St Wilfrid: First Bishop of YorkDelving into the life and ministry of St Wilfred makes interesting reading.Wilfred was a man of the time who generally got on well with others but not so well with those who held positions of power. Perhaps his face and manner didn’t quite fit with some but he soldiered on, true to his own sense of calling, despite the difficulties and challenges he faced and coped with. What follows is only a very brief account of his life but do read and reflect on and about his life and ministry and how you would rate him. Wilfred was born in AD 634, the son of a Northumbrian nobleman. He was educated at Lindisfarne, the great centre of Celtic Christianity in the north of Britain at that time but while he learned much there ‘he despaired at the insularity of the place’. He was unhappy with the inward-looking ethos of Irish Christianity at Lindisfarne so he decided to take his leave and travel all over England and to France and then on to Italy. He went to Canterbury to study and while there he developed a taste for the Roman practices of the church before going to France and then on to Rome. While in France he was ordained as bishop. He returned to England about three years later in about 660 and became a strong and persuasive campaigner for replacing the Celtic traditions with Roman liturgical practices and following the Benedictine Rule of fusing prayer and labour with community life.The appeal of adopting Roman practices tended to upset many bishops and noblemen, especially in the north of Britain, and as a result he began to encounter fierce opposition, not least because of his age, as he was barely thirty years old. Many bishops objected to Wilfred being ordained as a bishop which perhaps stemmed from an ancient rule which much later was included in The Book of Common Prayer of 1662. It states with regard to the ‘Manner of Making, Ordaining and Consecrating Bishops, Priests and Deacons,’ “ everyman who is to be ordained, or consecrated Bishop, shall be fully thirty years of age”. It seems that perhaps some bishops regarded Wilfred as too much of a ‘High Flyer’ or ‘Whizz Kid’ and felt threatened by him being too much of an entrepreneur and change-maker to get on comfortably with. However, at the Synod of Whitby in 664 the pro-Roman party won the vote and Wilfred was appointed bishop of York but not for long as many bishops, especially those who stood opposed to adopting Roman practices, made life difficult for Wilfred. It seems, probably as a result of the resolutions of Whitby that Wilfred found himself being pushed from pillar to post, up and down and in and out of favour. Although he had received a first class education at Lindisfarne and was known to have eloquent and articulate oratory skills, he was also known to have a quick and quarrelsome temperament that upset many bishops as well as noblemen and the King. As a result, he was deposed as bishop of York but about four years later he was reinstated. During his time as bishop of York he managed to acquire large areas of land and his diocese subsequently extended to the outer limits of the Northumbrian kingdom which troubled other bishops who perhaps thought Wilfred was becoming too much of an empire builder. As bishop of York Wilfred enjoyed a life of affluence, prestige and comfort at least for a while until he upset and angered the King again over an issue concerning the King’s wife. Wilfred fell out of favour and was criticised by his enemies for having too large a diocese. They thought his diocese was an embarrassment and too powerful so a decision was made, without consulting Wilfred, to divide the diocese of Northumbria into four parts served by four bishops Smarting from that decision and the way he had been treated he decided to take his case to Rome and appeal to the Pope. He was apparently the first English bishop ever known to do so and he won his case. During the years that followed Wilfred made at least two or perhaps three further visits to Rome to ask the Pope to intervene when he felt he was being unfairly treated. No doubt that angered some English bishops. Following one visit to Rome Wilfred, on his return, was accused of obtaining a Papal Decree through bribery to secure his See in Northumbria (a See being the office and jurisdiction of a bishop). That accusation resulted in him being imprisoned for nine months. After being released he worked in Sussex helping convert the pagan Saxons to Christianity and while there he founded a monastery near Chichester. Five years later, in 689, the King of Northumbria, at the behest of the Pope, requested Wilfred be reinstalled to his Abbey in Ripon but after quarrelling with the King again he was banished from Northumbria. He then found favour with the King of Mercia who granted Wilfred the vacant See of Lichfield. I think Wilfred, in his later years, perhaps came to adopt a gentle and compromising approach, especially out of a concern for his future in dealing with powerful people. Some bishops still wanted to remove him but a