Thoughts on being a Cathedral Chaplain

I've been away from it, on Crete in blazing sunshine and welcome heat. Jane and I saw Knossos and the museum but were often content to laze around the swimming pool and 'be', and read. (Jane unfortunately had a virus for three days which knocked on the head a five hour walk in Samaria Gorge).

I read the whole of A Place of Greater Safety, Hilary Mantel's wonderful novel about Desmoulins, Danton and Robespierre. I also re-read (backwards!) Fr Dumitru Staniloae's first of six volumes of Dogmatics, The Experience of God, and learnt much to my blessing.

So I've been away from Chaplaining for a short while. This is a good thing. I'm so looking forward to being back. I always think that a Chaplain, when (s)he is there is God's person for the task. But so what? God has other people too. It doesn't matter who is there so long as someone is who is going about the task, being on pilgrimage, and not too full of self.

Chaplaining is an -ing as well as a -cy. It is service in motion. You need to expect to be changed by it, and come back again and again to be refreshed as well as to serve. You need to expect the unexpected each time, the serious, the funny, the sorrowful, the uplifting, the (let's face it) boring, the   alerting of spiritual antennae, the willingness to love right through the day.

For me, starting at the Feretory and often continuing round different stations is vital. I know that others have their own important places within the Church. But we must be on pilgrimage, whether it's on our own or in the company of others who happen to be there. The Vergers, Stewards, Guides, Bedespeople (have I forgotten anyone? Oh the Canons Residentiary and the Celebrants) are all your ministers as well as people to serve. I learn so much too from the ad hoc conversation, no matter what depth it is at.

I've been Chaplaining for very nearly twenty five years, and am still practising. The Church continues to amaze me, and come up with new revelations. Visitors, Pilgrims, Congregants likewise.

I'm writing this because I need to read it and remind myself of what a blessing and privilege it is to serve God and his people in this way.