brexit’ means hence the reasoning behind my wishes to eradicate it from existence also it has since its conception done a lot of damage to the country both socially and economically. It is a word that has financial incompetence and racial tension attached to it.
The word Brexit was used to stir up hatred against legitimate migrants who had the rights to in Britain as they were working in low wage jobs that other people would not even dream of doing. The migrants were working long hours and were paying taxes just like every other citizen.
We also had no idea what we were voting for in the Brexit referendum as it was built on lies scrawled on the side of the a big red battle bus which later turned out to be falsehoods. There was no £350m a week for our NHS as promised.
Trade deals were to take ten years longer to agree and we would be regulated by the ECHR still not that it’s a bad thing it’s actually something I agree with. I further agree we should have the ECJ in place too.
The one thing that bores the absolute shit out of me and yes I will apologise for the unprofessional language is politicians that have the nerve to tell you something knowing that it is utter nonsense, why can’t they can’t they just admit they may not know what you want to know.
If you have asked them a question why can’t they just simply answer “I don’t know the answer, but I will write to you when I have it” instead of just making up any old bullshit and bluster because it really does bore me to death. Do they not think I don’t have anything better to do with my time?
A politician who is a liar that commands trust from their constituents and claims to speak truth to power has clearly failed in my opinion and should be held in contempt and subjected to a court of their electorate i.e a recall petition.
So I’ve decided to embrace technology and get with the times by launching an online community on discord for The Archdiocese of St Thomas’s which is the name of the United Kingdom Archdiocese for The Anglo Catholic Church of Europe.
We also launched our new website this week as well, it’s still a work in progress but the foundation is there. Life as a Metropolitan Archbishop is never boring I know that for sure. Amongst the many meetings I attend etc any spare time is spent working at my computer on our online community.
Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
There is a massive difference between being a patriot and being a racist and in this blog post I am going to talk about why I am a patriot but not a racist. I voted remain the referendum back in 2016 because I believe we were and are still far better off inside the European Union. We had a seat at the seat at the table and could have reformed the system which in someways wasn’t working.
There were a lot of mistruths told during the referendum campaign from vote leave such as “We’d have 350 million pounds a week for the National Health Service” well what a surprise we haven’t seen the money. Then there were the lies about immigrants taking all our jobs.
No and this is where I start to argue about patriotism, they were coming here and doing the work that we the people of the United Kingdom didn’t want to do because it was above us, because we deemed it as dirty and degrading and low wage work. But these migrants weren’t coming here to claim our benefits they did the work and paid their taxes.
I support freedom of movement and if you look at how many people were buying holiday homes in Spain, Greece etc it was equal if not more than the rate coming here. So the migration argument is null and void unfortunately.
Then there was the whole argument about financial payments and whether we paid more to be a part of the European Union than we got from being a member this again was null and void because several parts of the country and the economy were being subsidised or supported by the European development fund.
Wales did very nicely as a country out the European Development Fund as did the Farming Community, if you look at what it’s been replaced with farmers are poorer now than they ever have been before. Some are facing financial crisis if not having to sell their up entire households and businesses.
The steel industry had protection and was being given money, as was the case with the food industry in Wales but this was all gambled when Prime Minister David Cameron at the time called the referendum and the question was put to the people.
People didn’t know what they were voting for by the time Cameron had sailed into the sunset leaving Theresa May in Number Ten Downing Street and all she could tell the public was that “Brexit means Brexit”. Still a phrase that is repeated throughout parliament by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
And so yes all these years later all we actually know is that “Brexit means Brexit” despite the negotiations and arguments. Ho hum,
The most important invention in my lifetime are technology platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams as they make my vocation a lot easier to do in this world. Especially in my diocese being that Wales is such a huge and very rural country to cover. I have twenty two counties that make up the area and if I had to travel between all of them it would take me some hours if not days.
The twenty two counties are as follows:
Here is a list of the 22 principal areas in Wales, often referred to as counties:
Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr)
Caerphilly (Caerffili)
Cardiff (Caerdydd)
Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)
Ceredigion
Conwy
Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych)
Flintshire (Sir y Fflint)
Gwynedd
Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn)
Merthyr Tydfil (Merthyr Tudful)
Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy)
Neath Port Talbot (Castell-nedd Port Talbot)
Newport (Casnewydd)
Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro)
Powys
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Swansea (Abertawe)
Torfaen (Tor-faen)
Vale of Glamorgan (Bro Morgannwg)
Wrexham (Wrecsam)
With the invention of technology of either Zoom and Microsoft teams I can arrange online meetings with Parishioners unless I really need to meet them in person. It certainly did help during the pandemic because I could arrange to contact a number of different people all on one platform and make sure they were all okay.
The other invention that is an absolute Godsend in my vocation is email it’s something I have become extremely reliant upon it allows me to communicate with just about anyone no matter whom or where they are in the world, instead of having to snail mail them I can fire off an email to them.
Another technological invention I rely upon is my iPad as I take it with me every where I go on business it’s like having a mini office with you and wow it’s really useful. I can work whilst travelling on public transportation which means I’m not having to carry around notebooks and pens etc.
Yes I techno-geek but in my vocation when you spend so much of your time in meetings you start to appreciate how useful these things are. I have my husband to thank as he bought my iPad for me. So thank you 🙏
So yes they are a few of the inventions that I love,
Yesterday’s blog question that was posed to me was interesting but because I had a busy day I didn’t have get time to write about it. The question was “What do you moan about the most”.
Well my answer is very simple bad clergy and by that I mean people that are in the vocation that really shouldn’t be and boy do I know a few of those people I used to work for one, I’ve recently just been a Suffragan Archbishop for one. He clearly had no idea as to what he was doing.
I had to pen this article as the guy is a dangerous man he’s shutdown more churches than I’ve had paycheques in the last ten years and that’s not because I’m lazy it’s because I’m not allowed to work it’s because of my health issues. He’s been kicked out of churches for clerical misconduct and other serious charges but he doesn’t see the problem.
He is mentally unstable and needs to be removed from office with immediate effect and never allowed to return to the church again for the good of those around him. He’s power hungry and narcissistic he nearly ruined my career as a hardworking upstanding Archbishop and I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever for him.
My easiest decision was to walk away from his church and to stand back as it crumbled into great big sceptic tank of steaming shit which he would sink into and never survive in.
Some people may think I’m just being bitter and wanting to settle scores but no I genuinely do want to protect the entire church community from being damaged by narcissistic abusive people like him, hence the need to go on the record and write this piece.
The church he ran was badly administered, his leadership was poor and his reputation was damaged by his Druid beliefs which he hid from everyone whilst preaching Catholicism which is wholly different thing, he also claimed the church was disability friendly and that was a lie.
He claimed it was autism friendly too but I had to advise him on stances to take ie to I had to propose that we needed a neurodiversity policy. He didn’t see why we needed it but then why I explained it he soon realised why.
Ok so today’s question of the day is “What are your favorite sports to watch and play?”. Well for me that’s really quite a simple answer I’m an Ice hockey fan through and through. Nothing pleases me more than watching a good game of hockey. In my teen years I was a supporter of the Bracknell Bees and would often go with my friends at School to The John Nike Leisure Centre to watch them play.
I was surprised many years later to hear that the owner of the Ice Rink had gone bust and the team were playing out of Slough Ice Arena which is home to their nearest rivals The Slough Jets. Ice hockey in this country at the time during my youth was worth vast amounts of money but it wasn’t to last. The bubble burst and clubs up and down the country had to consider their futures as did the league.
I was based in London business wise after leaving college and was around when the London Knights were founded they would go on to become a well respected team but they again didn’t last long because the inward investment dried up and the club failed as the owner was deemed to be acting improperly by the league and HMRC.
There has since been a massive increase in the number of people watching Ice hockey and some teams have decided to drop down to a lower league which has been a good result as more teams have been formed such as Bristol Pitbulls etc.
I’ve been to one of their games and it was great I’d love to see another one before the end of the season in March. But yes my favourite sport is definitely Ice Hockey.
Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
This Years plans
I am the kind of person who thinks more about the future than the future than the past, what happened in the past stays where it should that’s right… in the past. That’s why it’s called the past or history or previous baggage. There really is no point crying over something you can’t change such as the past.
It’s about what you do with the future that matters, are you going to let it turn you into a better person or are you going to lay down and give up because that’s the easy option. Nope you won’t catch me doing that I’m a fighter and it goes against my beliefs. I don’t just curl up in a ball and give up. I’m like a phoenix I rise up from the ashes and dust off my wings and start again.
Majority of the time it really pisses people off that I have an ability to do it but oh well fuck them. I’m done with fakeries and critics who think they can control me well guess what they can’t. I’m going to do things The Lords way now he is my guardian and I’m his servant it is to him I’m loyal.
When I became a priest and a Bishop and a Suffragan Archbishop I swore my allegiance to Lord God and to Christ to be honest, loyal and kind and I’m doing that in my vocation. Anyone who wishes to criticise me go the fuck ahead because I really couldn’t give a shit. Because I’m not answerable to you even though you may think I am, well I hate to disappoint you…. I’m not, never have been and never will be.
Of course unless you’re my Parishioners or my Presiding Archbishop but these people don’t treat me like crap as others have done in the past. The future will see me develop a tougher outer skin because before I used to doubt myself but now I’m becoming more confident and this is all thanks to my colleagues within The Metropolitan Old Catholic Church.
+++Shane Hughes has taught me how to be a better version of myself and to make decisions without questioning whether I am making the right decision or not, and to have confidence in myself and I am grateful for that. I’m grateful for the trust and respect he has given me too something that was in short supply in my previous church.
Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
Due to my vocation I have very little time if any at all to focus on “Playtime” so therefore I don’t because I am always busy working on casework and making sure that my Parishioners needs are cared for I know that sounds boring but it’s true.
It’s something I signed for when I took on the vocation of firstly being a priest, secondly being a Bishop and then thirdly as an Archbishop but I don’t really mind that to be honest it was a decision I made when I swore the oath of allegiance to Christ and to God to become his dutiful servant.
In my opinion you’re either completely committed or you aren’t and your not then find a new vocation because it’s not one for the lazy or faint hearted or for those who want to prance around in a collar just to make themselves look good.
People like that really annoy me because they give the genuine clergy a bad reputation there are also those that call themselves popes and stupid titles like that when they don’t even deserve to. I didn’t even ask to be an Suffragan Archbishop it was a title that was bestowed upon me so I accepted it.
Yes so I don’t have much playtime because I’m busy helping others,
Firstly I’d like to wish one and all a happy and prosperous Happy New Year. As we enter 2024 I’d like to use my new year’s message to talk about a number of things that are important to me and what I’d like to see happen this year. I like you am well aware 2023 was a tough year for a very large number of people and I hope this will change.
We had people plunged into the worst living conditions since World War Two where poverty meant that the poorest in society were having to make decisions about whether to heat their homes or whether to eat well this has to stop, it’s about time our government got off their backsides and became more compassionate to those in need.
I like you want to see energy costs go down and not up so we need to look to a greener future whether that be more wind farms onshore or offshore then so be it and better use of tidal energy then again so be it.
We cannot continue to be reliant upon fossil fuels such as coal or gas and oil, we need to think strategically and smarter about the future and limit the damage we are doing to the environment not just now but ten or twenty years from now.
We also need to support the people of Ukraine so that they can drive the Russians out of their country and end the tyranny of war the same has to be said for Israel and Palestine when it comes to Hamas.For Hamas are not a legitimate political party they are a Terrorist organisation with only one thing in mind yes mass murder.
We further need to sort out the future of our steel industry especially here in Wales which is slowly being eroded not just by The British government but by the Welsh government and by Tata Steel too who are making decisions from a boardroom in Mumbai.
We also need to work out just what Brexit means because no one really had a clue what it meant when we were sold the whole “Brexit means Brexit” argument by Theresa May and other Tory politicians they just destroyed the entire country with platitudes of utter nonsense.
2024 thankfully will see an Election but will it change anything I hope it will because change is needed we have an economy that is flatlining and heading towards recession, the National Debt is rising and inflation is still stubbornly high despite our dear chancellor saying it’s not.
Sorry my message is depressing I know but these things have to be addressed anyway. Let’s move on to some happy topics such as the New Years honours list, I was happy to see that the Youngest ever kid aged just 9 years old Tony Hudgell has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list.
Also it’s nice to see others that have done stuff for people with disabilities recognised in the New Year’s Honours list and not just politicians and their rich donors or so called “spivvy” friends.
Anyway as I said when I opened my New Year message I wish one and all a happy, prosperous and blessed New Year with all the love and happiness that you and your family deserve. Oh and be community spirited this year. If you see someone on their own at this time of year invite them to join you to see in 2024 with you.
But most of all look after yourself and your family and be kind to each other
Although I am not a people person at times due to my autism I have to admit there are many positive relationships that have had a significantly positive impact on me such as me being married to my husband for 10 years.
I admit I couldn’t imagine being without him after all these years. It broke my heart and scared me to see him laying in a coma in a hospital bed for five weeks hooked up to god knows how many machines as his body fought for his life.
Another positive relationship I have in my life is the one I have with my parents and my brother and sister and then another close relationship I have is with some friends I refer to as family who I have known for the best part of over a decade from Swindon in Wiltshire.
Reverend Helen Pontin is like an older sister to me and her daughter Lauren is like a niece to me even though both my brother and sister have children that are my nieces and nephews, and on my husbands side of the family there are nieces and nephews too.
Then there is my dear friends in The United States one in Kentucky who is a great friend and two amazingly talented friends of mine in Sumter, South Carolina they have been most generous and produced some lovely gifts such as my altar cloths for me.
Then this my American mom and Dad and my family in Lakewood, California her name is Corene and her husband John and their kids Blake and Amy. I met Corene on an autism chat room and she is so supportive of the work I do as a member of the church. Her son (My American brother is an amazing artist) is autistic but very gifted.
Then I have Don Hall in Prague and he is such a great guy he’s written a book which is very insightful I found myself not wanting to put it down when I received my signed copy.
I am blessed with the relationships I have in my life oh I have forgotten my new Archbishop +++ Shane Hughes he is a very special guy I’ve known him for many years we go way back, I recently joined his church after leaving the Old Catholic Apostolic Church.
