Ordination Day

This morning, Llandaff Cathedral was packed for the ordination of three candidates to the Diaconate and five to the Priesthood - five men, three women. One of those being priested was Dr Sarah Rogers who went from university research microbiologist and church warden at St Teilo's (during my time serving that parish), to an ordinand of the diocese. Sarah's dad, John was Dean of Llandaff until he retired, and there for her to share in the laying on of hands. She was one of the Cathedral team of servers, and her twin brother Paul, one of the Cathedral bell ringers. It was fitting she should be asked to read the Gospel at her own ordination.

Two children from the Bishop of Llandaff school read the other lessons and intercessions. The sermon was good, the choral singing was as ever, uplifting and magnificent. The sun streamed in, the whole event was a beautiful and dignified offering of worship, to put these candidates in their proper place, according to vocation in the common life of God's people.

Also among those ordained was Christopher Seaton. He did a placement with us at St John's three years ago - one of the non-stipendiary ministerial mature students. He's an electrical engineer and ex-seafarer, with long experience of lay ministry in his home Parish in Barry.

 These are just two of eight ordinands on parade I happened to know. They have the same calling yet such different backgrounds. Diversity is a great asset in the service of the Church. Today's ministry candidates mostly tend to be older, and have more life experience before training, although that means a shorter period of active service. It's one of many factors leading to a shortage of ordained ministers in parishes today. Now that the government is set on the course of raising the retirement age, first to 62, eventually to 70, in response to increased longevity, changed social conditions and economic need, will the Church do likewise, I wonder?

Clergy tend to continue, as long as they are fit and healthy, as volunteers. Many parishes would have no regular ministry or services were it not for the contribution of retired clerics. That's how it's always been, except that the need is greater than ever before, due to shrinkage in the number of ministerial vocations.

As pensioners, retired clerics don't have any say in the decision making of the church. There's the bench of Bishops, the house of laity and the house of clergy as voting blocks in synodical governance, and that's that. Wise counsel may well be sought behind the scenes, but the role of ordained pensioners as stakeholders in the mission of the church isn't recognised in appropriate organisation, With so many of us freed by retirement of institutional ties, there's an opportunity to shape and strengthen the 'spares' to make more coherent use of clerical experience and flexibility, not just to fill the increasing gaps in the parochial system, but to develop new ways of working to benefit many communities now losing out, and to relieve full timers from excess workload.

After the ordination, Clare and I went to a lunch laid on by Archbishop Barry and his wife Hilary, by way of a 'thank you' to those recently retired or left the service of the diocese. It was a delightful occasion, with good food and good humoured conversation, certainly not the moment for discussion of this kind. I guess it's only since then my musings on the matter have taken shape.