compromise was reached. He was invited to retire to his Abbey in Rippon but retain the See of Hexham. He did so. Wilfred died about 709 at the age of 75 after a challenging life. But those were dark, difficult and dangerous times when it was unwise to upset or anger those who held positions of power who could influence and shape a future for better or for worse. When I reflect on the life of St Wilfred I also tend to remember times in my own life when I was perhaps too outspoken or challenging about things and came away from meetings or situations or interviews smarting and thinking “I should have been more delicate or more politically or culturally sensitive in voicing my thoughts, feelings and/or objections about various matters”. Some might perhaps remember occasions when we felt pushed from pillar to post because perhaps our face didn’t quite fit. Perhaps some might remember regretting or saying or doing something that caused us to tumble from a life or a job or a relationship that we felt secure in and wish we could turn the clock back and undo things. I’m sure that is true for most or all of us in some way at points in life as I think it was for Wilfred also. But he got on with life and tried as best he could to temper his way and sense of calling that enabled him to do his best for God. So, today, let us remember and venerate Wilfred as a saint of the Church who was loved and highly regarded by many as a man of God throughout northern Britain and beyond. Fr Graham
10th of October St PaulinusPaulinus (AD 563-644) came from Italy to England in about AD 601 at the bidding of Pope Gregory the Great in Rome to assist the missionary work of St Augustine to convert the Anglo Saxons and some pagan groups to Christianity. He and other fellow monks were by all accounts very successful in doing so, especially in the north of England. He was also the first Christian missionary appointed to what was then the kingdom of Northumbria. He was described as a “tall man with a slight stoop, who had black hair, a thin face and a narrow aquiline nose, his presence being venerable and awe-inspiring”. Well, today, we are invited to remember the ministry of St Paulinus who later became the first Archbishop of York. When I read about St Paulinus I tend to think of him not just as a devout and hard-working Christian missionary who did his best to point people to God but also as a person who valued and adopted story-telling as a mission tool. For example, at one famous meeting, probably in Yorkshire, with high ranking ‘thegns’ (lords who held land from the then king in return for military service in time of war), Paulinus or one of his followers, who also valued story-telling, explained the advantages of embracing Christianity by saying: “This is how the present life of man on Earth appears to me in comparison with that time which is unknown to us. You are sitting feasting with your fellow thegns in winter time. The fire is burning on the hearth in the middle of the hall and all is warm, while outside the wintry storms of rain and snow are raging – and a sparrow flies swiftly through the hall. It enters in at one door and quickly flies out through the other. For a few moments it is inside, the storm and wintry tempest cannot touch it, but after the briefest moment of calm, it flits from your sight, out of the wintry storm and into it again. So this life of man appears but for a moment. What follows or, indeed, what went before, we know not at all”. The thegns, then having interpreted the story and having been offered the hope of life after death, realising that their own religion wasn’t working, were won over by Paulinus and his followers. The King’s high priest then rode out and ordered their ‘pagan’ temple to be demolished. Edwin, the King, was then himself baptised at York on Easter Day AD 627 along with his two sons. In our modern world we may neglect or fail to fully appreciate the importance and power of story-telling and how it can work help transform people’s lives. I remember from my own childhood how my parents, family and friends used to gather round a blazing fire at home with a few drinks and nibbles and share stories about life in general and many of those stories, even humorous ones, provided much food for thought. Jesus himself used story-telling as a mission tool when he went out to towns and villages meeting with people. When people approached him and asked for help, he said, ‘How can I help you?’ They told him their stories and problems and difficulties. Jesus listened and then he told them a story (a parable) designed to help people reflect in personal ways about their own life situation. Then, before taking his leave, Jesus pointed them to God. I am sure Paulinus himself was well aware of the power of using parables as a mission and evangelising tool and he used that wisely and appropriately to good effect. Perhaps, when things are more settled, our churches and community groups should think about offering story-telling evenings for the benefit of all and for the life of the Church. I am sure many of us of riper years have many stories to tell that can help and direct people in good ways and to God.‘Almighty and everlasting God, we thank you for your servant Paulinus, whom you called to preach the Gospel to the people of northern England. Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Saviour Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever’.Fr Graham