Shane has been good to me and I thank him for his support so far,
I also thank my previous Presiding Bishop ++ Adrian Glover for believing in me and for his words of wisdom and guidance, support and encouragement without it I would not be where I am today. So Adrian thank you immensely.
Our opinions may have differed on things which led to me leaving OCAC but I hope we can remain friends.
If you started a sports team, what would the colors and mascot be?
The two colour schemes my mascot would be is purple and gold because these are two of my favourite colours and animal wise it would be a phoenix wearing a waistcoat and a pair of silver framed glasses and in his pocket he’d have a little purple Hank-chief oh and a pocket watch on a Victorian chain. He’d also have a walking cain.
He’d be a smartly dressed fine looking bird and probably the mascot of an Ice Hockey team because that’s my all time favourite sport so he’d need to be able to skate too. I’ve always loved being on the ice either as a player or as a coach both roles I have held.
I was a junior player in my teens until injury forced me into retirement but then a reticent coach at the time didn’t want to let me go so he took me on as a member of his coaching staff and I soon took over as a full time coach myself having gained firstly the qualification and secondly the licence.
We toured Europe and had an absolute blast winning 9 Euro titles in a row and sixteen domestic UK league titles I soon became one of the most popular coaches in the country and was approached by many teams in the Southern Conference of the UK.
I ended up being appointed as a technical director of the league association and a referee (Not my favourite job) but coaching was something I always enjoyed and had wanted to do, I stayed with the team for 10 seasons and went from strength to strength and we won everything we wanted.
Having achieved everything I wanted I decided to announce that I was ready to stand down and did so. I can walk into a certain place in the country today and I’d still be recognised today so I choose never to do so even after all these years.
My political views have changed quite drastically over the past few years I have realised you can be Catholic and supporting calls for a referendum in Wales so I support the Nationalist Party Plaid Cymru and their Candidates when it comes to elections both for General Elections and Welsh Assembly Elections.
I lost faith in the Labour Party when Tony Blair took the United Kingdom into the illegal war in Iraq on the basis of a dodgy dossier about Sadam Hussain having weapons of mass destruction and how they could be deployed in so many minutes. He should have waited for the backing of UN a resolution but no he and President Bush went charging in there and we lost many good service personnel.
The Conservatives have never been the party for me either they are the party of the rich and those who look down on those who don’t have a lot in society and treat them like something they’ve found on the bottom of their shoe, something very unpleasant they may have just have stepped in on horse guards parade whilst on their way to parliament.
The Liberal Democrat’s cannot be trusted either because of their coalition with the Conservative Party when Nick Clegg sold out his party’s soul to side with David Cameron and backed austerity policies which made the poorest people in the United Kingdom suffer the most.
Then when Theresa May came to office she sold out the party by jumping into bed with the Democratic Unionists of Northern Ireland yes under the leadership of Arlene Foster, oh the gay hating, anti abortion party. Which cost everyone best part of £1bn pounds.
I was for over ten years a member of The Green Party of England and Wales and what an eye opening experience that was too, there were some great times in the party but then there were some bloody frustrating times too.
Such as founding the Southwest LGBTIQ Greens group and then watching as someone shut it down right before my eyes because they didn’t like the fact that I was using my own advisory staff and my own company money to bankroll the organisation which was declared to my personal accountant. All above board and legal you would think?
According to the stupid woman uh no she had an agenda and it was a homophobic agenda it was soon after my move to Wales along with my husband that I lost faith in the Green Party and became a supporter of Plaid Cymru and was kicked out of the party because of this.
So yes my political views have changed a lot over the years. What about yours???
You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like?
My perfect space for reading and writing wouldn’t need to be built as I have it already it’s my current office which I’m already happy enough with thank you very much. So if someone offered to build a new place for me I would kindly decline their offer.
Yes my office could be bigger but then I would fill it with more books and furniture which would be a bad thing because I would spend more money in book shops lol and I already spend more than enough now as it is.
I also have my altar in my office where I pray and practice the mass privately or with a few friends if they wish to join me but that’s all I can fit in here as it’s not huge but it does me nicely and anyway should I require a bigger venue I hire one anyway.
So yes my favourite place to read and write is my current study,
I remember being aged around ten years old maybe a little older and watching The Annual Carols from Kings College Cambridge on BBC two on television and being utterly spellbound by the sheer beauty of it, the boys all dressed in their choir robes and the whole splendour of the candlelit church to me it was just wonderful and was everything Christmas should be about.
It quickly became a tradition in our household that we would watch it every single year without fail as it marked the start of the Christmas season and one year I was lucky enough to attend midnight mass with my parents where I saw the church choir in their robes and they were just heavenly.
It awoke something in me that made me want to enter the priesthood and all these years later I have. In my Christmas message this year I wanted to talk about three things and they are Peace, Love and Understanding.
I like many people am aware 2023 hasn’t been an easy year for many people up and down the United Kingdom and the financial pressures have caused much worries and probably will do well into the New Year but it’s not about about how much we spend on Christmas presents.
Its about family and friends and getting together and having a nice time in the spirit of peace and love, it’s also about understanding that is why I’m using my Christmas message to call for a ceasefire in the fighting in Israel and The Gaza conflict and also in The Ukrainian war.
In respect of the wars I am effectively calling for a long and lasting silent night, and the release of all hostages in both Israel and Palestine allow the families their loved ones the right have them home for Christmas,Do the right thing come on.
I am further calling for understanding when it comes to such things as LGBTIQ rights and the advancement of the subjects that we may find ourselves grappling with in the New Year. Open your minds and consider what you are doing by being closed minded about denying these people their rights.
We have in the past come a long way let’s not undo all the fantastic work we have done just because a select few wish to drag us back to the right wing bygone days and their warped ideology.
There is really little left for me to say but have a wonderful and blessed Christmas and I thank you for your support this year it has meant the world to me. Each and every like or comment is appreciated.
Be blessed with the spirit of the Lord and have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
My Office will be closed now until January 4th 2024 but if you need me do email me in emergencies only on suffraganarchbishopofuk@aol.com
The question posed today is “When are you most happy”?
Ok I have considered this answer for quite some time before writing an answer to this because being autistic I don’t really understand the whole concept of emotions so I don’t understand happiness, sadness etc so it’s kind of difficult to pin point when I am most happy or unhappy.
So please forgive me if I tackle the question from a different angle here such as “When am I most satisfied”, because that makes it easier for me to answer. The reason I have chosen to answer in this way is because of the way my brain functions and is wired.
I am most satisfied when I am able to successfully make a difference to the lives of my Parishioners and the people I serve as The Suffragan Archbishop of The Metropolitan Old Catholic Church, I am blessed to be able to be able to do this vocation.
I am also satisfied and I guess happy that I have a very supportive Husband who loves and cares for me he is so very loyal and I love him and have done for ten years now, even though I drive him crazy at times because of the hours I work sometimes.
But he understands it is for a good cause and I am striving to make a difference for the community and to help people who cannot speak out for themselves. They have turned to me as their representative almost as to act as a voice for the voiceless.
It’s a role I have taken with pride and respect to them and I am grateful for their support I will always support them.
I was today asked the question “What is my favourite Piece of Christmas music”
Well it’s all rather traditional really sorry but I am not a fan of the Christmas number ones I much prefer a good Christmas choral song and for me you can’t beat Kings College of Cambridge under the Baton of the infamous leadership of Stephen Cleobury.
My favourite Christmas song is that of “O Holy night” there is just something special about this song especially when it’s sung by this particular choir, it’s just magical and beautifully spine tinglingly I often work whilst listening to it at Christmas.
Oh Holy Night,
It’s just so beautiful the vocal aerobics displayed is just phenomenal mind you I would say that I’m also a fan of John Rutter too so there is a slight bias there too. Have a listen and leave a comment,
I’d love to know what your favourite song is too….
Question “Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?”
Absolutely not and here is why, if someone had said to me a year ago that I would end up being elevated to the office of Suffragan Archbishop of the United Kingdom and Ireland I would have told them they were barking mad.
I would have quite happily remained as a bishop but God had other plans and I found myself being called into service in a new church somewhere that shares the liberal values and beliefs that I have on issues of social justice.
I’m a big believer that if God calls or leads you in a direction then you as a servant to him should follow as he knows what is best and he will at the end point unveil what his final plan was all along and this is what he did with me.
My journey in God’s hands has so far been an amazing adventure and I am sure it’s not over yet there is still much more to come, much more to discover and much more to achieve in my lifetime both personally and professionally as man of Catholic faith.
When I say catholic faith I don’t mean Roman Catholic faith I mean independent Catholic faith because I do not support many of the beliefs of the RCC and do not see the Pope as a person worthy following. He is guilty of promoting religious injustice but that is another argument for another day so I will refrain from commenting about that now.
So yes my life isn’t what I thought it would be a year on and had someone said to me that I would have been in this position I would have never believed them and I still have to pinch myself sometimes but then it’s not my choice to be in this office, God has reached out to me and said “You my dear Servant and child, I call you to this office”.
As I mentioned being a dutiful person I answered that call and asked am I worthy?
He must think I am because I am in the office
Anyway Gods blessings be with you all have a blessed Sunday,
So today’s question posed to me is “What Skills or lessons have you learned recently” well here is my answer. This isn’t something I have just learned it’s a position I’ve held for a very long time and something I will always stand firmly by.
Always standby your principles in life whether it be The Nolan Principles which are Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership. Or whether it be to standby a position you’ve taken on an issue such as a decision to support an outright ban on “Conversion Therapy” which I do.
Now I’m not going to hide the fact that I am pro-choice on abortion because it’s not for me to tell a woman what she does with her body but it should be done for the right reasons, if the child is going to be born with a manageable medical condition then having an abortion is wrong. As is if the child could be autistic. God made that child that way so please don’t murder it, just love it.
I’m not a supporter of the whole desire to have a designer baby and feel very uncomfortable about the idea of having a child aborted for this reason. However if a baby has no chance of a healthy life then yes I am in full agreement with abortion but that should be on medical advice from a doctor and the final decision should be made by the parents.
There have been countless other cases over the years and I have spent time raising these with both the Welsh Government and Westminster Government who have made a lot of noise about shutting down these kind of so called “Autistic Prisons” but still they operate. As someone who is on the spectrum, and has ADHD and Asperger’s I have a great desire to see the gates finally locked shut and padlocked on many of them.
I’m not doing this because I’m autistic but because I’m an advocate too just as I am an advocate for the LGBTIQ community too. I just happen to be an openly gay, asexual married man with an interest in supporting others does that make me a bad person? No it doesn’t….
So yes standby your principles no matter what criticism you get for it….
Official Statement from the Office of the Suffragan Archbishop of The United Kingdom
As many of you will know by now I have resigned from my former church and I have in my previous blog post set out why, I am now issuing this statement to call for the respect that I should be entitled to in a free and democratic society that we operate in. Let me explain something,
It was not my demand that I be made a Suffragan Archbishop it was that of +++Shane Hughes he decided that he wanted to elevate me to the vocational office and I after much thought and prayer accepted his kind offer. Anyone who truly knows me will know I am not a title hunter.
I passionately care about the reason I entered the church and that is to be a voice to the community in many ways, I care deeply about my parishioners old and new, some of the criticisms that have levelled against me over the past 24 hours have been unwarranted and are false.
I ask that you cease immediately to make snidely false claims about why I have taken up my new position in TMOCC. We are all the creation of the Lord and whatever our vocation is my advice is simple,
I have today today tendered my formal resignation with immediate effect to the Patriarch Bishop, The Rt Reverend Adrian Glover of The Old Catholic Apostolic Church and I feel I should explain to my beloved readers why I have reached this decision. It has not been an easy choice but nevertheless one I have made.
I have over the last two years grappled with many issues some fairly minor issues and some very serious and very complex things and they have required a huge amount of my attention, time and energy as a Bishop in Wales. I’ve seen some and learned some pretty harrowing things that have made me feel very uncomfortable.
Due to the seal of confession I cannot go into too much detail but they range from homelessness to child neglect right the way through to enforced gay conversion therapy, yes you did read that correctly. Enforced conversion therapy. It does still happen we have been transported back to a bygone era where we stand around and “pray the gay away” out of some poor child.
This is one part of my resignation from the church because I hold a very different position to others. I’d like to see an outright ban but some people wouldn’t. Also my views on such practices as old school exorcisms on people are as abhorrent as gay cure therapy but sadly others do not agree. I’m not talking about “healing prayer”.
Furthermore the practice of electro-shock therapy is something I very much disagree with and fail to see the benefits of and feel it should be banned especially when it comes to people with autism and epilepsy it was banned . We again aren’t living in a bygone era where we drag people off to a mental institution, lock them up and then strap them to a bed and shock them until they’re mentally stable. Practices like that were outlawed years ago and rightfully so.
I am a liberal strong minded person and I see there battles of injustice all around the United Kingdom that need a person to stand up be a leader and voice for the voiceless and that person may as well be me. The elected representatives aren’t going to do it are they so I guess it is time for the religious leaders to do it.
Yes so I have resigned as Bishop of Wales to head to new pastures,
I hope many of you will continue to join me on my journey…..
Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?
In my vocation as both a member of clergy and as a Bishop I deliver services, sermons and speeches from not just the bible but ones I have authored myself on a wide range of topics. So I thought I would use this opportunity to share one of my personal pieces with you. This was an article I wrote for a magazine. It was for an Epilepsy charity I wrote this just after I was ordained and consecrated in 2022.
It’s titled “The glue sermon”
I wanted today in my sermon to think about this quote I came across, Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue. What does this mean to you as a Catholic?
To me as a Catholic person and as a Bishop it means that no matter what our imperfections maybe or no matter what our sins may be if we just believe in God then that belief is the glue, we need to fix everything that is broken about us as a person. Society today is more fractured and divided than it has ever been what with political difference, racial tensions, inequalities, and many other issues.
All these things can be repaired if we just have a little faith in Jesus and God as they provide the glue, we need to bond together the divisions that are created in the fractured society we live in. It teaches us how to become a loving, accepting and inclusive society that we should be instead of communities driven by sin, greed, inequality, and hatred for one another.
The next time you see someone in need do not walk idly by and think nothing of it be kind and find it in yourself to act in the way God would want you to act and provide them with the glue by asking what you can do to help them.
God created us out of love, and we are his mechanics, we all carry a tube of glue… Would you use yours if you had to?
