Decision time

The bishops of St Davids, St Asaph, Llandaff, Swansea & Brecon, Bangor and Monmouth                                                                   Source: Church in Wales

The 2012 Church in Wales Review kicked off with two recommendations:

Recommendation I

1) The Governing Body and bishops should make it clear, if

necessary by Constitutional amendment, that motions can come

from parishes, and deaneries (or whatever body might replace

them), to Diocesan Conferences, and from Diocesan Conferences

to the Governing Body, and that such motions would be

welcome.

Recommendation II

Candidates for election to the Governing Body should provide a

short manifesto which would be sent out to all electors by each

diocesan office. All elections in the Church should be conducted

in such a way as to ensure that electors know what the

candidates stand for on the issues of the day.

Looking at the Agenda for the next Governing Body meeting little has changed. However, the spirit of Recommendation I is apparent in the Reverend Harri Williams' Private Members Motion on ‘Admission to Communion’.

From the explanatory note: "Following the publication of the ‘Documents about Admission to Communion’ in September 2016, considerable discussion was held within the Deanery of Roose about the proposed changes. Whilst acknowledging that matters of faith and order are the preserve of the Bench of Bishops, it was recognised that these changes presented significant practical and pastoral considerations, for both clergy and laity, which it was felt had not been fully considered. These discussions voiced concerns which were shared on a wider basis throughout the Diocese."

The background can be read in a March entry, 'Dodgy legal advice leads to Eucharistic free for all'. That was the conclusion of the Rev'd Professor Thomas Glyn Watkin, a former Professor of Law at Cardiff and Bangor and former Legal Assistant to the Governing Body of the Church in Wales.

Professor Watkin wrote: "The interpretation placed upon the rubric by the Legal Sub-Committee not only circumvents the Church's due processes for alteration to rites and discipline. In its consequences, it displays a scant respect for - or an inchoate understanding of - the rule of law in Church affairs."

It will be interesting to see how the bishops respond to genuine concerns expressed in the pews about an enforced alteration to rites and discipline. The bishops were forced to backtrack on their desire to adopt same sex marriage in Church after the pew sitters expressed their concerns illustrating that their liberal agenda is not necessarily shared by members paying the Parish Share which is reflected by a continual fall in regular attendance, down to 28,291 and a reduction in planned giving from £11.4m in 2015 to £11.1m in 2016 - see Membership and Finances 2016 here.

Recommendation II implies openness but that could be used to vet candidates for election to the Governing Body to ensure even more like-mindedness to drive through proposals which do not necessarily reflect the views of the pew sitters. Of the farcical consultations carried out by the Church in Wales the most damaging was the refusal of the bench of bishops to entertain any sort of alternative Episcopal oversight for members who in conscience cannot accept the sacramental ministry of a woman priest. This has become a far greater problem with the appointment of two women bishops.

The bishops of St Davids and Llandaff have clearly stated their liberal agendas with more emphasis on inclusion and parity but with Barry Morgan in retirement, what are the real thoughts of the more senior bishops? Some potted histories are available here but what of their future plans if elected? In the process as described the meeting of the Electoral College will "begin with a discussion on the needs of the Province and a period of prayer and reflection".

They will need to pray about past mistakes and reflect on taking the Morgan line that there would be alternative episcopal oversight over his dead body. Many clergy and lay people have been forced to decide whether they can, in conscience, continue their membership of a church which values only their financial contributions. For many there is no alternative but to stay away. If that sits easily with the collective consciences of the bishops of the Church in Wales they will be seen as wolves rather than shepherds.

The decision must be for a good shepherd who cares for all his sheep.

Updates [06.09.2017]

1. It has been announced that he new Archbishop of Wales is the Rt Rev John Davies, the bishop of Swansea and Brecon. Our prayers must be for the restoration of the Church in Wales, undoing the damage of his predecessor, to ensure that all are welcome with acceptable sacramental and pastoral provision for all those souls neglected for so long.

