Monday, January 05, 2009

Gregory for St Asaph

How pleasing to hear the news this evening of Gregory Cameron's election as Bishop of St Asaph. I got to know him as a young priest serving in Monmouth diocese twenty years ago, through the common connection we have with the sisters of the Holy Cross at Ty Mawr convent. No doubt there will be rejoicing there tonight, at the news that one of their Companion Brothers is to be a Bishop of the Church in Wales.

He is immensely capable and learned, and has served the Anglican Communion well during the past five years of politicking and disputes in its London central office. Sooner or later he would have ended up as a Bishop somewhere in England or maybe even abroad, because of his valuable contribution to the thinking of the Communion and the handling of its conflicts. It's a credit to the St Asaph electoral college that they have recognised his qualities and called him to leadership.

Like Monmouth diocese, where he grew up and started his ministry, St Asaph is a border diocese, with an interface between English and Welsh cultures as well as churches. He is well fitted to preside over the church in such a context, and after his time in the ACO astride the cultural differences of global Anglicanism, he has a special kind of experience to contribute to the leadership of the Church in Wales, that will help to ensure it doesn't turn further in on itself, in the struggle for survival.

1 comment:

@dewinton said...

I agree about the good news - Gregory will add much to the collective bench which will have a good balance. It would be good to see the bench of bishops taking a more proactive role in the leadership of the Christian community in Wales - perhaps even take a risk or two!