The Question is even more relevant as we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic we cannot simply return to “Normality” as this would be a return to a broken society in so many ways and we’d require even more glue but that wouldn’t bother God he would expect it from us it’s whether we’d be willing to step up and provide that level of support and hand on heart sadly I don’t think people would because we have become an inward insular and almost selfish society.
We cannot and nor should we ever return back to normality not just politically but in a whole host of ways the entire rule book has to be ripped up and now we as a global society must step up and rewrite it.
We must rebuild a back different, I hate to use a Conservative Government slogan, but we must level up and quickly if we are ever going to truly sow the seeds of change and God’s word and his message which must be the foundation which upon, we build our new different. It must start with equality for all, love for all and respect for all.
There should be no division or hate we must learn to work together, are we not all Children of God if yes then he does not know white from Black or Gay from Straight because it doesn’t bother him because he created what I am or what you are.
History has given many great things such as the industrial revolution, such creations as the lightbulb and the NHS but if we want to protect that we will need to change the rules-based system because it’s clear that it is broken.
We also need the church to end the schisms that have been created over the years and come together not for our good, but for the good of the people we took vows to serve. For they are the important people.
COVID-19 has hit them hard they have lost jobs, houses, loved ones and we need to be the ones to reach out to them with a compassionate hand and pick them up when they fall.
We cannot allow them to fall through the net and become just a static on a list in some state or government department somewhere. What am I asking well….?
well, it’s simple Stand-up be counted and when you’re called into help, please answer that calling from Our Lord and then come to work wherever you maybe to help.
We as a church need to realise, we have become frontline services but not in the way NHS workers and emergency service workers are, no our vocation has become that of social workers in and counsellors in white collars.
The pandemic has turned the whole system upside down. If asked, will it ever go back to the way, it was pre-pandemic I believe it never can and never should. It should, the system as I have said is broken even though we all carry a tube of glue. It depends whether we’d use it and at what price.
Would we use it repair a broken system or would we use it to model something new and potentially exciting? I know how I’d use my tube of glue for sure.
I pose the same question to you, use it wisely you only have one tube…..
Rt Reverend Ryan Cleminson
As always your thoughts are welcome in the comments below or if I have posted this on Facebook and you have seen it then please leave a comment there. I adore reading your comments.
Anyway have a blessed Tuesday… oh and was I ever on stage yes I was in an amateur dramatics society, one of the roles I played was a Bishop who would have thought it all these years later I’d end up doing the actual vocation…. Maybe God was trying to tell me something back then…..
What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?
My favourite physical activities or exercise is that of prayer, saying mass and meditation. These are three things that are essential and important to me as a dedicated and devout Catholic. My day starts with morning prayer around 5am in the morning and then I meditate till around 5:30am before saying mass and then my day starts with a cup of tea when I enter the office to read my emails.
I then think about what to write on my blog each day depending on how long it takes me to read and respond to my emails sometimes there can be only a couple and other days it can be a few hundred emails which will take me a while to read and respond to them all.
But I never leave them unread because people that have sent me an email deserve a response. But yes the three things I like to do physically are mass, meditation and prayer and that is twice a day.
What is something others do that sparks your admiration?
When thinking about the question “What is something others do that sparks your admiration” I automatically think about my fellow brothers and sisters in The Old Catholic Apostolic Church including our Presiding Bishop Adrian Trimlett Glover and his Wife Bishop Elaine Glover.
I also think of Reverend Fathers Seth Ben Archer, Andrew Eade, Michael Templeton, and Reverend Mother Liz Maitland to name a few their ministries are of inspiration to me. Oh and my fellow counterpart Rt Reverend Paula Willemijn the Bishopof Europe. Apologies if I haven’t had chance to name everyone you are all in your own way inspiring and amazing.
Your ministries are much needed and may they be blessed because they support and change countless lives for the better as Our Lord Jesus Christ did many years ago before we even walked the earth. I see all around me the world changing and evolving and sometimes not in a good way either but to know that my colleagues and I are out there working together is inspiring.
Our Presiding Bishop the Rt Reverend Adrian Trimlett Glover is of inspiration to me in a big way and I owe him a huge thanks he has been a great help in the two years since I joined The Church he has helped see the potential that I have to do a vocation I absolutely adore and that is to be the Bishop of Dynod and Wledig (Wales/Cymru/). It is a role I take very seriously.
My faith and religion are something I have always taken seriously and always will do. Every day I start with morning prayer and my day ends with evening prayers some might say that I am true traditionalist and in some sense yes I am but so what. I am not ashamed to admit it either I own probably 11 bibles of all different types on my book shelf.
My own ministries focus mainly around Social Justice, Mental Health, Disability Rights, fighting against Domestic Violence and Abuse especially when it comes to young people. Autism, ADHD and Asperger’s advocacy, The Candy for Carers Scheme. I am sure I have left some off the list.
But yes to answer the question of the above, there we go….. that’s my answer it’s my fellow church colleagues.. my brothers and sisters in Christ you are all inspiringly amazing so all credit to you.
I don’t think I’ve really ever had time to watch cartoons even when I was I was a little kid I was always off doing stuff and this continued into my teenage years as I soon became an owner of a skater hockey team called The Kennet Cobras. It was a team I founded in Kintbury the village we were living in at the time, as the team got bigger we moved into a bigger sports hall on the former RAF base at Greenham airbase.
The centre was on a business park and was a former sports complex and dance venue left behind by the USAAF when they were based there. We soon started to play league games with local teams such as the locally based Pangbourne Pirates.
I was by this time also still playing and had moved into a coaching position with one of the local ice hockey teams. I was also a fully trained referee as well and also a technical director of both the Ice Hockey Club and the league.
Aged 15 I got injured very badly after taking a stick to back to the back of my knee and it pretty much ended my playing career. I could after much recovery still skate so I continued to coach both Ice and Skater Hockey till I reached the age of twenty.
By which time was then living in London and resigned from both the ownership role of The Kennet Cobras I retained my jersey as a memento of what I had set up all those years ago. I also decided to step down from my Ice Hockey roles.
I went to work in the public relations industry as my friend had been diagnosed with cancer and was given a month to live so it was a case of he wanted me and my business partner to be Marcus to take on his business.
Marcus and I ran the company till I was aged in my early thirties until I decided having worked seven days a week doing best part of 70 hours a week. I was tired and sold up with a wad of cash and traveled around Europe plus at the time my boyfriend had been having an affair.
What positive events have taken place in your life over the past year?
Over the past year a lot of positive things have happened in my life both professionally and personally and in this blog post I’m going to share them with you if you will allow me to. First of all I reached a major milestone in my marriage as myself and my husband celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.
Secondly I celebrated first anniversary of my consecration as the Bishop of Dynod and Wledig or Wales for the Old Catholic Apostolic Church. I launched a new parish in my home town that of The Old Catholic Apostolic Church Parish of St Stephen’s of Ammanford.
Candy for Carers also celebrated its second birthday with a major hand out of over three hundred sixty four items of chocolate and candy to local young people that were classed as young carers and I am very proud of how many peoples lives have been thanked and appreciated by the kindness of the people who donated to the cause.
I have written over 1,500 emails or more to the Welsh and Westminster governments seeking answers on behalf of Parishioners and gained some insightful feedback from them. I have seen a 50% growth in the number of people that would rather come to me for support than their local member of parliament, is that because they have more trust in me… I guess so
I’ve directly intervened and helped no fewer than 35 young people who were on the brink of suicide and have managed to talk with them before they do anything irreversible, making them see that they do have a reason to continue with their life and that they do in fact have a value to society even when they believe that they don’t.
I have questioned health boards over why it takes so long for young children and adolescents to get the mental health care that they need and deserve the same when it comes to autism diagnostic services too and I am again proud to have supported and represented them.
I also founded and setup the Old Catholic Apostolic Church’s Autism Chaplaincy a service that is open and accessible to those to come and chat about their struggles, whether they be of religious beliefs or of no religious belief and I have spent a lot of time working on this project.
My time is spent working on representing my parishioners and their needs not because I want to make myself feel important but because I want them to feel important, it’s about them… it’s about Gods people and their needs. For I’m only one of his servants and I am only doing what he put me here to do. That is to change the world in whatever way I can.
God’s grace and Blessings be upon you and your family today and always happy Thursday.
Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it?
When I was thirteen me and my family drove 700 miles in a Maroon red Volkswagen camper van to the tour the Highlands and Islands of Scotland it was a wonderful experience and a most memorable holiday that I remember fondly. We parked up in a lay-by because it was getting dark and my father was getting tired after a long day of driving plus we had no idea where we were as it was pitch black.
In the morning we all got out of the camper van and the view was just amazing we really were in the middle of nowhere in a lay-by in the wilderness of Scotland there was just a bench and rolling hills and valleys oh and loch deep in the valley.
Rest and be thankful (Scotland)
As you can see the view was somewhat beautiful even more so because we were a little higher up on the road above this looking down into valley below directly. We continued to drive further into Scotland and on through the Ben Nevis Mountain Pass which again was breathtakingly beautiful. We pulled into a campsite and spent a few nights there.
On that particular holiday we also visited the fishing port and whiskey town of Oban and went across to Isle of Skye it was probably amongst one of the best holidays I had as a young man, then again there was the holiday in Italy.
But yes Scotland will always have a place in my heart ❤️
Like some people I am not afraid of confessing the fact that I am a meat lover give me a fillet steak cooked to medium rare with mushrooms, onions and mashed potatoes served with a thick meat gravy and a glass of red wine and you’d be my best friend.
Equally give me a roast dinner or a steak and ale pie (especially following my mother’s recipe) then I’d definitely be in food heaven. I confess I am a foodie and love a crispy skinned duck breast served with smooth creamed parsnip purée and potato fingerlings served with a redcurrant reduction all washed down with a brandy afterwards oh and the obligatory cigar too.
No I’m not a rich toff I just like food I don’t always eat like that but they are some of my favourite food dishes. Lamb and pork are also some of my favourite meats too. I’m not a massive fan of chicken it’s a fairly bland meat and you have to do something amazing with it to get it to taste of anything.
Where as venison and game such as pheasant they are also delicious too, it’s their delicious richness that makes them taste amazingly good especially when cooked correctly (I know the vegans will be screaming at me oh how could you) well my answer to them is quite easily thank you.
What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why?
The hardest decision I have ever made was to temporarily retire from frontline service in the church this was done on health grounds I spent around a month away from doing anything church related because my health was not good. The decision was not one I made lightly because it is a vocation that I love doing.
At one point I did fear that my decision to retire was going to have to be a long term one but thankfully things started to improve and I was able to write to my Patriarch and ask to withdraw my request to retire as the Bishop of Dynod and Wledig (Wales) which he graciously accepted and I was happy he did.
I was able to return to frontline church work and pickup where I had left off with a few caveats in place such as working less hours and not working seven days a week which I try not to do anymore if can. However if I am needed then of course I will never turn my back on someone.
Before retiring I was working eighteen hours a day seven days a week and now I am working eight to ten hours a day with breaks which is something I wasn’t doing my mental health is better and although my physical health will never be excellent it’s far better than it was back then. I soldier on and do what I love and need to do.
So yes that was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,
Anyway have a happy and blessed Friday only 24 days till Christmas Day I best get thinking about my Christmas message I guess
My three pet peeves are politicians that don’t tell the truth, officials who give you pithy and useless answers when you send them a letter or email asking them a question about something quite serious and thirdly any politician or official that makes a promise and doesn’t keep to it.
In my vocation I work by the seven Nolan principles of public office and they are supposed too but these days sadly very few of them do, having said that it’s a different thing when it comes to Welsh Government and their officials and that of the Westminster government.
The Welsh Government will give you a decent answer and the politicians are not all together bad they 99.9% of the time are telling you the truth and their officials won’t fob you off with a pithy answer they will give you a pretty decent response with actual facts and evidence that is detailed.
Whereas the Westminster government under a Conservative Party majority is made up of career politicians and millionaires who care about their bank accounts more than their constituents, having said that there are a few who do genuinely care about the electorate.
I’ve however had some answers from Westminster that have genuinely been quite helpful and interesting and informative and it is those that have been of use to me and my Parishioners and I’m grateful for them because it enables me to do my vocation.
My current most favourite people are my parishioners and the reason I say this is because they come from a diverse background each individual has their unique identity and character some are young and some are older which makes them a lovely community of people to represent and to work with. All are very special to me because they respect me and I respect them.
Over the time I have been their shepherd, their priest, their Bishop and their father or link with God they have learned to trust me and I am immensely grateful for that because trust is something that is earned and not earned easily either. It should never be demanded neither should it be squandered or taken for granted.
It’s far harder to earn trust and respect and all too easy to lose it and I’m reminded of that everyday when I get up and start working. I pray for each and every one of them before my day even begins and when my day ends. I am privileged to work with them. Whether they be young, old, black, white, gay, straight whatever.
The autistic community has been ever so kind to me too not just because I am autistic myself but because of the work I do with them as has the LGBBTIQ community and again that isn’t just because I’m an openly gay person. Wales is my home and it’s my life and it’s a country I am proud as a member of clergy to represent.
There are many great organisations in Wales that I’ve worked with since becoming a Priest and a Bishop and I’m proud to represent them even if it is just to have written a letter of support to a government minister in Cardiff or London for them, I’d happily do it again for them
My life is my religion, and my work is my religion which may sound strange but I am dedicated old bugger I work hard but I’m committed to what I do. Yes I have been known to spend hours sat talking to a young person in need but if the job requires it then so be it.
I live with my husband and we have two cockatiels and three dogs that make up our family, they are like children to us. We have a Poodle cross chihuahua and two chihuahua’s. The poodle cross is called Suzi and then Chihuahua number one is female she’s called Bambi and then the youngest of the pack is Foxy a little ginger male.
We did have a Russian Blue Cat called Smokey but sadly he passed away from a blood clot he was with us for around eight years and what a character he was. Oh so very loyal and loving. There’s not a day that goes by where I do not miss cuddles with him. He was the best.
I’ve always grown up with animals as a kid whether it be cats or dogs, when I was a kid and into my teens we had a golden retriever called Pagan he was a brute of a dog. Oh how I miss him too. One couldn’t wear black trousers round him without getting covered firstly in dog hair and secondly in dog spit. I know lovely I can hear you say….