2. Church in Wales report here.

Read More

Llandaff stalemate

Llandaff Cathedral with, inset, the Very Rev Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans

After three days of deliberations (note the link comes under 'Politics'), the Electoral College of the Church in Wales failed to produce a bishop-elect or, as the Rev Peter Ould tweeted, the Church in Wales "couldn't quite bring itself to elect Jeffrey John as Bishop of Llandaff".

With Barry Morgan retired to his bunker his bench sitters were left to their own devices. They will have known that Jeffrey John's preferment had long been high on Morgan's political rencana and no doubt the facilitator would have been well aware of the former Archbishop's preference. His daughter is diocesan Registrar and his wife a former priest at the Cathedral. But which preference? The advancement of feminism or the acceptance of homosexuality on a par with God's plan for procreation?

The Dean of St Albans has had a rough time. With little or no honour in the Church today, Jeffrey John decided not take up the post of Bishop of Reading because of the "damage" his consecration might cause to the "unity of the Church". With hindsight, what unity? As an open, celibate pastor he fulfils the requirements of the Church of England when others have blatantly ignored the rules. The recent defeat in Synod of the motion to take note of the House of Bishopsreport,Marriage and Same Sex Relationships after the Shared Conversations (GS 2055) and subsequent commentary provide testimony to that.

The former Archbishop of Wales made it quite clear many years ago that he saw no objection to someone in a homosexual relationship becoming a bishop in the Church in Wales (CinW). The first divorcee, part of the CinW 'mafia', was appointed by Barry and his bench sitters. If he were still Archbishop no doubt he would have engineered his hat trick after the appointment of 'the best person to be a bishop' despite her obvious failings to the see of St Davids. My only reservation is that Dean John came Out4Marriage, ie, same sex marriage offering so much baloney in the Barry mould that one wondered if his judgement had become impaired.

The Church has moved on, as the establishment sees it, so John's treatment looks increasingly harsh. If he were willing to take on Llandaff, the best of luck to him. Anyone willing to sort out the mess created by Dr Morgan deserves praise and prayers.

The duduk perkara for the bench sitters is that spirituality has become secondary to political correctness and business management as they struggle to keep the ship afloat. Should they opt for the gay agenda or continue to advance the feminist cause? We can be assured that in the forthcoming "wide-ranging consultation of both the laity and the clergy from across the Church in Walesdanquot; MAE Cymru women will be screaming the loudest.

Like Violet Elizabeth Bott they can scream and scream until they are sick. The bench sitters will no doubt ignore the consultations and do as they please, just as they did with previous farcical consultations. Pray that they get it right for once.

Postscript [24.02.2017]

An interesting report has appeared in Christian Today:Leading Gay Cleric Jeffrey John Narrowly Rejected As Bishop In Wales.

Despite the secrecy of the locked-doors policy it has emerged that Dr John was "narrowly rejected" for the post of Bishop of Llandaff. Dr Morgan's final address as Archbishop to "urge the Church to rethink its stance on LGBT couples" increasingly looks like an election address. Both John and Morgan have attempted to re-interpret our traditional understanding of the Bible to justify their cause.

Llandaff has the reputation of having a strong gay presence so the "strong support he received among local clergy and parishioners in the largely liberal diocesedanquot; comes as no surprise.

Being a celibate gay cleric is one thing, trying to change people's attitude to the sacrament of Holy Matrimony is quite another.

One mistake in Llys Escob is enough. The diocese doesn't need another.

Postscript [02.03,2017]

Bishop of Llandaff – appointment process.Provincial press release here.

Llandaff Diocesan Profile and Person Specification for Bishop of Llandaff, and a note on the provincial perspective, may be found here.

In addition to the Diocesan Profile and Person Specification, interesting reading on the state of our diverse society can be found here.

