As I continue to slowly unpack, as circumstances allow, items keep appearing that take me back to a memory or period in life. This can be childhood, secondary school, university, a job, friendship or relationship. In the main it is quite nice to have reminders and to reminisce though, as with all of us, there are also things best forgotten. I can only imagine what it must be like for those who have seen the odd decade or two more than I when unpacking, sorting or clearing out.
Memory and times past shape us as persons. These also shape us as bodies of people, be that as a town or village, or as the Church. Last month I fulfilled the very clear expectation of the Diocese and attended clergy conference. We had a couple of academics and others to speak on various topics concerning the Church. It was a blessing to have an individual who was the former Archbishop of Canterbury, before which he was the Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Monmouth, to lead us for a time. I speak, of course, of Rowan Williams. One of his sessions was on the topic of ‘Church growth’, a topical subject in the wider Church in this country. He identified that the Church needed to be confident and credible to grow in number.
Credibility leads to memory and times past. The Church went through a decade or two of scandals, be these ones which led to charges of hypocrisy or, in darker areas, criminal charges. Whilst one should not wallow in the past, nor should one seek to pretend that it isn’t there. The institutional Church has failed numerous young and vulnerable people. These deep failings have led to a loss of confidence in the Church by both the faithful and those beyond. It is easier to steer clear of the groups which we have failed, be that the young or the vulnerable, than to seek to do better. This is not an academic or theoretical situation, as there are those among us who have experienced abuse or abusive behaviour or know of others who have suffered. To share and disclose is very hard.
‘Fear not’, or ‘be not afraid’, appears often in the Holy Scriptures. To be credible and confident we must not hide from the past. In order to live with things better as individuals we may need to open up boxes stored away. I can only speak from personal experience in that dealing with such things is leading toward feelings of sorrow and mercy toward those who have caused me grief and harm. Mercy requires genuine honesty and repentance to be true; it cannot be assumed and is not cheaply gained. Mercy is something which the world deeply needs more of. It is something which we as the Church, be that as faithful apostles or as the Church corporate, can offer to the wider world, particularly through example. It is something we must practise in order to be credible.
Please God, let it be that the Blessed Saints, most particularly Our Lady, continue to pray for us!
Fr. David
Wedding
James Lewis Price and Alisha Emily Herdman married at S. Michael and All Angels, Clyro on Saturday 7th September.