That dog could have worked for a glue factory when he shook his head it went all up the walls and everywhere lol but oh he was a lovable character. He was a water baby too the minute he was anywhere near a river or the beach he was straight in. You could not keep him out no matter how hard you tried it always ended in failure.
It broke our hearts when we had to have him put to sleep aged sixteen years old as he’d developed cancer. My mum and Dad went on to have two other dogs Bella and Jessie one a black Labrador and the other one a chocolate Labrador they were characters too. Both lived long and happy lives. Sadly both ended up having to be put to sleep due to illness and now mum and dad have Birdie a beautiful Black Labrador.
So yes I am animal lover, oh I’ve also had lizards too in the shape of a leopard gecko called Speedy and a bearded dragon named Charlie both were very dear friends of mine. Who I miss very much too. Speedy lived till he was around 20 odd years old. Charlie was ill and went down hill very quickly and died very quickly during the night I found him dead the next morning.
Anyway Have a blessed weekend everyone, I’m sure God is looking after all these animals that crossed the rainbow bridge
To be honest I don’t really mind walking on the beach or high up in mountains I’ve had holidays in both locations and both have been equally stunning. As a kid and as a teenager I was lucky enough to spend time down in Dorset and the Cornish Coast. Then I’ve had holidays in the Scottish highlands and the mountains and they were amazing.
Also I’ve spent time in Europe driving through the mountains of Switzerland and down into Italy and that was amazing and very beautiful too especially coming down through the St Bernardino Pass it was where the cars mercury dropped to a chilly minus 7 degrees.
So yes I like both the beauty of the beach or the mountains,
I always trust my trust my instincts and have done so in life both professionally and personally on a regular basis whether it be on do I trust someone or do I trust that I am making the right decisions either personally or professionally. In my vocation I have to sometimes make a decision on the fly because I don’t always have a lot of time to think about things because sometimes I am required to make decision based on what I think is best in the moment.
I have dealt with situations where it can be a young person in need of help and instinct is the only thing I have to go on and then I have to remain very clear headed and act. When in that situation I tend to act what I think is best for the young person. Firstly I try to gather all the information I can and then make the decision based on what I have.
If it’s a domestic violence situation the best case scenario is never send in the police because that would make the situation even worse than it is already, the correct decision is to help the victim to get as far away from the situation they are in at the present time. Then to get them into a safe place, yes I do have a number of options I.e safe houses I can access.
Then in the morning I will alert the social services as to what has happened and to the location of the young person. If however it is a suicide attempt then it is always suitable to get the police involved after getting all the information necessary ie location etc as you can never put anything to chance.
Being that I live in Ammanford which is a small quaint Welsh market town my nearest city is Swansea which I only ever visit to when I really to. It however does boast an amazing indoor market at which you can buy a wide range of meats and vegetables and other produce.
Apart from meetings in city or other official engagements I don’t tend to visit my nearest city.
What’s the first impression you want to give people?
The very first impression I want to give anyone who meets me is the following Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership. Oh trust and friendship
If I can display these key traits then I’ve done what I need,
Being that I work at my desk a lot of the time I tend to listen to audiobooks instead of read books but at present I am listening to a book by the political journalist Nick Robinson about elections and his take on the years of Gordon Brown government through to the David Cameron Coalition Government.
It’s a very interesting book in which he explores what was the first coalition government for many years and just what went wrong for David Cameron during the election campaign. Even more so what went so badly wrong for Gordon Brown because he was sure that Labour would hold onto power.
Was it the Gillian Duffy “Just a bigoted woman” comment that cost him the election or was there something else deeper than that, had the British electorate fell out of love with labour and saw the Conservative Party as a protest vote. Little did they realise what they were voting for.
Austerity, severe economic hardship and an economic downturn that would damage this nation for decades under Cameron and his chancellor George Osborne. Then we had the Brexit gamble under Cameron.
After that came the so called “Strong and Stable Government of Theresa May which cost the tax payer millions because she cosied up with the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland and what a disaster that was, which led to another election and to the so called “Strong and Stable Government”.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
If I could live anywhere in the world for me it for me it would be the Italian City of Milan and here is why, yes it maybe a city but it is not a stressful place of people running around from one place to the next no they conduct business in a very laid back manner. Majority of business meetings take place outside coffee houses or bakeries.
Most the business meetings involve vast amounts of coffee and vast amounts of Italian pastries that are truly delicious. On the other hand they make their meetings a dinner time thing and invite guests to their ancestral homes and or a restaurant.
Big sums of money would change hands over fine food and drink and talking which would go late into the night but they would be of a friendly nature. The Italian people are a loving and caring bunch really and if treated well they would look after you.
To be honest I don’t manage my screen time very well at all in my vocation as I rely on computers to help me manage a lot of what I do in my role as the Bishop of Wales. Whether it blogging or answering emails or suchlike so my screen time management is very poor.
Having said that I do take regular breaks and go off and do other things like go out to physical meetings with people in the community which since the end of the pandemic has become a huge part of my daily routine, but then when I come back to the office I am straight back in front of my iPad to fire off emails.
I must write somewhere in the region of 150 emails a week to different organisations whether that be government departments or suchlike because it’s what’s helps my parishioners get the answers to their questions so my job is done online via email communication.
Then there are a lot of online meetings via zoom or Microsoft teams or various other platforms to name just a few of the better known ones, in total I must spend a total of six hours a day some days in front of my desk in front of my laptop or iPad. My vocation is heavily reliant on technology.
I also write my sermons or services for funerals or other events so again I am in front of technology as it’s easier than making notes by hand because I can edit in first draft rather than waste huge amounts of paper and time. Its environmentally friendly too so it’s a win win situation is it not, because if I need information or a quote I can jump on google or whatever internet search engine then I can.
But yes all in all my screen management is rather appalling
But oh well we live in a world of technological innovation
Is there an age or year of your life you would re-live?
If I could re-live any of the years of my life then it would be my teenage years oh how innocent I was (yeah right) no I was this young and care free character with bright blonde hair with a long fringe dyed red and black and I was experiencing this new and exciting world where everything was just so different.
I hadn’t long come out as gay and so it was a liberating time for me yet in some cases it was a painful time for me. So why would I want to re-live it you ask? Well I would be back there with my first boyfriend Alexander or Lexi as he was known. He was so confident and sure of himself and he made me feel good.
At the age of fourteen he and I didn’t have a care in the world we were living the best of our lives together and experiencing the new and exciting things that world had to offer such as ice hockey oh and romantic movies (yes I was a romantic at heart) we were enjoying music too.
Every single day we spent together was special because we discovered something new and exciting about ourselves in the world, sex was exciting and oh my goodness it was amazing never in my lifetime had I dreamed that it would be so liberating it was like a firework of emotions. Everything from the first kiss to the first time we slept together.
Just innocently watching him sleep whilst I hugged him in my arms, skin against skin the warmth of his breath on my face it was something beyond anything I will ever forget. Looking back now I wished I had had more time with him but then life would have been very different to what it is now.
I wouldn’t have met my husband and would not have spent ten blissful years happily married to him he is my best friend and closest confidante I love him and can trust in him and we over the years have been through a lot together not all of it good but we have been made stronger the testing times, so I am glad that we met.
Anyway do I regret anything that happened in my teenage years um yes the only thing I do regret is the death of Lexi he was taken away from me far too soon. He was nineteen when he died of an overdose but then he was being used as a bargaining chip in a divorce between his parents, Life is cruel
Rest in peace Lexi until we meet again my sweet teenage boy
My favourite physical form of exercise is meditation and mindfulness some people might not see it as physical exercise but believe me it is especially when you are in a busy vocation like mine and when you’re rushing around between meetings which I am doing quite often.
There are days in my vocation where your diary is empty but they are very few or majority of your meetings are virtual meetings it still helps to have meditation and mindfulness sessions in between meetings as it sets you up for what’s ahead.
Some of my days can be spent in video meetings doing online counselling with young people with very complicated problems such as mental health issues and additional learning needs or challenges in their lives whereby they have come from very difficult upbringings and they may need someone to be there for them in a listening capacity.
A bishop is and must be a good listener we also must be ready to apart with a wealth of knowledge and experience on a number of topics such as anything from how to support a small business that is struggling to survive right the way through to a young person who is struggling with his or her sexual orientation. Our vocational skills are very diverse.
We must also be able to keep a cool head in a crisis and not panic about anything because that will just make others distressed especially if they are already going through a crisis already we must be seen to be calm and level headed individuals which I certainly am. I have in the past have been told I’m quite cold as I show little or no emotion.
Believe me it is not because I simply don’t care, far from it because I do care otherwise I would not be doing the vocation I’m doing neither would I be working the hours I work which sometimes are in excess of ten to twelve hours a day or more.
Anyway I’m going to close my blog entry by wishing you the blessings of God and the peace and love of eternal.
Since coming out of retirement I have been working on putting together a brand new website for The Old Catholic Apostolic Church’s Diocese of Dynod and Wledig which can be found at www.ocacwales..com
All the design work on the website is my work is my own it hasn’t taken me very long to do because it’s what I used to do as a business so I know how to do it and have never forgotten how to do it, but I wanted to make it to look good.
I have also set up a new Facebook group for The Old Catholic Apostolic Church Parish of St Stephen’s Ammanford which can be found here which is overseen by myself. I have committed to work very much in the parish of St Stephen’s of Ammanford and the wider community.
I will be accountable to my people that I serve and take the Nolan principles seriously I am a great believer of the seven principles and it is my belief that all churches should introduce these as a written contract that all clergy sign when they enter the church. There should also be some kind of breach of contract punishment if they do not standby the principles.
In fact I might just seek an amendment to canon law that the Nolan Principles be bought into operation as we are members who hold public office and therefore we should abide by them or if we can’t then we get out of office.
Anyway, have a look at what I’ve created and let me know what you think in the comments section below. Happy and blessed Sunday everyone and God Bless you and your family.
One thing I could try for the first time to do is to work in my vocation but to do less hours and to be more productive and more effective I have recently learned this during my recent period of leave or retirement and as I return to my vocation as Bishop of Dynod and Wledig I am going to make this a priority.
So here and now I make a solemn statement that only in emergency situations will I be working anything above eight to ten hours a day where needed. Gone are the days of working fifteen hours a day seven days a week I cannot do it anymore and I am implementing at least one day a week off during the week where I do nothing in the office.
My loyalties to my parishioners or the church hasn’t changed it’s just I need to balance my effectiveness with my health and not to kill myself doing the vocation, as I have said in previous posts I will remain faithful to both my faith and the Nolan principles.
I’m looking forward to getting back into things as there is still much great work to do and I’m excited to continue where I left off before I went on a short vacation break.
God’s blessings be upon you all, and happy Tuesday
There are seven key principles that define how I live plus my Liberal Catholic beliefs and these are all very important to me and in this particular blog post I shall explain just what the principles are and why I pay attention to them in both my personal and professional life.
My Liberal Catholic beliefs form both my personal and professional religious convictions and have done ever since the Church of England turned their back on me when I came out as an openly gay teenager some may find that hard to believe but it’s the truth but it is what it is.
Moving on to the Nolan Principles there are seven different principles and they are The principles were Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership, these are all the things that make a great bishop and a priest both of which I have been.
They also make a great man of God of which I am too, I try and successfully live my life by them I make sure in everything I do I’m accountable to my parishioners because they’re the ones I represent as a bishop not only in Dynod and Wledig but now in the OCAC Parish of St Stephen’s Ammanford now.
Both roles are important to me because I represent local parishioners and Wales wide communities and I am truly grateful for the support and trust they have placed in me. I am also grateful for the trust that wider communities have shown towards me such as the autism community not just because I am autistic but because I am an advocate for them and they know I will always fight for them.
So yes these are the two principles I live my life by if you have any questions please leave them in the comments below and I will answer them
When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?
I probably really felt like a proper grown up when I took over the company I was working for at the age of eighteen it was a public relations and marketing company in the city of London it was the first time I had a business partner too. He was a great guy called Marcus and we had many years in business together.
Some of the best years were when we were making very large amounts of money in pretax profit which were into to the tens of thousands of pounds we felt good. We had responsibilities such as staff members that relied upon us, if the business failed then they didn’t have a job so we had to make the right decisions. Thank god we had business managers, accountants and legal advisers back then.
Thankfully they were there to guide us and they had the knowledge and the wisdom to apart with because we knew what we wanted to do but we were very young and somewhat wet behind the ears aged just twenty years old. But we worked hard. We were prepared to put the hours into the business and make it work.
We used to turnover around £1m a year through the work we did and we had some amazing clients who were very happy with the work that we did. We were wined and dined at some of the finest restaurants in London and other cities in the country and all over Europe. It was also the first time I got to visit America too. I saw Chicago as a treat.
By the age of thirty having worked stupidly long days for over ten years or more I decided to sell my half of the company to Marcus as I wanted a slower pace of life and so I went off and did something else. But do I regret it no because by that time it was having a major impact on my relationship with my partner at that time.
Little did I know he was having an affair behind my back whilst I was working away, it would see me leave him. But the rest is history
Ho hum what’s done is done… do I miss the old days????? To be honest no I don’t
If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?
If I had a million pounds to give away I would divide it into four amounts of £250,000 pounds and donate it to charities that supported work that is close to my heart such as mental health services, Autism Awareness and services. Homelessness and Humanitarian Assistance.
It is my belief that none of these four areas get enough attention and funding and so this is what I would do with this large amount of money and to be a real pain to the chancellor of the exchequer I’d gift aid every single penny in the pound of it meaning that he’d have to pay the tax on it, I’ll let you do the maths on that.
With a humanitarian crisis not just in Israel now but also in Ukraine and Africa the world needs money and resources like it hasn’t ever seen before and we have a duty to step up and provide whatever is necessary to protect lives of those in danger of starvation and disease. Russia and Terrorist groups such as Hamas are threatening the very stability of the global economy and safety.
We cannot pretend that Russia under the leadership of Vladimir Putin aren’t behaving like a terrorist organisation when it comes to the illegal invasion of Ukrainian territory because they are, they have committed war crimes against humanity and indiscriminately bombed and killed thousands of innocent people.
The same thing goes with Hamas in Israel and their indiscriminate attacks and rocket attacks against civilians but then Israel aren’t totally innocent either over the years they have land grabbed from the Palestinian people. They expect 1.1 million people to live in the Gaza Strip which is just 145 miles long.