Read More

Three bullets+ for Llandaff

Three of the 'Current Challenges' facing Llandaff. Source Church in Wales

"At a meeting of the Electoral College of the Church in Wales held from February 21st to 23rd, no candidate nominated received the necessary two-thirds of the votes cast to be declared Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Llandaff.

Under the provisions of the Constitution of the Church in Wales, the right to fill the vacancy has passed to the Bench of Bishops, and the Bishop of Swansea & Brecon, as the Senior Bishop and President of the Electoral College, has determined that there should be a process of consultation before names for possible appointment are considered...." (See Provincial press release: Bishop of Llandaff – appointment process)

The press release has a link to the 'Llandaff Diocesan Profile' and 'Person Specification for Bishop of Llandaff', and a note on the provincial perspective, all here .

LGBT+ people have been busy commenting under a previous entry,Llandaff stalemate with their usual vitriol about lack of inclusion due to homophobia. Their campaign has even reached the floor of the House of Commons (see the Thinking Anglicans site). Former Anglican priest, Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab) - AKA Captain Underpants MP - put the Question:

But discretion is not always good in the Church, is it? Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans, has been barred from becoming a bishop in the Church in Wales, which I know is separate from the Church of England, because the other bishops have refused to do what they have done in every other case—accept what the members of the local diocese have wanted.

Let us put this into perspective. Historically, some gay people suffered for their sexuality but there are gay people and there a gay people. Most quietly get on with their lives while others constantly agitate for greater acceptance making life difficult even for people in their own community. Society has moved from a position of  intolerance to tolerance and understanding to harassment by LGBT+ organisations making false accusations. This is evident in the Church. They are using the same tactics which resulted in the ordination of women as part of a liberal agenda which was supposed to grow the Church but it has had the opposite effect with a steep decline in Church attendance in England similar to that in Wales.

Thousands of men convicted of offences that once criminalised homosexuality but are no longer on the statute book have been posthumously pardoned under a new law after the successful campaign to pardon Alan Turing. Gay and lesbian people can benefit from civil partnerships but there is no gratitude, just demands for more. The sticking point for the rest of us is the sanctity of marriage which is the union of a man and a woman but opposition to same sex marriage in church is met with cries of Homophobia!

Changing Attitude which campaigns for equality in the selection, training, ordination and appointment of LGBT clergy estimate that about 10% of clergy are LGBT compared with 1.7% of the UK population who identified themselves as LGB in 2015. There is no shortage of LGBT people in congregations yet the third bullet point in the extract from 'Current Challenges' is to increase the representation and inclusion of LGBTI Anglicans. This followed by another bullet point in the text:

"To commit to ensuring a safe space within the Church and within our communities where members of the LGBTI community can be honest and open, respected and 'fully affirmed as equal disciples' (Same Sex Pastoral Letter 2016)."

Why? LGBT people are not under represented and are very vocal whereas traditional Anglicans  receive no support or encouragement. Could it be that LGBT inclusion was inserted so that an openly gay candidate would fit the profile? It fits the former Archbishop's political agenda following the stitch-up which resulted in the first woman bishop being appointed in the Church in Wales to a diocese she was unsuited for.

The first bullet point includes the statement "Caring for our existing membership is important, but a radically different approach to sharing the Gospel is needed to fulfil the mission of the Church at a time of declining attendance."

That is a lie. The bishop of St Asaph has assumed responsibility for advancing and ministering to LGBT people with the addition of a chaplaincy while care for traditionalists was withdrawn when Bishop David Thomas retired in 2008. One of the challenges (the second bullet point) "To recognise and affirm the wide range of traditions across the diocese" must do just that, affirm and recognise traditionalists, many of whom are cradle Anglicans.

The outcry being orchestrated following the rejection of the Dean of St Albans by the Electoral College is disingenuous. The Church does not discriminate against celibate men in a gay civil partnership. The problem with Dr John's candidature is that he is a focus of disunity. He favours same sex marriage in Church and has twisted scripture to add credence to the LGBT campaign. Also, in the view of many Church members he appears to be yet another pawn in Archbishop Morgan's manipulation of the Church.