Thoughts for Today From the real world, sublime and challenging Kralendijk, Bonaire – think salt-flats, wild donkeys, slave-huts and cactus juice… How ironic that on the day I settle down to write about the small island of Bonaire it has been declared as one of the places travellers arriving from there to the UK will have to isolate for two weeks. We arrived at Kralendijk, Bonaire – a ‘desert island‘ with a population of 20,000 on Leap Year Day, Saturday, 29th February. Our guide around the island was Simone from Germany - a resident for over 22 years. The words from Psalm 107: verse 24, ‘See the works of the Lord’ – (his wonderful works in the deep) greeted us on our arrival at the marina.Because of its Dutch heritage Kralendijk is known as ‘Little Amsterdam’. It entertains the hurricane season from July to September and suffered drought from 2013-2016. In the large mini-bus transport we were soon in the land of Aloe Vera spikes and Yatsu Cacti over 200 years old. Indigenous Indians have lived on Bonaire since 1500 BC. We drove to a diving jetty and were greeted by friendly lizards. Young divers were displaying their bravery off the nearby cliff.Travelling on to the first part of the island’s salt flats we viewed the shy flamingoes in the distance. Apparently, the darker pink indicates the older birds. They live for up to twenty-five years and have no predators on the island. However, algae have been identified as being harmful to them, and booms have been installed to protect the flats from the pervasive weed by Sorobon Bay.The Cadushy Distillery introduced us to a Cactus Liqueur - a thimble full again you understand! No, it wasn’t pleasant but was advertised as ‘The Spirit of Bonaire’. We negotiated the wild goats and donkeys on the way to the Salt Mountains and glittering salt flats. There are great mountains of salt harvested by the ‘Salt Farm’ of the Cargill Company highlighting the fact with a large conveyor loading a bulk ship by the wharf. The mountains of salt look awesome and natural. The contrast with the industrial process is stark.Jane and I were not prepared for what came next…the pure white slave houses on the coast – small windowless ‘houses’ just 1.5 metres high. Originally built in 1850 by the West India Company to house two slaves each, but were in fact inhabited by six. Shock set in when we saw the actual size of the interiors. The slaves slept there during the week, returning to their families in Rincon (a distance of seven miles) only for short breaks. Their work involved cutting the salt, and carrying it on their heads and in barrows to small boats before transfer to the Company ships. The salt today is mainly for industrial use. Slavery, which had been in operation under the Dutch, British, French and Portugese jurisdictions from the 17th century was abolished on Bonaire in 1863. The West Indian Company soon left the island after extracting its natural harvest of sun-dried sea salt for great profit.We were very subdued after that experience, so physical, so stark. It was in sharp contrast to our next stop, the Sorobon Beach resort. The ‘Wellness and Windsurf Resort’ was secluded and set on a ‘holiday brochure’ lagoon of the Caribbean blue sea with the mangroves nearby. The waves were a mile away.We lunched and had the use of two beach beds before a paddle into the shallow seawater of the lagoon. Up to my knees in water I met with a female GP and her husband from Rotterdam via Morocco. As we swapped travel stories we were amazed to see a young Nurse Shark (Gingly Mostama Cirratum) come within six feet of us, fortunately socially distancing! They are not known for attacking human beings and feed upon seabed shell fish. We later learned that young nurse sharks very rarely stray from the mangroves to the main lagoon. The surf team informed us we were very fortunate to see one. The experience certainly caused a ‘gingly-tum’! Scary, awesome and unexpected, I was reassured to be with a GP at the time….After refreshments it was time to make our way back to the ship. We passed the Hotel van emblazoned with the sign ‘Powered by the Sun – Twice the Fun’. The wind farm on the horizon called the ‘Windsock’, contributes to the island’s one third electric self sufficiency.The sail away followed to Bridgetown, Barbados. Next, there was a sea day. Over two hundred came to the two morning services. Part of the extended sail-away was a late night deck concert with our resident ‘Drifter’, Steve V King and the female vocalist Jo Ashcroft who serenaded us on a barmy evening.More works of the Lord lay ahead in the wonderful works of the deep…Blessings,Edward and Jane