Don’t get me wrong I don’t support what Hamas have done because I done they are a terrorist organisation and they have killed thousands of innocent people including women, children and babies and it’s horrific and Israel’s response to that is justified.
In both Ukraine, Gaza and Israel one also has to look at the massive breaches of international law such as taking hostages and indiscriminate killings of innocent people. But I’ve strayed from the topic of the articles topic here.
Ok why would I give £250,000 pounds to mental health care well because I believe it’s stretched to breaking point and waiting times are beyond reasonable the same can be said for autistic waiting times too so it’s for that very reason a sum of £500,000 would be donated.
Homelessness again I’d donate £250,000 to buy homeless people the pods they need so they had a roof over their heads instead of sleeping on the streets or in shop doorways etc.
So I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about things recently and I may well be ready to come back out of retirement and return to Diocesan life and there are many reasons behind my decision to do so. Firstly because I miss the cut and thrust of it, secondly because I have been speaking to a lot of the people I used to represent and they miss me too.
My health is starting to improve but there would be caveats on my return to diocesan life it would have to be sensible hours and nowhere near the silly hours it was before I.e the 15 hours a day like I had been doing before because that wasn’t productive.
If Wales is to have a Bishop then it needs someone that is willing to work effectively and can do the role in office hours without killing themselves I now know that. My faith and a break from work has taught me that.
I am going to need help too and I shouldn’t have been scared or bigheaded to ask for that it doesn’t make me a weak person.
What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?
The hardest personal goal I set was to serve my diocesan parishioners within the confines of the Nolan principles and to work hard for them and if this came at a price of my own health then so be it I didn’t really care but little did I know it would .
To be fair I didn’t really think about personal cost I just wanted to do the best possible job and I was hell bent on doing that. I wanted to serve them by the ‘Nolan Principles’ which are as follows Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership.
In my time as Bishop of Wales the Nolan principles were always forefront and centre of everything that I did and if I didn’t live by these pledges then I could have not done my job properly so stuck to them religiously like I did to my Catholic faith, I acted with selflessness in the way that gave my time to others and objectivity in the way I sought to get answers from those in power for parishioners who deserved them.
When I had the answers I made myself accountable to my people by meeting with them to feedback to them, in fact one person actually said he had “More trust in me than his local politicians”. Which was nice to hear because it meant I had earned his trust. But sadly I failed to see the damage it was doing to my own personal health by working the long hours.
The question I am left asking is whether I will ever go back to doing this kind of work again because I miss the buzz of it, the answer is I hope so because my parishioners need me and I miss them…..
One of my favourite artists is a guy called Steven Brown I own a number of his pieces and they hang on my wall at home. Musically my favourite artists are Sir Elton John and Robert Prizeman. For those of you who that don’t know who Robert Prizeman is then he is the brains behind the choir ‘Libera’.
Steven Brown (Mc Coow)
I have the above image but in mine Mccow is wearing a top hat it’s one of my favourite prints and when it was bought for me it was a limited edition version. I am a bit of an art collector if I like a piece of artwork then I will buy it.
I often buy coins and stamps from the Royal Mail and the London Mint especially when it comes to anything to do with Elton John or LGBT rights. Both of which I’ve done in the past.
I’m going to keeep my post short tonight so happy and blessed Tuesday
What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?
Before entering the church I used to be a supporter and member of The Green Party of England and Wales but my views changed after a regional chairperson became very right wing and shutdown the LGBTIQ+ group that I spent a lot of time setting up and working on running for the good of the party. It was because shut down because I decided to staff the office with staff from my own private company to which she disagreed and therefore she ordered that it should be shut down.
She wasn’t the one funding their wages no my private company was and it was all above board their taxes etc were being legally paid etc so I couldn’t see the problem. If you ask me I think she had a homophobic agenda because the movement had become very popular and very powerful with a lot of money behind it. She saw it as a threat and knew that if she didn’t nip it in the bud it would become a threat.
There was a motion laid down at a regional meeting to shut down the LGBTIQ group and it was unanimously passed which I vehemently opposed which led to my resignation from the party which led to me leaving politics which was the best thing I ever did because I ventured into the church.
Many years later here I am in the Old Catholic Apostolic Church as a Bishop enjoying the work that I do being able to support more people without all the stress and skullduggery that comes with politics.
Oh well, oh and you won’t ever get me to vote for the Green Party again because of this stupid nonsense too.
Happy Saturday everyone have a wonderful weekend and be blessed
Being autistic I feel out of place most the time generally because I don’t do busy places but the one place where I actually felt really out of place and still do is within the Old Catholic Apostolic Church because everyone is so much more superior than and sure of what they’re doing than me. I know it’s not a good thing for a Bishop to admit but I feel it’s time for me to be honest.
I have found the last few years with them very tough and have felt I have had to work extra hard to prove that I fit in with the church and that I am not worthy of the title and office that I hold within the church. It’s also kind of the reason I resigned because I started to doubt myself and everything I was doing. Not only that but also because where I had overworked myself my health was starting to get worse.
I am not blaming the Old Catholic Apostolic Church entirely I was the one who chose to work the hours I wasn’t forced too, so it isn’t all their fault I take some responsibility. I guess I wanted and needed to prove that I was worthy of the office I hold.
But yes I still do feel very much out of place and I guess I will do for a very long time despite many people telling me I belong in the church family. Part of me wants to believe it but the then again it’s hard to believe them. Oh well that’s autism for you, one is always seeking reassurance.
Even though I am formally retired from diocesan activities I still have a priority to be available to my parishioners as I entered the church to serve them and that I shall I remain to do despite no longer being the Bishop of Wales. I’m not just going to turn my back on them all because I’ve retired from office due to my health issues.
I just won’t be working so many hours, neither will I be travelling across the country everyday like I had been doing before but I will make myself available should they require my help. It would be negligible of me to turn them away.
It would also be a dereliction of duty as a member of the church and my faith to do so and I cannot do that because I am not sort of person so that will be my responsibility and priority. My other priority will be to my husband and my own health.
The traits I value most about me are my work ethics, my faith and my values to help and to support my parishioners. They are the three main reasons I came into the church and worked my way up to from the diaconate to the priesthood then finally to the episcopacy. I have always been a hardworking person not just in the church but previously in politics but also in my business life too.
As I have said before in many of my previous blog posts I used to regularly work anywhere between fifteen to eighteen hours a day, seven days a week and probably shall continue to do so if my health allows me to do so. If not then I shall work a maximum of ten hours a day, seven days a week to represent the parishioners I have been asked to serve. I take my vocation seriously always have and will do.
My Catholic faith drives me to want to help others and that is why I entered the church because I can use this as the driving force to bring about change to society and I won’t stop until I have seen the changes my parishioners have asked for.
I haven’t come into the church for my own personal agendas I mean yes I maybe autistic and advocate for better services but it for others not for me as I have everything I need and when I write my letters it’s always done on behalf of them.
List three jobs you’d consider pursuing if money didn’t matter.
If I’m totally honest I am happy with the vocation I am in at present so I wouldn’t list three other jobs, I know rather boring some people might say but I’m content in helping others and feel comfortable that being a frontline member of clergy gives me the opportunity to achieve what I need to.
My opinion is if you’re doing a vocation you love then why change it for something else and money isn’t everything and it can sometimes cause problems, don’t get me wrong yes it would be nice to have a nice big wad of cash but it’s not the be all and end all. It would just complicate the vocation.
I’d probably end up investing it all in the work that I do as a frontline member of clergy instead of paying myself a salary because I don’t believe churches should pay their clergy. I never have done and never will do. We come in to this vocation to serve not to get rich.
You don’t see many bishops driving around in Jaguar Cars or suchlike nor do they live in million pound houses not unless they work for the Roman Catholic Church or the Church of England. They are the senior leaders who are paid far too much.
That’s debate for a different day,
Anyway happy Friday and blessings to you and yours
I don’t really associate with particular brands in any way because I’m not materialistic and don’t consider myself what I would call a ‘Brand junky’ if that makes sense, I mean yes I do own a few Apple products such as a Mac laptop, an iPad and an iPhone but that’s because I find them useful for the vocation I do.
I travel around a lot and need to be able to be able to have connectivity with my home-office and I find Apple the best products to do the job I need but I wouldn’t go out and buy the latest iPhone just because they’ve launched it.
The phone I have does its job very well thank you I don’t need to spend lord knows how much money to keep up with the latest technology my technology does everything I need it to do and that suits me well. I’m happy with that thank you.
Ok yes I drink Diet Coke caffeine free but that’s for health reasons due to a caffeine intolerance and yes I have my favourite chocolate companies, oh I do shop on Amazon but I don’t think that makes me a brand junky it just makes me smart because I’m careful as to what money I spend.
Pens wise I like a good old fashioned cartridge pen with bottled ink and for it has to be a Wordsworth and Black pen and their own ink because it’s far better than any other ink than I have tried but then again that again doesn’t make me a brand junky I just like what I like.
I don’t buy designer clothes because I don’t see the point in wearing posh label stuff I mean yeah my clerical shirts cost around £40 a shirt which is fairly normal especially when you’re buying anything in the church world.
Oh I’m a subscriber to Amazon music and also audible as well I wouldn’t be able to function without either of those lol that’s because of my autism… again it doesn’t make me a brand junky
Ho hum anyway happy Wednesday everyone and Gods blessings to you all
I live off of sugary drinks and snacks for energy as I am constantly on the road rushing around between meetings and will often pickup a bottle of caffeine free cola and a chocolate bar to give me energy to boost my energy levels. Yes I can hear you screaming “Not healthy” but it’s the way I function.
I once got very addicted to pro-plus caffeine pills to my detriment and also to espresso coffee to sustain my energy levels but that was in my mid to late twenties and that really wasn’t healthy at all as that was like being on the illegal drug speed. It keeps one on edge for quite a few hours until it runs out and you have to repeat the process all over again.
Sleep deprivation is another thing that I suffer from and badly whether that is just a trait of my autism I am unsure of but I have tried over the counter medication and I have even tried prescription medication too neither seems to work. I just cannot seem to get anything more than about 3 to 4 hours sleep a night I’d rather be working.
This has in my latter years caused me many health issues such as epilepsy which is one of the reasons I am now standing down from the one office I have grown to love because I can no longer work in the way that I want to, the long hours have become too much for me and its time for me to opt for a slower pace of life.
I don’t have the energy levels for the role any longer, some may say I’m only young at the age of 41 and should be full of energy but when you suffer from cerebral palsy, arthritis and other chronic illnesses it becomes too much and you have to re-evaluate what’s important.
Which is what I’ve done, my retirement is not going to be a permanent thing I doubt I think after a well earned break I may decide to venture into a new project in ministry so don’t be too concerned I’m not going anywhere just yet.
There have been rumours about me retiring from the church life for good let me clear this up hear and now, it is a falsehood I’m stepping back for a while so I can get a break to concentrate on my health and wellbeing. How long that break will be I don’t know.
My dearest readers I will still be here updating my blog everyday and sharing my thoughts with you as I enjoy doing so.
The first album I ever bought as a teenager and still today by far my favourite is the Goodbye yellow brick road album by Sir Elton John having said this my absolute favourite songs of his are the songs Rocket man and Tiny Dancer.
But yes Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on Vinyl with its legendary artwork and its double gatefold sleeve was and still is a masterpiece classic favourite of mine and I have a copy as a collectors piece framed on my wall which I paid a couple of quid for in a charity shop only to find out it was a numbered disc so it’s actually worth quite a bit of cash.
It’s amazing what you can find in the pound box in a charity shop hey, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Some people I guess don’t realise just what some things can be worth. In today’s market that record is worth around quite a few hundred pounds.
There are many great tracks on the album such as the title track “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, Candle in the Wind, and many others. having said this my all time favourite Elton John song has to be a cover he did of the song Pinball Wizard. It’s rock music at its best featured on the Caribou album and it’s just a wonderful song. Then there is album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy again it contains great songs.
I grew up listening to so much music so there are so many great songs and albums but I’d still have to say that Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or Madman Across The Water are the two go to albums for me.
My life without music would be unbearable I listen to an awful lot of music it’s my escapism and a big coping mechanism at times when things become too much to handle due to my autism spectrum disorder I like to use music to music to shutout the world and create my own safe little bubble of safety.
Music also plays a big part in my life professionally as a member of clergy I draw great inspiration from it when writing services and sermons and it can be everything from pop music to classical or choral church music.
Music allows me also to express my feelings if I am happy then I will choose to listen to upbeat songs and then if I am unhappy I will listen to more somber pieces of music or reflective pieces. I have some favourite pieces of music which I call the tracks of my years and they have certain memories attached to them, such as childhood memories or times of deep sadness or memories happier times.
So yes my life without music would be unbearable and unliveable,
Happy Thursday everyone we have nearly reached the end of another week
Depending on which holiday it is really if it’s Christmas then myself and my husband will normally visit family either mine or his and we will celebrate it with them or if it’s Easter then we may well just have a roast dinner and not do anything special at all.
Faith-wise both Easter and Christmas and Easter are big holiday periods for me being a devout Catholic and I will say morning prayers and the Eucharist and the usual services that come with Christmas I will also watch a lot of the religious services on television as I love to see it.
Bank holiday weekends are just another day and I will continue to work like any normal day really because they’re nothing special in the calendar and I don’t really see the point of them anymore, it’s not as if the shops stop trading etc.
I mean back in my childhood days a bank holiday was just that it was that all the shops were closed because the bank was closed so no one could pay cash in etc so they didn’t trade and therefore everything shutdown for the three day weekend, oh how times are changed.
Local villages held fetes and flower shows and stuff or the church held their local bring and buy sales or afternoon tea in the vicarage garden and the cakes were nothing but delicious. They were normally served by the local cubs and scouts brigades. The brownies brigade would be there too selling cookies and they were just as yummy too.
There would be local arts and crafts people selling their wares in fact I think I still have a candle I once bought many years ago. Ah the good old days before the health and safety regulations ruined everything.
Ho hum anyway Happy Wednesday everyone and Be blessed
As many of you will know I am soon to stand down from my current role as The Bishop of Wales at the end of September this is due to health issues and as I do I have been reflecting on what I have learned, and achieved and what changes I have I have managed to bring about in my time in the post.
When I came into the role The Old Catholic Apostolic Church wasn’t a known church in Wales and slowly over time I built up the diocese of Dynod and Wledig from the foundations and today people know of both the diocese name of the Old Catholic Apostolic Church. They know who we are and what we are about.