The first bullet point stresses that, "Caring for our existing membership is important, but a radically different approach to sharing the Gospel is needed to fulfil the mission of the Church at a time of declining attendance." [My emphasis - Ed.]

If the bench wished to demonstrate the importance of caring for existing members at a time of declining attendance they would also recognise the importance of members who have struggled to keep the faith in the face of hostility over many years. Even 'the best bishop the Church in Wales never had' was told "There is no place for you in this Church". That must change. The time is now.

With hindsight the ordination of women has benefited career opportunities at the expense of plummeting attendance. Increasing the representation and inclusion of LGBT Anglicans to throw more abuse at loyal members of the Church is not the answer.

The Church in Wales has the opportunity to begin anew. No doubt the bishops will be bombarded by the LGBT brigade to appoint Jeffrey John. They must resist. In order to stop the decline the bench must appoint a bishop from among traditionalist clergy who will restore the mystery and the holiness of the Church.

Postscript [09.03.2017]

I have received news of one consultation in which an Area Dean invited nominations provided the nominee had agreed: "We can confirm that the Assistant Bishop David Wilbourne 'would see it as a great privilege to be Bishop of Llandaff' and therefore is willing to be considered."

Readers may recall that back in 2011 it was David Wilbourne who took the view that the ordination of women would 'rid the world of homophobia, misogyny, brutalisation of women in all situations including those in war zones'. Wrong there.

Asked in a BBC Radio interview before the election process why applicants should not apply, the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon replied that anyone who wanted the job was unlikely to be suitable. That's Wilbourne out then.

Read More

The Victim

Women in the Church were victims, allegedly. Gays, lesbians and transgenders in the Church are victims, allegedly.

The true Victim was left hanging on the Cross. His words have been twisted to justify sectional interests to the detriment of the Church. The latest episode is witnessed by the LGBT campaign to have the high profile gay cleric Jeffrey John elected bishop of Llandaff.

Dr John says the bench of bishops is guilty of homophobia. This is the bench which wrote:

“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We recognise that you have often been persecuted and ostracized by the Church for your sexuality, that you have been mistreated by the Church, and forced into secrecy and dissimulation by the attitudes of prejudice which you have faced.  We deplore such hostility, and welcome and affirm the words of the Primates that condemn homophobic prejudice and violence.  We too commit ourselves to offering you the same loving service and pastoral care to which all humanity is entitled, and we commit ourselves to acting to provide a safe space within the Church and within our communities in which you can be honest and open, respected and affirmed."

Jeffrey John claims in an open letter to the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon that his situation is exactly similar to that of the Bishop of Grantham who is also in a same sex relationship. It may be insofar as civil partnerships are concerned but I have found no record of Bishop Chamberlain supporting the Out4Marriage campaign, twisting the Bible to support his stance.

Dr John also suggests that same sex couples are no different to infertile couples, or couples who are beyond the age of childbearing. He is badly mistaken. Addressing gay people directly in his Out4Marriage video Dr John claims that "the official church doesn't speak with integrity... so frankly doesn't deserve to be listened to". That does not bode well for the mission of the Church or for bench collegiality. It is a  pick and mix form of Christianity which leads John to claim that "God is Out4Marriage too"!

In his letter to the bishop of Swansea and Brecon who is the Church in Wales' most senior bishop, Dr John said he had been told by "a bishop present at the meeting of the electoral college" that “a number of homophobic remarks were made and were left unchecked and unreprimanded by the chair”. [My emphasis - Ed.]

For members of the Electoral College to leak information is a serious breach of confidence but for a bishop? He or she should seriously consider his/her position.

Regular churchgoers are dying out, literally and metaphorically. Those who have not been pressured into leaving and battle-on are fed up with gays and feminists claiming to be badly treated when the Church clearly has so many women clergy and gay people in their midst.