I am proud to have achieved changes in things such as better education rights for people with additional learning needs and neurodiversity needs such as autism ADHD, ADD, and Asperger’s.
I have also challenged for better mental health care not just for children and young people but for adults as well as waiting times are far too long. As are diagnostic appointments for those with autism, adhd and other neurological conditions.
I have also written to the Welsh and Westminster governments on issues such as protecting the Steel Industry which provides vital jobs in Wales not directly but indirectly too. If they’re lost then the economic impact becomes catastrophic.
A lot of this work that I have set out above is the work I shall be focusing on when I leave office as Bishop of Wales. I am merely leaving my office so I can down hours I was working which will have a less of an impact on my health.
Running a diocese the size of Wales when you’re the only person was a hard job and with the addition of health issues it had become an even harder job to do effectively and to the best of my ability so I therefore decided that it was best for me to step down from office.
I will also be continuing with the candy for carers ministry that I set up when I joined the church as this is something I find immensely satisfying and I enjoy seeing the look on young people’s faces when we say a thank you to them for the work they do as carers for their siblings or their parents.
So I’m not leaving the church altogether I’m just becoming a Bishop without a portfolio effectively..
Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.
I am forty one years old now and the one lesson I wished I could have taught my teenage and twenty year old self was not to work so many hours because I believe I’ve paid the price for it now in the respect that my health has deteriorated. I have since the age of my late thirties been diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
I’m not saying that is not the cause of working the stupidly long hours that I did but I’m sure it didn’t help and probably had some affect on things, I used to work 15 to 18 hours a day and sometimes still do in my current role which I am due shortly to step down from.
I am looking forward to a much slower pace of life as of the end of September when I retire from diocesan office and can concentrate on work that is close to my heart such as neurodiversity, mental health, disabilities, and also the candy for carers ministry work that I started when I first started when I came into the OCAC.
Yes so they are the things I’d teach my younger self,
I must admit when it comes to food I am big fan of it, and don’t really have a favourite one might say I am a food fan I love most things apart from anything ridiculously spicy as that sets my heartburn off and I suffer badly. Over the years I have eaten in some very fancy restaurants and paid some money for some of the finest food that money can buy.
I remember a lavish 7 course taster meal I had at a seafood restaurant it was a five star establishment and the food was divine everything from hand dived scallops to a whole lobster it was a foodies delight oh and the wine to accompany each course wasn’t bad either.
The desserts sample plate wasn’t bad either because it was a sample of every single thing on the menu and oh wow they were delicious everything from chocolate brownie to cheese and crackers followed by port, brandy and a cigar.
Then there was a restaurant I visited in Loch Fyne in Scotland the menu was pretty impressive the range of meats available were amazing everything from pheasant to slow roasted venison and it was deliciously well cooked in a whiskey sauce and served with locally sourced vegetables and potatoes.
The pudding again was delicious that was a whiskey bread and butter pudding made with the local whiskey and wow it was so good.
Looking at some of the food I’ve eaten abroad now I travelled to Italy and decided to visit a pasta restaurant and I’m glad I did because it’s far better that the chain restaurants serving pasta that we have here. It was fresh hand made pasta and the sauce was too.
The restaurant was family run and the food was subliminally better than your average pasta dish in the UK, here we have a habit of cooking the pasta till it’s mushy and overcooked but the Italian’s cook their pasta with a lot of passion and cook it al dente.
It was a seafood pasta containing the freshest ingredients money could buy and the sauce was just as amazing you could taste the difference between what we serve here in UK chain restaurants to what the Italian’s serve. It was juicy tomatoes and basil and plenty of garlic.
The whole atmosphere in the restaurant was amazing too you didn’t have someone come dressed in a corporate uniform directing you to a table, it was someone in black shirt a tie and black trousers and he was the Grandson of the chef because the restaurant was run by three generations of the same family.
Then there was the food in Spain this was again to me very likeable I didn’t do the old English thing when in Spain only go to English Restaurants no I tried out the local restaurants and ate what they would have and a lot of it was truly delicious.
I stayed on the Island of Formentera which is one of the Balearic Islands off of Ibiza and it’s a beautiful island a lot of the food is seafood but then there is a lot of great meat around too. They make a salami which is really really good, oh and they grow olives on the island and they are just as delicious.
The local bakeries on the island produce a wealth of fresh bread and little pastries including custard tartlets called Pastéis de Nata’s and oh my they were delicious. There was a lovely Spanish restaurant that served the best muscles I have ever had tasted it was served with a huge chunk of bread to dip in the garlic butter sauce that they were cooked in.
Being that I am epileptic I cannot hold a UK driver’s license so there are two options in life for me either use public transportation or walk so yes I do walk quite often, I am not athletic due to having a health condition called cerebral palsy so no I don’t run anywhere as my body doesn’t allow me too.
Cerebral palsy is a muscular condition that causes severe stiffness and gives me great pain at times but I deal with it pretty well and despite taking morphine based pain medication twice daily I function well or as well as I am able too. The winter months are not so great because I have arthritis and can be really sore on top of the cerebral palsy.
I use a walking stick but I don’t feel any shame in having to do so because I find it easier than struggling to walk, you may think I am moaning trust me I am not there are people out there that are a lot worse off than me.
If things are particularly bad I can always shop online and have it delivered to my home address which is what I do with my weekly supermarket order I’m sure there are a lot of non disabled people doing that.
equality. noun [ U ] /ɪˈkwɑl·ə·t̬i/ the right of different groups of people to receive the same treatment: racial equality.
Cambridge English Dictionary
I am a big fan of the word “Equality” I used to work as an equalities and diversity activist for a political party before coming into the church and my work was interesting I spent many hours working on fighting to make sure people from different backgrounds had the same rights and opportunities that others had. Whether that be to go to university or to access higher education because they had an additional learning need such as autism or suchlike.
One of the fights I remember was with the Government of Gibraltar over the age of consent for same sex couples to have a relationship now in the UK it was sixteen but at the time Gibraltar had set it at 18 which campaigners saw as unequal to those in other EU zones so I wrote a letter to First Minister of Gibraltar and the EU parliament members.
After much fight we managed to get them to lower the age of consent to sixteen and that was the battle win for many LGBT 🏳️🌈 people who were then given the right to have civil unions and marriage equality.
I am not a fan of quiet weeks I am a workaholic and I like my week to be back to back meetings with people, I also like my week to be planned and structured in the fact I like them to have a routine. I normally start each day at the same time and finish at the same time. Mind you this doesn’t always happen for one reason or another but that’s just the nature of the vocation I am in.
My vocation is certainly not your average 9am to 5pm job and anyone who says they can operate in church-life in these conditions is wrong you will always end up working way beyond 5pm I can guarantee you of that.
Meetings will and do overrun quite often which means you are often are late for your next meeting and if you think that you are entitled to the luxury of a lunch break then think again, because majority of the time what you do get is a working lunch.
Ah yes the working lunch where one basically has no choice but to shovel their lunch down their throat whilst travelling between meetings or you don’t get lunch at all and don’t get a decent meal till the end of the day.
Although sometimes you don’t even get an evening meal either and don’t end up eating anything at all but breakfast and that’s just toast and tea. It depends on your working schedule and how it pans out.
So yes I like and dislike busy weeks really but majority of the time I like a busy week because there is always something to do.
Some of you that may follow me on Facebook may have seen my statement that I posted yesterday evening if you haven’t then I have reposted it below:
I am soon to be leaving my current post as Bishop of Wales for the Old Catholic Apostolic Church UK this is due to health grounds I would like to thank you all for your support over the time I have held the office. I will stand down at the end of September and become an Emeritus Bishop without portfolio giving me time to focus on work that is important to me.
I thank +Adrian Trimlett-Glover for his support from day one he has been an amazing support to me and I wish everyone in the OLD CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH – UNITED KINGDOM all the very best.
May peace and blessings be upon you
BishopRyan Cleminson,
Ok let me put some context into why I have chosen to step down at the end of this month. Firstly I’m struggling health wise to discharge the duties of my office to best of my office and it would be unfair to stay in office if I can’t do it any longer.
I feel the church should be given the opportunity to appoint someone that can do the job better than I can so it is only right that I resign from office and so this is what I have chosen to do. Believe me I have not done this lightly though because it’s been a vocation I have loved.
The next question I wish to clear up is whether I am giving up the church all together,
“No I will be focusing on what’s important to me which is stuff like my autism work and the candy for carers ministries.”
I will always be a Catholic Bishop and my faith is strong and no matter what I decide to do, I will be around doing something. I just won’t have a Diocese to run.
There are few things that reduce me to tears but recently the case of the baby killer Lucy Letby was so tragic and the details so horrific that one could not be anything but moved to tears. She was supposed to be someone charged with protecting these young life’s yet there she was carrying out acts of violence against them that would leave them in so much pain and suffering. She injected them with air or insulin which would lead to their deaths.
Then she had the audacity on the day of her sentencing hearing in Manchester Crown Court to refuse to be present in court to hear the verdict that was handed down by the judge. Yet another example of defiance to the parents that had already lost so much.
Another case where I shed tears was that of Olivia Pratt Corbell the nine year old from Liverpool killed by gunman Thomas Cashman as he went on an armed rampage in the streets shooting people, Olivia wasn’t the intended target she was a bubbly young girl that had her whole life ahead of her.
She was murdered in cold blood as Cashman fired in to her house and the bullet struck her and she died as a result of it, again he being another gutless person refused to appear in court on the day that he was sentenced to life in prison.
One has to ask what is happening to this country we have a country where gun crime is on the increase and knife crime is increasing too but the government have not got any ideas on what to do about it.
They are a zombie government just aimlessly destroying this once great country lining their pockets off the poorest in society as they continue to destroy everything in sight ready to handover power to the next government then say “There sort this mess out”.
Great Britain used to be such a wonderful country, well guess what it ain’t so Great anymore and it’s a crying shame.
Yet again this is another interesting question, why do I spend everyday writing an entry on my blog. Ever since I came into the church my blog has become a communication platform for me to express myself on a wide variety of topics some religious and some not. I have built up a loyal following and I thank them for following my blog whether it be via WordPress or when I share it via Facebook.
I also use it to share poetry of young people that I have worked with on a professional basis as The Bishop of Wales and as their mentor I am privileged to be able to be able to do this. Another thing I like to do is to share my favourite musical artists if they have new music out.
A lot of you will know by now I am an advocate for the autistic community and spend a great deal of time writing letters to either the Welsh or Westminster government on this subject and I have in the past published their letters on my blog, or spoken out against poor legislation.
I am also an advocate for inequality and will often speak out about it on my blog too. My blog has become a communication platform to the outside world.
I am immensely proud of some of the stuff I have written on my blog because some of it is deeply personal and about how I see and feel about life and the world, especially being autistic myself.
The one thing I will always do on my blog is tell you the truth I don’t believe in painting stories of grandeur and making myself look big and successful. I’m just little humble old me a Bishop doing the Lords work as he was asked to do.
I don’t want praise from anyone I do my job because I love what I do, simple as that…
Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.
A couple of months ago I wrote on my blog I featured poetry written by a number of authors so this article is the perfect chance to share a bit more about one them. Obviously there is going to be stuff that we won’t be publishing like their real name. They have decided to use their writers name, so on that note here goes.
Dark Angel is the writer I spoke to he is a sixteen year old poet with autism and has been through everything from homelessness to suicide attempts and battles with drugs but he with my mentorship has turned his life around.
My first question to Dark Angel was- Tell my readers about yourself
Well I am a sixteen year old male poet that’s had to grow up pretty fast really my father was a devout Catholic and kicked me out of the house when I came out as openly homosexual aged 15.
I decided to take my boyfriend home to watch a movie and we were sat in what was then my room and we were just mucking around and one thing led to another but we kissed and hadn’t seen my father at the door, he went mad.
I was asked to leave along with my boyfriend however my mum pleaded that I should be allowed to stay as I was their flesh and blood, she didn’t believe in the whole religious thing and was very much more liberal than my father.
I left that night and ended up sleeping in a shop doorway as my boyfriend couldn’t put me up at his house due to a lack of space I was terrified. It was a nightmare and no matter where I tried to find somewhere to stay no one would help me.
That’s when I came across the autistic youth group by which time things had gotten really bad I was smoking cannabis and I’d become addicted to other drugs, I turned to poetry and started writing my thoughts down and realised how deep and dark they were.
During the point of being kicked out of home and finding the autism group I tried four times to commit suicide I was an utter disaster zone my entire life was falling apart. But then when I got in contact with a mentor things got better.
“Dark Angel”
Question two:
So do you believe the mentorship helped you understand what you needed to change and why?
Yes I instantly knew I was caught in destructive situation and needed to get out of it especially if I wanted to live, I mean I was addicted to drugs and I needed to go to rehabilitation and I am still attending that today. But I’m no longer taking drugs or smoking cannabis anymore. I have regular contact with my mentor and we chat for hours about how I am feeling etc.
I am also seeing a psychiatrist and a counsellor for the various mental health issues that I have such as depression and PTSD but my poetry really helps me too.
“Dark Angel”
Do you still have contact with your mum?
Since she divorced my dad yes but I decided not to move back in with her because I was given supported accommodation and I love the freedoms that it has given me. We often meet for a coffee though.
“Dark Angel”
Do you have particular piece of your work you’d love to share with us?
Sure this one is called “All Ready Disturbed”
“Dark Angel”
I am broken and disturbed already
But do come in
Dont worry about hurting me
Others have done it before
I am used to it
Nothing shocks me anymore.
I have been abused
Left battered dreams shattered
Dont worry about throwing stones
Sticks and Stones may break my bones
Your words cannot hurt me
I have the t-shirt
Been there, done it all before.
Beaten and abused
Sexually violated
Disturbed by what I have seen
My life played in crystal clear
Warts and all
I have no fear
Left in a pile of blood
On the cold kitchen floor.
Pull up a chair
Sorry if I stop and stare
I am trying to work you out
Are you a friend or foe
To be honest I don’t really care
You cannot hurt me
Well not any worse
Than others have before…
I am already disturbed
Please do come in……
(C) Dark Angel
All rights reserved
Well thank you for talking to me today about your story for my blog it has been really interesting
What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?
Meditation
The one habit that I learned to do that improves my daily life without a single doubt is meditation and daily prayer and I never forget to do either of these two practices because they ingrained in me and have been since I joined the church both in the priesthood and in the episcopacy.
Some might ask why they have become so important in my daily life well it gives me the chance to firstly in the morning to prepare for the day ahead and then at night it gives me time to wind down and reflect on what has happened that day.
Daily Prayers,
The other practice I also do is the Eucharist as it’s a way of thanking of God for giving us his only Son and recognising the sacrifice he made so we can live sin free on this planet. Also I feel it is a deeply personal and profoundly spiritual thing to do. Some people may say it should only be done once a week but I beg to differ.
Eucharist
My Catholic faith means a whole lot to me and my calling to the Lord and to the church is something I take very seriously not just because it’s my vocation but because it is a big part of my life and has helped me through some very difficult times in my life personally. Without that I wouldn’t be here today and I am grateful for that.
So they are the three things I do as a habit every day…
Happy and blessed Thursday,
I’d be interested to know what yours are leave me a comment if you like
May the blessings of the Lord be upon you and your family
Above is a photo of the sweetie bowl that we were allowed to have candy from as kids.
Windsor Castle
I decided today’s post was going to be a bit more about my childhood memories as one my dearest friends really enjoyed one of my blog posts and so I’d thought I’d write another one as it spurred me on to write a second post about staying with my Grandparents in Wokingham. They used to take us to The Royal Town of Windsor where we’d watch the changing of the guard.
Changing of the guard at Windsor Castle
Then after watching the changing of guard we’d walk down the high street to the Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Parlour and Grandad would buy us all an ice cream oh those were the days.
Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Parlour
Another great place we used to walk in Windsor was the Great Park which was also known as the long Mile it stretched up the back of the back of the castle and oh it was beautiful. I later went there when I attended my secondary school which was in Holyport a little village in between Bray and and Ascot.
Windsor Great Park
As children we wanted for nothing we were care free and were well looked after by our parents and both sets of Grandparents my Dads Grandparents who lived in Wokingham used to treat us with days out to Windsor quite regularly.
Then there was my other Grandparents my Mums parents, my Grandad was a railway enthusiast and I remember fondly many days visiting railways with him. Our favourite was the Didcot Steam Railway Centre in Oxfordshire,
The Didcot Railway Centre
We also used to visit many model railway exhibitions down in Bristol and Bath and travelled by train I used to love those journeys I spent with my Grandfather he was a very knowledgeable man when it came to trains there wasn’t much he didn’t know about trains. He could tell you exactly where the train was made and for which company and on which line it used to run.
His favourite train undoubtedly had to be the Flying Scotsman he and I had seen it on the London Paddington line we were like two kids in a sweet shop having seen that. He also once managed to arrange for me to stand on the foot plate of a steam engine and to shovel coal into the fire.
Oh I had a great childhood,
Anyway I remember both my Grandads bless them may they rest in the Lords Garden for ever,
Happy Wednesday and God Bless, sorry for the late post
Ah the days of Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, Road Runner and Daffy Duck. They don’t make them like used to for sure, the cartoons of a bygone era not even the Pink Panther or Thunderbirds is the same. It’s all computer generated stuff these days. When back in my days Thunderbirds was puppetry. Jesus the phrase “Back in my day makes me sound old” I’m only 41”.
I had a great childhood my mum was a childminder so the television was always on and we were always allowed to watch cartoons or movies to keep us entertained. My favourites back then were some of the Disney films such as The little mermaid and many many others.
As I grew up my taste in tv changed and I started to watch stuff like Inspector Morse with my parents ah the inspirational John Thaw and Kevin Whately oh and the beautiful 1958 jaguar that he used to drive around the streets of Oxford.
I also liked as a child Thomas the Tank Engine by Jonathan Morris he used to live in a massive house not far from where we did, not even that’s the same now. Tv these days has become so different it’s all commercial and it’s all about money.
I recently read that BBC are to scrap their children’s channel as are ITV it’s sad really but ho hum. Gone are the good old days I guess….
I remember when channel four was an educational channel too,
My favourite time of day is late evenings because I can sit down at my desk with a brandy or a glass of something alcoholic and mull over my thoughts and try to figure out what it all means and actually try to price it together. I will often put on some choral music and allow myself to drift myself off into different part of my brain.
Sometimes I will take time and pray in front of the altar and have a very long conversation with God about what my day has been like and I will meditate to music and become very relaxed and chilled out and at peace. Other times I will simply write a diary entry in my leather bound journal and get my heart out on the cream paper.
I have been known to take a candle into the garden and sit down on the bench and pray in front of it that’s mostly a summer thing as during the winter it’s far too cold here but during the summer we do get some lovely warm nights here. The conversations with God last for hours as I am quite a thinker and I often hope he doesn’t mind.
As I write this blog piece today I am currently listening to Harry Christophers the choral music composer I absolutely adore some of the music he composes especially when he works with the group called the sixteen. I urge you to look them up on YouTube.
So yes that’s my favourite time of day, some might say I am a night owl 🦉
When I lived at home which was many years ago now my favourite thing to do was to help my mum make the Christmas cake whilst listening to music on the radio or a Christmas music CD whilst drinking either sherry or something alcoholic. She had a recipe that had been handed down through the family from her Grandfather who was a baker by trade and it was written on a flattened out piece of grease proof paper in pencil. The recipe was a joy to follow because it smelt delicious when you mixed it up.
It was a cake that was plentiful on dried fruit and didn’t lack booze either lol and smelled amazing in the oven when cooking you’d make it about three months before Christmas Day and wrap it in grease proof paper and after letting it cool down and soaking it in a alcohol sugar syrup to make it shine.
Then every couple of weeks you’d get the cake out and poke holes in the cake and spoon brandy on to the cake and let it soak in and then wrap it back up and put it back away. You would repeat this process right up until Christmas Eve then it would be ready for a layer of marzipan which again was hand made.
The recipe for the marzipan was again scrawled on another piece of paper and after the cake had been covered in that it was covered in a thick white royal icing and hand decorated with figures such as a snowman and real holly.
Then a red ribbon would be tied right round the cake.
Ah family Christmas Traditions,
It’s one that still happens today but my Mum and Niece do cake duty now but the recipe lives in….
How my parents chose my name I my name I don’t know but my two middle names that I do names I do know. My full name is Rt Reverend Ryan Peter James Cleminson. The name Peter is from my late Grandfather my Dad’s father and James is my mother’s Grandfather.
Dads father passed away this year and I am unsure of when my Mums grandfather passed away I did not know him as it was way before my time he may have been around when I was a child but I don’t know.
Anyway, apologies for not writing a blogpost yesterday I was detained working on some parish business yesterday it’s very sad having to assist a grieving mother as she plans her own son’s funeral he was only 14 years old and had battled with cancer but battled bravely he did.
He was a member of autistic community and and was a regular contributor to my blog writing some of the most beautiful poems I have ever read. He was adopted by the family he lived with and will be sorely missed by many people including myself.
May he be welcomed to his final resting place by an army of angels trumpeting Gods love as he enters heaven.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Being that I work every hour God sends I don’t really get time to watch movies so I can’t really say that I have any particular favourites, sad I know but I’d rather spend my time helping people and dedicating my time to those who need it rather than sitting around chomping on huge amounts of popcorn and watching movies.
I see service to my Parishioners as a far better better use of my time so naturally this is why I don’t have any favourite movies however if the question were about the movie scores ie the music then that would be a different question. I am a great lover of music as this is something that features heavily in my ministry.
I adore the Titanic Soundtrack and also the soundtrack of The Empire of the Sun two very good films which I have watched but they are about the only two I did take time to actually watch. The rest of the time I am working.
So yes I don’t really have a top ten of movies, anyway Happy and Blessed Tuesday everyone
What I love about the where I live is the community and how friendly it is in general. The town of Ammanford although small has a very close knit community of individual boutique shops and some of the chain stores mixed together which gives it a nice balance. However like many high streets these days in the current economic climates it has it’s issues and there are a number of empty shops. The one thing we’re blessed with is a very nice butchers and a very nice local bakery, and many nice places to grab a luscious coffee and homemade cake.
Then there is the indoor market known as “Shoppers World” it houses in the centre of it the best place to grab breakfast or lunch. My favourite is often a bacon roll and a mug of black tea.
There is also a good old fashioned Greengrocer that does your weekly veg boxes for you.
So yes that’s what I love about the area I live in,
Being autistic I don’t understand the concept of emotions so I can’t really say what a positive feeling is and when I am feeling it or whether I am feeling a sense of sadness because of the way my brain works. I know to a neurotypical person this may sound weird but it’s totally normal. Most autistic people cannot regulate emotions we have no way of understanding how we should feel and when.
We could be given the news that someone has just passed away and we won’t even shed a single tear where as our neurotypical peers will be in tears it doesn’t mean we don’t care, far from it it’s simply we don’t know how to express our emotions. Our brains don’t know how to process and communicate emotions.
Some people in the past have described me as a cold and heartless person because I don’t show my feelings but I am far from it, I would gladly give everything I have to someone else so that they could have something to eat or whatever they needed. It’s the one reason I came into the vocation that I am in today.
So yes if a person acts cold don’t just instantly think they don’t care it could be they’re autistic and they don’t know how to understand the whole thing of emotions.
Happy Saturday and Gods blessings be with you and yours,
When dealing with a suicidal individual one must have in their mind an emergency preparedness plan at all times especially if the worst should happen. Things on that plan should be like at what point does one need to make the call to the emergency services, and at one point do you jump in to try and save the person from doing something irreversibly stupid.
It is important that you remain calm and keep your wits about you because the minute things take a turn for the worst be ready to act because the whole situation rests on your shoulders it’s literally a matter of life or death and you are God’s chosen soldier to help the person out.
I speak from experience when I write this as I’ve often spent many hours over the years trying to talk people out of suicide and I have to say thankfully armed with a decent understanding and a preparedness plan things have gone well.
You have to sit and listen not talk, but listen and not judge, too…
The one word that people use far too much is unpleasant and frankly unpublishable so I’m not going even going to say it but it’s very derogatory to women. I’ve heard it said in school yards across my diocese being said by kids these days and their aged no older than ten or so maybe younger. You often have to wonder where the Holy Mackerel in Christ they learned such a disgusting and disrespectfully degrading and insulting word. You can only blame society.
Societal change has made it normal and acceptable to almost normal to say the word. Now some may think it’s big and clever but really it just makes them look chauvinistic and ignorant towards women so congratulations on that front you really are an “A” grade idiot.
You’ve made yourself look like a right wing misogynistic person who has a poor understanding of the English language. The C word is not and never will be acceptable end of the matter. So come on please stop using the word people we are so much better than this, society is so much better than this too.
The one thing that brings me peace in my life is morning and evening prayers it’s the one time I feel I can spend time firstly setting myself up for what is about to come and at the end of the end of the day it gives me the time to reflect upon what has happened during the day.
In my vocation as a Bishop no day is ever the same so one can never ever predict nor can you prepare for what you might experience on any particular given day. One day you could visit an old people’s home and the next day you could spend the whole day trying to find someone a place to live because their entire life has been turned upside down all because they have decided to tell the truth about their sexuality to their parents and their parents have kicked them out.
Yes it does happen in 2023 sadly I’ve dealt with it many times in my own diocese now and sadly it’s becoming a regular occurrence. Then on another day you could spend the whole day trying to save the life of someone who has decided that they have just had enough and that there is nothing worth living for anymore. Been there done that too.
Spent a total of twelve hours trying to talk a young man into not throwing himself into the path of a Wales to London Paddington fast train eventually he came off the station platform and sat with me and we talked through his issues and we agreed to get him the help he wanted without any police involvement, that was at his request.
I think sometimes you being the member of clergy have to reach out and show that you are the understanding caring person that they want you to be and not be aloof and be judgemental of that person because the minute they feel that they can’t trust you then you may as well give up.
Another thing that gives me peace is knowing that I’ve done my vocation to the best of my ability and that I’ve done what God would have wanted me to have done, which is to have served him and the people well. This is something I always do and will always do the best of my ability.
It would be very wrong of me or anyone to enter this vocation without caring about the people that you are supposed to serve and also having a lack of respect for God for he is a mighty power that guides and sustains me to do what I do and I can turn to him for help via the medium of prayer twice daily when I need it and I do need it.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid
Having either spent time in hospital or visited people in hospital whether it be professionally or personally I can say honestly the Nurses that work in our National Health Service work very long hours and aren’t always paid a huge amount of money for the job they do. So when they went on strike recently I immediately understood why and ultimately backed the action that they had been forced to take.
Not only were they fighting to protect their own careers they were also fighting to protect their families and make sure they could afford to pay their bills and pay to put food on the table. Now many hospitals I know of actually have started food banks to support their nurses as wages have gone down over the years and cost of living has skyrocketed.
I myself have often sat in various wards and watched nurses running around to the point that they could fall down because they were out of energy but some how, and lord knows how they manage to survive but they do. Hence the reason I absolutely admire them. They very rarely get any thanks either but what they do get is plenty of abuse.
Abuse that they DO NOT deserve after all they are front line workers doing an amazing job to protect people and to treat people and sometimes I think society needs to remember this. Just like they need to remember the same when it comes to their colleagues who are emergency services workers and doctors again they work long hours too and the pay isn’t great.
So yes these are the people I have admiration for,
If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?
If I were to open a shop I wouldn’t actually sell anything I’d stock it full of items that people actually needed so that people in my diocese could come and take for free because there is a lot of financial hardship in and around the area and I wouldn’t want to make a profit from that I’d want to be giving back to make sure they could provide for their families or themselves.
It would be a community service hub in a way they could come and talk through their problems with me over a hot drink, there would be a cafe so they could get a hot meal. There would be a clothing bank so they could get clothing should they need it. The top floors would be turned into flats which would be let out to those that needed somewhere to stay and the government or a charity would be asked to cover the rental costs.
It would be a project that made money from business donations and gave money back to those in need not the other way around. I have always believed that the system is stacked against the impoverished. That is the poor that get screwed and the rich are ok off the back of the rich. Well my shop would be a role reversal of that scenario.
There would also be a chapel in the grounds as well so people could be in touch with God as I believe it is important to have a relationship with God as he created us and we must not forget that. But yes that’s the kind of shop I’d open, some people might think I’m just a leftie who hates the rich people but I don’t. What I don’t like is the way the way they treat people.