In England Archbishop Justin Welby appears to have sold out to Women and the Church (WATCH) despite their shameless campaign against Bishop Philip North because he is an orthodox Anglican. Read the history of this sorry saga here.

In Wales Archbishop Barry Morgan led the bishops into battle against Church members promoting same sex marriage. At the same time he was desperately engineering the election of the first woman bishop in Wales before he retired. His candidate also complained of discrimination. On investigation it proved to be nothing of the sort. One stitch-up is one too many.

I hope that the Bench has at last come to its senses. People need to hear about Christ crucified not false claims of victimhood.

Postscript [21.03.2017]

Unsurprisingly given the gay men's chorus which is singing ever louder to Jeffrey John's tune, the LGB pressure class OneBodyOneFaith this morning published an open letter (here) expressing their "concerns" about the way the process to appoint a bishop for the See of Llandaff has been handled. One of the signatories is the Rev Jeremy Pemberton, Chair for the Board of Trustee. It was he who thumbed his nose to the Church of England over the gay marriage issue.

OBOF have only Jeffrey John's word for what took place. That is second hand. There is no context, merely accusation. "The reported unanimity of the Llandaff electors is a strong indication of what they wish to happen" they write. There are two points here. It was common knowledge that many in Llandaff were desperate to avoid a woman bishop. Their best hope of avoiding that eventuality was to support Jeffrey John. Also, given the strong gay presence in Llandaff, the impression given is that many if not all form part of the chorus demanding that Jeffery John should be the bishop-elect.

As we approach Passiontide  the baying crowd becomes louder. There are echoes of "Give us Barabbas". The crowd had it wrong. So does OBOF and the media. Pray that the Bench withstands the media onslaught.

Read More

Time for a change

A rainbow of hoops under the Majestas in Llandaff Cathedral     Original source: Church in Wales

Is it just a coincidence that children are making a rainbow of coloured hoops in Llandaff Cathedral?

Artist Gilbert Baker who created the LGBT rainbow flag died in New York on Thursday. There was nothing Christian in its design. Baker's original flag had eight colours, each representing a different aspect of humanity:

• Pink - sexuality
• Red - life
• Orange - healing
• Yellow- sunlight
• Green - nature
• Turquoise - art
• Indigo - harmony
• Violet - human spirit

California State Senator Scott Weiner said Baker's work had "helped define the terkini LGBT movement". Eager not to be left behind in the secular stakes, the Church in Wales quickly became gay friendly which makes the recent challenge by the Dean of St Albans to his rejection on grounds of homophobia all the more ridiculous.

The orchestrated campaign in favour of Jeffrey John's mission to be made bishop of Llandaff has been extraordinary in its breadth. From Commons to Senedd, from Cathedral Chapters to Area Deans. The written complaints displayed a similarity in their conclusion suggesting an organised attack.

Some members of the Electoral College decided that their oath of confidentiality was optional. Harry Farley of Christian Today was being briefed to present a one-sided case in favour of John. Why? The implication is that there is a class within the Church working to further their own aims similar to methods employed by feminists in Women and the Church. The results are plain for all to see.

The bench needs to heed the average pew-sitter who has had little to say but has supported a church which has become increasingly alien to them. Feminism and gay rights are not the primary mission of the Church.

Read More

Third woman bishop in a row in Church in Wales

Church in Wales bishop elect Cherry Vann (centre) and her sister bishops with a grim looking Dean Lister Tonge looking on                                Source: Twitter

The Archbishop of Wales, John Davies, has announced that the Ven Cherry Vann has been elected bishop of Monmouth replacing the Rt Rev Richard Pain who retired on health grounds.

Miraculously she was on hand to be photographed with her sister bishops Joanna and June.

Currently Archdeacon of Rochdale, Vann is a musician by background. It is not immediately clear how her name came to the attention of the college but she was one of the signatories to a letter from Church of England Synod members 'piling pressure' on the College of Bishops in appealing for greater inclusion for gay Christians within the Church, thus sharing the same sympathies as her sister bishops.

Is this another stitch up to advance the bishops' drive for same sex marriage in the Church in Wales?

In support of this theory a correspondent who checked the names in the electoral college was disturbed to find that of the 26 Clergy Electors (including Bishops), 17 of them were dignitaries - i.E either a bishop, dean or archdeacon. Leaving only 9 electors from front-line clergy. "Considering any appointment needs a super-majority of two-thirds there is no chance of a popular appointment since the college is loaded with the hierarchy. If the dignitaries voted against a candidate they could block anyone since you need 32 votes to get the requisite majority. They could literally guarantee it goes to the bench and the confidentially rules means we can never know if they are voting as a block - can you believe it? This disenfranchisement of front-line clergy is wholly wrong as is loading the college with deans and archdeacons."

The announcement comes as the three-day meeting of the electoral college was drawing to a close amid suggestions that a number of candidates who had been approached intimated that they wouldn't touch the Church in Wales with a barge pole.

Read More

Holiness lost in the Church in Wales

Ven Cherry Vann, bishop elect of Monmouth                                               Source: Church in Wales

In the run up to the Electoral College charged with electing the 11th Bishop of Monmouth the President of the College, Archbishop John Davies, gave an account of the qualities required of the successful candidate. If I recall correctly it implied an element of holiness based on biblical guidance of the qualities needed to be a bishop.

I can no longer find the link, only "Page or file not founddanquot;. No doubt it has been taken down to avoid embarrassing comparisons based on this reaction in conversation with others from an internationally respected commentator on Church affairs to the election of the "first partnered lesbian bishopdanquot;, that we know of, in the UK:

"Merit and holiness has nothing to do with the election of bishops in the Church in Wales. This is a political process. There are 23 clergy electors in the electoral synod. All but 7 are bishops, archdeacons and deans and you need to have a two-thirds vote so what this means is that the establishment by the way they pack the Electoral College is able to select those people whom they wish to put forward as bishop? Barry Morgan the former archbishop has been pushing for this outcome. Pushing for women clergy, pushing for women bishops, pushing for the normalisation of homosexuality.

"Members of the Archbishop's Council tell me that Archdeacon Vann is a complete nonentity, not as a person but in her role in the substantive debates within the Archbishop's Council. In other words she is not someone who has ideas, is a mover or a shaker, who people when we come to an issue, they look at her and think: What does she have to say? She is just another grey face at a long grey table. She is a committee person, she sits on the dais at General Synod and in 10 years has made no meaningful contribution whatsoever.

?Within the diocese where she is archdeacon she has made life miserable for conservative evangelicals, I'm told, through a passive, aggressive approach to things. In other words she is not a warrior for this cause, she is just an apparatchik. And so now we have another mediocrity who has a good CV of positions but no actual real holiness or merit or intellect or heft?

"The option taken by the Church in Wales is effectively to say the gay issue does not matter to us. We are not going to go through the perambulations that the Church of England has gone through. We are just saying this is who she is, like it or lump it."

All the more surprising therefore to see so much acclamation on Twitter although much of it had more to do with feminism, gender equality and parity than holiness. I also read a congratulatory tweet from the gay activist Sandi Toksvig but as in the case of the Archbishop's letter I can no longer find the tweet as if there were something to hide.

Cherry Vann is a member of the Church of England's Pastoral Advisory Group considering matters such as ‘Next Steps in Human Sexuality’ (GS Misc 1158). She is also a Trustee of the Ozanne Foundation.

The Bishops of the Church in Wales agreed the following statement on marriage between same-sex couples in March 2012.

"We abide by the Christian doctrine of marriage as the union of one man with one woman freely entered into for life. We acknowledge that whilst issues of human sexuality are not resolved, there are couples living in other life-long committed relationships who deserve the welcome, pastoral care and support of the Church. We are committed to further listening, prayerful reflection and discernment regarding same-sex relationships."