What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?
Apart from making sure I have the essentials such as my mobile phone and business cards and church identification card I always make sure I am carrying my copy of The Liberal Catholic Rite with me. You never know in vocation just when you might need it. It is a book that I absolutely swear by. Oh another couple of books I always make sure I have with me is a bible and common book of prayer too.
I also carry Holy Water and oils with me and also reserve sacraments just in case I need them too. Some people may think it’s a little excessive to travel around with so much stuff but believe me one can never be prepared for such events. I have regularly been asked would I say a prayer for someone or say mass with someone etc.
In my experience in my vocation you pack your bag planning for every eventuality and then you don’t let anyone down do you.?
As I’ve said before it’s an honour to be in such a role as I’m in and yes it does mean carrying around a lot of stuff at times but it’s worth it.
Well that answers the question so it’s time for me to wish you God’s blessings as I end my post
What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world?
The one change I hope my blog does or hope it does big or small is I’d like to see it educate and enrich people’s lives and I hope I do that through the content I write about everyday. I try to use my blog as to teach people about what my ministry is about and what I do within the church and just how much of an honour it is to do what I do.
Why do I say it’s an honour well it’s quite simple really, because if I can change the life of one person who is worse off than me then I am happy because it means I have done what the Lord has asked me to do which was to serve his people. Whether that be to find a homeless person somewhere they can call home, or a hungry person something to eat or suchlike,
Or if I can help someone find God after they they’ve lost their way and got lost then again I’ve done my vocation. Or someone’s inspired by something they’ve read on my blog and they’ve signed up to read it everyday it again means I am making a difference no matter how big or small.
God is the Universe and the Universe is God, ultimately he created everything that was brought into existence in it and he creates every thing that leaves it for a reason and to create an alternative would be wrong and against what the bible teaches so in my opinion why would I wish to create an alternative to what already exists. Especially when we should be striving to look after what we already have.
Man has a commitment to love one another and we must solemnly swear to do our duty before God our duty to do this and if we cannot do this fully then we have in our promise to God failed. Another way we fail to god is to love our own flesh and blood and in so many ways I have seen parents fail this test by disowning their children over their choices of whom they choose to love.
Say a child comes out as gay,bisexual or lesbian or transgender and the parents cast them aside like they would as if they were yesterdays newspaper they have yet again failed their promise to God which was to love one another. It is as if they’re are seeking to create an alternative universe without that child or young person in it and that is a falsehood.
Hypocrisy and falsehoods are something that I absolutely despise and always have done but my duty as a member of the church is not to judge others my duty is to the ones that have been scorned and cast aside and mistreated which is why I wouldn’t create a alternative universe.
Or if I were to create an alternative universe it would be one where this kind of behaviour would be made illegal not that it isn’t already but I’d actually demand that the statutory authorities actually did more about the behaviour to cease it from happening.
What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it?
As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
This is a very simple and free meal that I enjoy every day because as a practicing Catholic I say mass pretty much every night without fail as it is my way of thanking God for what has happened that day and what is to come. Some people may think it a little bit excessive to say mass every night but it’s a personal choice.
I say morning and evening prayers too as it helps me reflect on what is about to come and in the evening it helps me reflect on what has happened and it is my time to have my time with God our father.
Through the act of mass and prayer I find it personally allows me time to think and to transport my inner thoughts and to switch off from everything around me and almost meditate. So yes the Lords supper is a meal that I find one of the best, not that I’m a cheap skate and oh it’s free and should be accessible to everyone in my opinion.
As The Bible said “All are welcome at The Lords Table”
I’ve been to many beautiful churches in my long vocation as a member of clergy but I came across this on Facebook and I haven’t got a clue where it is but I’d love to visit it. Wow the church must be absolutely amazing. It got me thinking about some of the beautiful churches that I have visited over the many years.
As a teenager I was privileged enough to spend time in Milan and remember visiting the Central Duomo. It’s an incredible building I would recommend a visit if you find yourself in Milan.
Milan Duomo
Another of my favourite churches is St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle I don’t know how many times I’ve visited there over the years but it holds a special place in my heart because I used to go there regularly with my Grandma and Grandad.
St George’s Chapel of Windsor
The next place that holds a very special place in my heart is St Paul’s in London
In time I am sure there will be others, next on my list of places to visit is Westminster Abbey
Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that.
I have decided to put a slightly religious angle on my blog post today which is no surprise after all I am an Independent Catholic Bishop I asked my Alexa device to define the meaning of the word “scour” and she came back and told me “to cleanse”. Instantly it made me think about wanting to write about the of washing away one’s sins through the act of baptism.
Why do we baptise?
Baptism is understood, therefore, as the total annulment of the sins of one’s past and the emergence of a totally innocent person. The newly baptized person becomes a member of the church and is incorporated into the body of Christ, thus becoming empowered to lead the life of Christ.
So what does the bible tell us about the act of baptism,
Romans 6:3–4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. As in Colossians 2, the baptized are those who have been buried into Jesus’s death and raised to new life in him.
So why am I happy to be an independent Catholic Bishop, well in a nut shell it’s because it means I am free to be liberal minded and think what I want to think and not be fed rubbish by a bigoted mainstream church that is out of touch, outdated and frankly if it doesn’t change it faces becoming irrelevant very quickly.
I love the fact I, little humble me was called by The Lord to serve him as a Priest and as a Liberal Independent Catholic Bishop and as a shepherd to the flock. A voice to the voiceless and a protector to those that needed it. I have over the past year become an advocate for many different causes such as poverty,autism, mental health, addiction issues e.t.c. One might might say I’m a champion of social justice they’d be right.
I take great pride in representing my diocese and doing a good job makes me happy because it gives me a great deal of confidence and satisfaction knowing that the people in my community feel that they can always bring issues to me and that they trust me to give them the best possible outcome to their issues. I always like to be friendly and respectful with people as it takes time to gain trust and understanding.
It is however very quickly lost and once lost rarely do you ever get that trust again so it makes me happy when I know someone trusts in me, I also love it when I am able to deliver a successful outcome to my casework and actually make a difference to someone’s life whether it be big or small.
What makes it even more rewarding and this is going to sound strange is I don’t do it for any pat on the back or anything like that and I don’t actually care that I am not a salaried employee of the church in fact in The Old Catholic Apostolic Church none of us are we do what we do because we love serving The Lord and the Church.
We don’t need the big flashy houses and the cars etc we are humble servants of the Lord and we are levelheaded people just like the rest of the people we serve in the community. Neither do I hide myself away in a building and only make myself available only on a Sunday for a few hours for a weekly service no I am available everyday including a Sunday.
I work long hours but I’m happy to do that because I feel I am not the kind of Bishop to be sat behind a desk doing paperwork all day no thank-you I’d rather be out in public visiting people and organisations in and around my diocese seeing what I can do to support them. That is where I am happiest.
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13
I shall leave my blog piece there for now but I wish you peace, happiness and blessings,
Firstly sorry for the lateness of my blog post today I have been yet again been caught up dealing with the all to familiar issue of trying to find housing for a young parishioner that has had his entire world turned upside down and all because he was being true to what God created him to be, an openly gay man but oh no religious Daddy was too scared it would ruin his career and his standing in society.
So he disowned his only child like one does with yesterdays newspaper or the fish and chips wrapper, they simply toss them in the trash and move on with their life in denial that ever had a child. Let alone a gay one. Leaving the likes of good honest people like me to rebuild the young person’s life from the foundation upwards. I mean come on do they not see the damage that do. It’s the one I have always been curious about.
For it is the father and the mother that wanted the him otherwise they would have NOT gone to bed and done the deed that created the child in the firsthand and suddenly they are now kicking him out all because they do not like what they see in the mirror. So bloody what if the child has chosen to love another male at least he hasn’t turned out to be a murderer or such-likes. The fact that he has found it in his heart to tell his parents how he feels should be commended and not criticised, and it should never result in such draconian measures as homelessness.
Just because the young man has chosen to declare in his innocence that he loves another man it deserves encouragement not chastisement with draconian and outrageously insulting words as “I won’t have a faggot for a son, I’d rather not have a son at all”.
This attitude has always somewhat bewildered me and made me believe why and how can parents be so bloody cruel to their own flesh and blood without facing consequence such as police action but sadly very few ever do. In the cases that I have worked on social services have this bizarre mantra of adopting the “it’s not our job Bishop” or “What do you expect us to do”.
Well what I do expect from social services is the following, firstly for them to get off their backsides and actually give a s**t and stop expecting people like me who aren’t qualified or paid to do their job for them. Secondly use all powers to bring about actual change and enforce through the laws that actions be taken against the parents for neglect.
Is it too much to ask… I mean would the parents disown a girl because she was barren and couldn’t give them a grandchild?
Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone.
Homelessness
I was travelling through London Waterloo Station on my way to a meeting at The Foreign and Commonwealth Office as was known at the time (FCDO) and there was was a young lad sat near the station exit looking absolutely done with life. He was drenched as it was trashing it down with rain I’d got plenty of time before my meeting a good three hours to get across London to Westminster.
The young man in question looked like he was homeless as he had all his possessions with him packed in a large hold-all and Londoners were not paying attention to him one bit they were just blindly going about their business. I stopped and engaged the young man in conversation he asked me “Did I have any spare money”? After I said I didn’t I asked him how he had ended up in such a place as London Waterloo Station with all his possessions.
He told me his story it was one of deep sadness he been kicked out of his family house all because he’d come out as gay and his devout Jewish Father didn’t want of having a gay son as it ruin his status in the community furthermore it would in his opinion ruin his reputation as a business man in the city.
I hadn’t had breakfast and couldn’t get anything substantial on the train either so I ended up inviting the young lad to join me for breakfast where we chatted some more of course it was far better than just giving him a handful of coins and walking past him. At least he’d been fed and had a warm drink.
I then walked with him to the British Transport Police station and explained his situation to a very polite officer who said the issue would be addressed I left my contact information and said I wanted to be kept informed. To this day myself and the young person who I am not going to name are in contact.
What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?
Instead of what traditions have you not kept that your parents had I am going to write about the traditions that I have kept that my parents have not kept. I know it’s kind of reversing the question but it makes it more interesting in a way. One tradition I have kept is an involvement with the church, not just personally but professionally I am a member of clergy my vocation being that of Bishop of Dynod and Wledig (Wales).
My parents were Church of England and I am Catholic but I am not Roman Catholic because I do not believe in some of their beliefs such as the fact women cannot be ordained and people from the LGBTQ+ community cannot be ordained either.
Another tradition I have maintained is the Eucharist and the supper of the body of Christ and the blood of Christ as well and also morning and evening prayers something I learned at school from my long term mentor he was a very strong believer in religion.
To be fair he’s probably the reason I have ended up where I am today because I owe a lot to him. I do not blame my parents for not continuing these traditions they were and are the very best parents and give me a lot of love and support for what I have chosen to do as a vocation just as my husband does even though he is an atheist.
However there are some traditions that we do still hold true to and that is celebrating Christmas as a family and when we come together we are a very close knit family I have been asked a few times to say grace or a prayer before tucking in to lunch.
I was also honoured to be asked to lead the funeral service of my father in law who was a devout Catholic and every time I went to visit him we’d say either mass together or I’d give him a simple blessing.
Anyway so yes that’s my blog post for today but there are many traditions that I hold dear to my heart… what traditions do you have and hold…
Yes my day may have started out with the usual morning prayers but that’s about as typical as it’s ever going to be. My days are never typical I never know what is going to happen in the daily routine and can never actually plan anything so therefore do. My diary is a mishmash of this appointment or that appointment and it’s made even worse because I don’t have full control over my schedule it’s called having a secretary. I don’t mind this and he’s very effective but he does have a habit of sneaking things into my diary.
So one day I could have a whole day working on emails from home the next day I could be working away from home doing visits to organisations such as local community groups or in meetings with government officials. So this is why I say there is no typical day in my vocation.
My vocation isn’t a nine till five one either nor is it a Monday to Friday working pattern it can be long days and irregular days. I very rarely have a day off I am always on call I’m glued to my phone and my emails are always monitored and answered personally by me unless I choose to refer them to another person to be answered on my behalf.
My blog however is always written by me that is something I will never let someone else do because I take pride in speaking personally to my readers you mean the world to me.
So yes in all truth and honesty there is nothing typical about my day whatsoever…. God bless you and yours
If I had to describe myself to someone that didn’t know me I’d have to say I was a levelheaded man and a man that fights for the equality and opportunities of others. I came into the church to serve not only God but the people, those that find them in situations where they require a little guidance.
I would also say I am a champion to the voiceless those who have tried to speak out but have not been heard, those who have been constantly attacked for speaking out or denied their rights, or those that have been denied justice. I will take on their cases and stand up for them.
I became an advocate to people with autism way before I was diagnosed myself at the age of 37 years old because I was appalled at the treatment they were receiving from the government and the education system and some sectors of employers who were taking autistic people on and gaining money for doing so and then when they were failing they’d sack them.
I’d fire off letters to the DWP calling the practice out of hand and unfair and even called for an investigation into the situation. I remember once writing to the Welsh Government just after a key autism strategy document had been published sadly the consultation had closed but the points I made were such good ones the team reopened the consultation to include them. My job had been done on that occasion.
In my vocation I work very hard and if I feel I am not getting the answer I am satisfied with I will reword the question and resubmit it to the department or organisation that I am dealing with and this will continue until I detect that the question has been answered.
To a person that didn’t know me someone might think I am slightly aloof and I’m arrogant but that’s not the case as I have said I am a down to earth person and I am very intelligent, humble and caring person. I will help anyone who needs it. Oh and I am not in it for reward either, I’m in my vocation because I care about the community and the people in it.
If I saw a homeless person and had some spare change in my pocket I’d buy them a hot drink and a sandwich which I’ve done on many occasions. I have also sat up all night talking to young people on the brink of suicide, or I’ve spent time finding safe space for young people that have been made homeless because their parents have kicked them because they’ve come out as gay or bisexual or lesbian.
I take the office of Bishop very serious and see it as a privilege to represent the interests of the community and God. So all in all that’s the kind of person I am.
To someone that doesn’t know me I would hope I come across as a kind person and as a warm hearted caring champion of the voiceless because that’s what I have spent many years trying to be.
Most Reverend Ryan Peter James Cleminson 