The Rev Jenny Wigley who, along with the Ven Peggy Jackson, did everything they could to undermine traditional Anglican orthodoxy, was the Guest Editor for a special edition of Theology Wales In her Introduction she referenced "The statement of the 1998 Lambeth Conference affirmed heterosexual marriage or sexual abstinence as the only choices for Christians; homosexual practice was declared to be incompatible with scripture. But the statement also committed the bishops to listening to the experience of homosexual persons and called on people to “minister  and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation".

Heterosexual marriage was affirmed but has been undermined ever since. The bench of bishops have used every means at their disposal to force through same sex marriage in church, including a one sided presentation by the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church to the Governing Body last September. SeeChurch in Wales bench of bishops in renewed push for same sex marriage.

On the face of it the appointment of Cherry Vann is entirely political. Llandaff boasts the first transgender priest. Now the bench can pride themselves on appointing the first female bishop with a same sex partner. She is also an interfaith enthusiast supporting the removal of church pews to allow Muslim events in church.

No wonder the archbishop expressed his delight in a video announcing the appointment.

It is a sobering thought for any priests stood at the altar in whose name they will be celebrating.

Postscript [23.09.2019]

Bishop-Elect for Monmouth Diocese Cherry Van gives her first interview since being elected to the post

"She said: 'I was quite struck by the process the Church in Wales adopts to find new bishops. It seems to me to be heavily dependent on the guidance of the Holy Spirit and that gives me great encouragement'."

Read More

Then there were three

The bishops of St Davids, Monmouth (bishop-elect) and Llandaff                              Source: Twitter

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning or in rain?" - At the Sacred Synod regardless.

Following the announcement that the Ven Cherry Vann had been elected bishop of Monmouth she tweeted: "Absolutely thrilled to be joining these wonderful women on the bench of Bishops in the Church in Wales.

Perhaps she was less than thrilled to be joining the three male bishops on the bench!

It had long been rumoured that the bishop of Lancaster, Jill Duff, would be the 11th bishop of Monmouth but not so. Presumably her CV did not match the expectations of the bench.

In her first interview after her election the Ven Cherry Vann told the South Wales Argus: "I found out I had been elected at about dua.30pm on the Thursday afternoon [when] I got a call from Archbishop John".

A little over half-an-hour later at 3.08pm the Archbishop announced that the bishop elect was Cherry Vann, Archdeacon of Rochdale.

Ms Vann is not a member of the Electoral College. The Cathedral would have been locked so she must have been hovering in the vicinity. Cynics may wonder how the archdeacon came to be in Newport for the announcement. Another episcopal stitch up?

What could the Electoral College have found so attractive about the Archdeacon of Rochdale? Few in the Church in Wales would have heard of her apart from the bishops and special interest groups such as Mae Cymru.

Contrary to sentiments expressed by Ms Vann and the Archbishop of Wales in a video message after the announcement, in her first newspaper interview Ms Vann said: "This is a very different province to the Church of England, and it works differently. I am aware that I have a lot to learn both about the church and how it works, but also about the past and what I am inheriting.

?I am also aware that the church is struggling to be relevant in people?S lives. I want to work with people to find ways of communicating, what is essentially, a message of love and hope to people who find the institutional church difficult or inaccessible.

?Institutions do not find it easy to change. I think what we have got, not just in Monmouth but right across the established churches, is an organisation that is struggling to meet the demands of the present age. An age where religion is seen as irrelevant at best and people do not understand what it is about. That is a huge challenge for everyone.?

There must be priests in Wales and beyond, even Welsh speaking, who do not have a lot to learn both about the church and how it works, about the past and what the bishop is inheriting so it appears that more weight was attached to supporting 'an organisation struggling to meet the demands of the present age'.

No doubt being relevant to society is why Ms Vann is absolutely thrilled to be joining the "wonderful women" on the bench of Bishops as they pursue their secular cause.

Now there are three.

Read More